Painting is a much easier process for the DIYer these days. There is so much information, and it’s so easy to access via the web. You may be a homeowner who has the time and patience to research and learn to paint rather than hire a professional painter. For those wanting to tackle painting themselves, here are some DIY painting tips for a professional look.
Use The Best Painting Tools
Always invest in high-quality painter’s tape, brushes, and roller covers. Also make sure to choose the correct shape brush, and nap of roller cover for the job. High-quality and appropriate tools will produce even coverage with straight, clean lines.
Step-by-Step DIY Painting Tips for Flawless Results
- Painter’s Tape Application: For a perfect edge, clean the surface first. Apply the tape smoothly, pressing down the edges without stretching. When painting, brush away from the tape edge, not towards it. Remove the tape when the paint is still slightly damp, pulling it back at a 45-degree angle.
- Brush and Roller Techniques: Dip the brush only a third of the way into the paint, tapping off excess. With rollers, roll it along the tray ridges to distribute paint evenly. Use long, even strokes, and reload frequently to avoid streaks.
- Surface Cleaning and Preparation: Clean walls with a solution of water and mild detergent. For grease spots, use a deglosser. Rinse thoroughly and let dry. Sand smooth any peeling paint or rough edges for a uniform surface.
- Priming Techniques: Apply primer to cover stains or dark colors, using a brush for small areas and a roller for large ones. Allow it to dry completely before applying the topcoat. This ensures better adhesion and color consistency.
- Paint Mixing and ‘Boxing’: Combine all paint cans into a large bucket and stir well, ensuring color uniformity. This technique, known as ‘boxing,’ is crucial when using multiple cans to prevent slight color variations on your walls.
CLEAN GREASE AND DIRT FIRST
There are typical areas in a home that tend to collect grease and dirt the most. Kitchens, bathrooms, and surfaces around light switches and door knobs are big culprits. For these areas, clean walls with a deglosser or cleaner specifically designed for cleaning, prior to painting. If you paint over dirty surfaces, you risk adhesion problems and peeling paint.
PREP WORK IS CRITICAL
When discussing DIY painting tips for a professional look, you must address prep work. Thorough preparation of walls is critical for a professional outcome. Fill any cracks and then lightly sand or scrape any rough areas and areas of flaking or peeling paint. You’ll then want to wipe down the walls with a damp cloth to remove any dust. Paint will not adhere properly to a wall that contains dust or debris.
Next, apply a quality primer. If you’ve filled holes and patched cracks with a filler, those areas with filler will accept paint differently than the rest of the wall. Those areas will more aggressively absorb the moisture from the paint and will cause a spotty finish. This is called “flashing”. To avoid “flashing” it’s important to apply a primer.
REMOVE, DON’T PAINT AROUND
Nothing screams “amature” like switch plate and outlet covers covered with paint splatters or sealed to the walls with paint! Do yourself a favor and remove outlet and switch plate covers before painting. The extra few minutes you’ll take removing these covers will save time in the long run, and create a professional finish. This is one of those really important DIY painting tips for a professional look.
MEASURE ACCURATELY AND BUY THE FEWEST CONTAINERS OF PAINT
Measuring and accurately estimating the amount of paint you’ll need is crucial. Not only will it save you the stress of having to run to the paint store in the middle of your project, but can prevent an entire repaint! There are paint estimate calculators on the internet, or the paint store associate can help you with this calculation.
Every can of paint can be a slightly different color, even though the color code is the same. Painters know this and buy the largest container they can rather than buying multiple, smaller cans of paint. If it isn’t possible or cost-efficient to purchase a 5-gallon bucket of paint, you’ll want to “box” your cans of paint. “Boxing” is a term that means to mix all your cans of paint into a larger container before beginning the paint project. This process of mixing all the paint will establish a consistent color throughout the paint.
CANVAS DROP CLOTHS ARE BEST
DIY painting tips for a professional look don’t all have to do with the painted walls. A valuable tip is the use of canvas drop cloths. Plastic drop cloths, while less expensive, are very slippery. Plastic allows the paint to stay wet for too long, risking tracking paint through the room. Canvas drop cloths are also more effective than old sheets or blankets which can allow the paint to seep through onto your flooring.
ORDER MATTERS!
DIY painting tips for a professional look include the best order in which to paint a room. The order to paint a room is trim, then the ceiling, then the walls. The easiest area to mask off in a room is the trim, and it will save time to only mask once!
Begin by painting the trim. Don’t worry about getting paint on the walls, you’ll be painting them later. After allowing the trim to dry (24 hours is best), mask off the trim. Make sure to press the tape against the dried trim using a putty knife. This will ensure a good seal to keep the wall paint from bleeding under the tape onto the trim.
Next, paint the ceiling. Again, don’t worry about getting paint on the walls, they’ll be painted shortly. Once the ceiling is painted, cut in or paint a “stripe” of paint along the top edge of the wall right next to the ceiling. Feather out the edges of this “stripe” of paint as you go. This stripe of paint provides a “buffer” or safe zone next to the ceiling. It will allow you to roll out the walls up to the stripe of paint without fear of bumping the ceiling with wall paint.
AVOID PAINT ON POPCORN CEILINGS
If you have popcorn ceilings it’s very difficult to avoid getting paint on the heavily textured ceiling next to the adjoining wall. When you cut in paint on the top edge of the wall, your brush will always touch the “bumps” on the ceiling due to the tight angle.
To remedy this problem, carefully scrape a narrow path around the perimeter edge of the ceiling using the flat edge of a screwdriver. Be very careful not to scrape holes or gouges into the ceiling or you will have drywall repairs to deal with! You’ll want to scrape this path BEFORE you paint the ceiling. The path must be immediately next to the adjoining wall’s edge. This will create a smooth path of bump-free ceiling! The path will allow the bristles of the brush to now reach the top edge of the wall without accidentally touching the texture of the ceiling. Once the ceiling is painted, you will never notice the “bump-free” path!
AVOID UNEVEN COVERAGE
Circumventing uneven coverage can be achieved even if you’re not a professional painter. Maintaining a wet edge and painting the full height of the wall is key. You’ll then move slightly to the side and overlap the last wet edge of the paint. This process is one of those lesser-known DIY painting tips for a professional look.
If you can’t keep a wet edge, feather out that edge while rolling. When you can return to the feathered edge section, roll the paint over the feathered area and it will create an even coating. You can also add a paint conditioner to the paint to level out brush and roller marks, leaving an even finish.
REMOVING TAPE WITHOUT PULLING OFF PAINT
One of our last DIY painting tips for a professional look involves painter’s tape. So many times inexperienced DIYers accidentally tear off the edges of their fresh paint when removing the tape. The answer to when to pull off tape depends on the tape you use.
If you are using Frog tape, it’s recommended to remove the tape while the paint is still wet. Pull the tape at a 45-degree angle and pull slowly. If you’re using another type of painters tape, wait about an hour, or until the paint is dry to the touch. Then proceed using the above method for Frog tape. If the paint has dried completely, you may need to carefully use a razor knife and cut along the edge of the tape before pulling to disconnect the tape from the dried paint.
As a seasoned painting professional with over 15 years in the industry, I’ve mastered the art and science of painting. My journey began as an apprentice and led to establishing my own successful painting business. Over the years, I’ve honed techniques that ensure top-quality finishes, learned the nuances of paint and material selection, and stayed abreast of the latest trends. This article distills my years of hands-on experience and continuous learning, offering you insights that are both tried-and-tested and innovative.
These tips will help you achieve a professional look just like the painting companies!
