As we head into the festive months of the year, many of us are thinking about decorating part or all of the interior of our homes for a fresh, new look in time for the Christmas activities. With that in mind, we thought we’d offer up a few of the painting tips that we’ve picked up during our time in the industry.
Colour Testing
Whilst you might immediately fall in love with a particular colour in the hardware store, it can look very different when it’s actually on your walls. If you’ve gone ‘all in’ and bought as much paint as you think is necessary for the job in hand, you could be talking about several tins and a sizeable hole in your wallet.
So…what happens if you get it home, apply it to the wall and after drying, you aren’t quite so enamored with the colour. In short, it’s too late and you’re looking at wasting a good amount of paint, even if you can return some of it. Buying testers or small pots of your chosen colour and applying it to a foam board (which can be moved around the room as required) is the prudent move, as it gives you the insight you need to confirm if it is indeed the colour you’re wanting. If not, then you’ve eliminated that wastage and are free to experiment with a different colour.
Proper Prep
A small amount of prep work can go a long way to making sure your DIY goes smoothly:
Walls
It may seem like a minor point to some, but ensuring that the walls are free of dust and dirt is vital if you want a smooth finish to your paint job. For thoroughly clean walls, use soap and water or a sugar soap solution before leaving overnight and painting the next morning once dry.
Ceiling
An easy part of the room to forget is the ceiling area and there can be dust and cobwebs that are only clearly visible when the air around them is disturbed. If you don’t clear this away before applying your paint, then it can easily drop down and ruin the new look of your wall.
Floor
It might seem like a good idea to place plastic on the floor before you start, but this can prove very slippy and dangerous. So, we’d recommend that you use old sheets or dedicated drop cloth to protect your flooring.
Allow the Right Amount of Time for The Job
There are certain milestones that must be reached before moving furniture back into the room when it comes to interior painting. You should conservatively estimate how long the entire job will take you and then add in another 24 hours for the walls to dry. Also, you should leave at least 30 days after drying for the paintwork to cure before you wash or wipe any part of the painted walls.
There are, of course, lots of other factors that can determine how good your paint job looks after it is finished, but if you follow these basic steps, then you give yourself the best chance of doing it well and leaving your new room decor looking as good as you hoped it would.
If you would like to know more about how home decorating can completely change the look and feel of your property, you should visit our website myhomeimpro.com. We are open 7 days a week and we’re always on hand to help in any way we can.
