Spring has sprung! With the nicer weather outside, it’s a great time to do home renovations. One of the easiest renovations that make a big difference is painting your interior walls. A fresh coat of paint and a new color and brighten up your home and give it that new feeling again. Here are some pro-tips for re-doing the paint on interior walls.
Paint – When you go to your local Home Depot or Lowe’s, for example, you might feel bombarded with too many paint selections. Here is a simple guide to how to choose:
- Select your colors – for your walls and trim – in the color section of the brand of paint you prefer (Behr, Glidden, Valspar, etc.)
- Choose the grade of paint you want. The higher quality paints are usually more expensive sometimes do not require primer.
- Choose a finish quality (matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, etc.). The store has samples for you to feel the difference in finishes.
- Choose which size of paint (gallons v. quarts) you want it.
- Tell these four things to the associate in the paint counter. They will make and mix your color.
- If you chose a lower grade paint, and are painting over a dark color, you may need to purchase primer. Primer simply allows paint to stick better to your wall, and the color underneath will not seep through.
Materials – Here is a simple list of items you will need:
- Tarp: to cover your carpet or hardwood floor from paint drips and splatters.
- Sponge: to clean your walls as prep work.
- Ladder
- Painter’s tape: make sure to get taper’s paint. You don’t want to get tape that takes off paint when you peel it off.
- Paint tray: buying a pre-package set comes with brushes, brushes and rollers, which will save you some money.
Process – Here are some general tips:
- Prep your walls by taking off any nails, filling in any holes with putty, and cleaning it off with a damp sponge. Paint sticks better to clean walls.
- While taping, make sure it’s flat down to prevent bleed through paint on surfaces you didnt intend to paint.
- Lay the tarp down, flush against the baseboard. Cover any furniture necessary.
- Prime where/if necessary.
- Paint in a “W” pattern. Don’t worry if the first coat looks a little spotty, especially when painting over dark colors. Going over it with a second coat will adjust that.
