Painting 101 - Part 1 in a Series

The Power of Paint!

(Version en Español sigue)    

Before

After 

Did you know?  Changing a paint color on a wall can impact the feel of a room up to 70%.
Did you know?  Painting is the #1 DIY Weekend project in the US.  
Did you know?  Painting is the cheapest way to make the biggest impact in a room.   

Here is the big question?  Do you know HOW to paint?  

FACT: Painting can be fun or horrible! It’s all in how you prep and what you know.

I have literally hung from ladders and scaffolding for many years (fallen off of a few) and of the many things that can go wrong, I have experienced some version of them – creating the “uh-oh” we all hate.  So, my goal in this paint series is to help insure your next paint project is fun AND that it turns out looking like pro did it.  Join me though the series as I share tool lists, step-by-step information and tips to help save you heartache, time and money!   Let the painting begin!

The starting point for any home project is with the tools you select and the amount of time you take to prepare – painting is no different.  What seems like an insignificant decision to purchase one brush over another, or one tape over another will greatly determine how much work you put into your paint job... not to mention, the amount of joy and satisfaction you will get when that paint job is done easily or with challenges that can be avoided.

Your biggest assets are found in the equipment you select:

Simply said:

Good Brush = Good Finish












 Bad brush = Bad Finish





  

Good Tape = Clean lines  
Bad Tape = Lots of touchups

“It’s all in the prep…”  You will hear me say it over and over again, “The secret to any job well done IS in the preparation.”  Taking the time up front, at the start of any project, to prepare your paint surface well will insure a great paint job.  In order to insure a great paint job, there are a few things that must happen before you can actually start to roll out that paint.  The “prep,” or preparation begins with patch and repair and insuring the surface to be painted is clean – dust, dirt and grease free. Patching holes and repairing any cracks or flaking in the pre-existing paint job is critical to a finished paint job looking profession – crisp and clean.  Once wall repairs are done, go back and insure the walls are completely dust free & clean before you move on to the actual painting. (I will specifically touch on patching & repairing later in the next installment of this pain series.)

Simply Said: 

The more time spent in the prep, the less time spent in the painting the better quality in the finished product. Promise!

The more fastidious and meticulous you are about the prep of your paint job, the better the end result will be. There is nothing worse than to be able to detect previous holes and recent wall repair under a new paint job or to end up with a wavy paint line on the ceiling - both are tell-tale signs of careless work or simply not really knowing better.  Let’s change that!    

The same thought of “better tools give better results” can absolutely be parlayed into “the better the prep the better the end result.”  It all works hand in hand. 

Before you open that can of paint…there are crucial steps many feel they can pass right over and just paint.  I know most people don’t weigh heavily enough the importance of cleaning, protecting the floors and the always dreaded - patching and repair. 

My Last words of advice: If you take your next paint project in manageable proportions – the prep doesn’t have to be that bad.  “Work smarter - not harder” is a huge concept when it comes to painting.  Join me in the next installment – where I go step-by-step into patching walls – with a huge tip on how to not have dust flying all over the place when doing wall repair.  See you next time!