DIY painting projects can give you an affordable way to refresh your home. However, if you make a few common mistakes, the project will end up taking longer and costing a lot more. Learn about the most common mistakes that homeowners make, so you can avoid them and make the most from from your home painting project.
Common DIY Painting Project Mistakes To Avoid
1. Skimping When Buying Paint
If you have your paint mixed to a custom color, it will be a pain to go back and match it later. Also, you are bound to want some extra paint around in case you need to touch up your work later. It’s really better to err on the side of buying a bit of extra paint than to have to stop your project in the middle because you did not purchase enough.
2. Putting Too Much Paint On The Brush
When you dip your brush, paint should never touch the metal or wooden part and should only cover part of the bristles. Really, experts will advise new painters to avoid dipping more than one-third of the bristles of their brush. Adding to much paint will cause dripping, and this leads to messes and wasted paint.
3. Not Waiting Long Enough To Apply The Second Coat
If you plan to apply two coats of paint, you will probably be tempted to apply the second coat right after you finish with the first. You’re much better off if you wait until the first coat dries. This may take a few hours or even overnight. Only after the paint dries can you really see missed spots, and you need a dry first coat of paint to property adhere to the second coat of wet paint.
4. Not Using Paint Rollers Properly
Paint rollers can help you paint large areas much faster than brushes. However the same advice applies to paint rollers that applies to brushes. You should roll off excess paint, so you don’t make a drippy, uneven mess on the walls. Paint rollers can help you work more efficiently, but you will work better if you don’t try to work too fast.
5. Not Filling In Gaps And Holes First
It’s tempting to try to fill in small cracks or holes with paint, but you usually cannot get good results this way. It’s much better to fill in those holes with caulk or a filling compound before you paint. You can ask at the hardware or paint store to buy the right supplies for this task. Filling in holes and gaps is an easy and important task to complete before you paint.
Be Prepared For Your Painting Project
Painting a room does not have to take that long or cost very much at all. In some cases, you can get the job done with only one coat of paint and a few hours. Just be sure you buy the right supplies, do the tasks in the right order, and avoid getting so impatient that you might cut corners.
