There are many things which go a long way in making a home look beautiful and sophisticated. While the rooms give some shape and description to the home, the paints that adorn the walls and doors go a long way in adding beauty to the entire home. Paints wear off after a period of time and the onus lies on the house owners to repaint the home and bring it back to its old glory. While hiring a good painting specialist is often the normal choice, there are quite a few DIY painting options which could be tried out. Yes, it is a fact that nobody becomes a good painter in the first instance. It has to be learnt and there is no harm trying your hand at it.
You could get started by painting a small room and gather some experience out of it. Once you have been able to smooth the rough edges it will not be long before you become a good painter. In fact it would be a great way to spend the weekends and your family members could also chip in with their bit. Hiring a painting specialist costs lot of money and money saved at the end of the day is money earned. You could use the same for investing in something that could add value to your home. It also would be pertinent to mention that a house that has a good coat of paint could also fetch a much better price when it is sold.
Have The Basics In Place
Before painting the home it is important to ensure that basic ground works are properly done. You should start with washing the walls. A pressure washer could be a good option and can easily be rented. Once the walls have been washed and the surface dirt has been removed, you should pay attention to scraping. This will help in removing all the loose paint and will also take care of the areas that are chipped. You may not have to scrap the entire wall, but certainly must remove tough and deeply embedded stains which may have escaped power wash. However, when scrapping you should ensure that you use the right putty and other substances to even out the walls. Otherwise when you paint the wall you could have uneven surface being visible which could spoil the entire job.
Have Some Idea About The Paint Which You Would Need
Paints are expensive and hence you must be sure that you are not buying excess than what is required. Buying something less is not a problem because you can always buy what is required again. You must spend some time and figure out the square footage. This will be able to give a reasonably accurate idea about the amount of paint which you will need for the entire project. It also would be advisable to go in for 5 litter paints instead of lower quantities because it will help you save good money.
Have All The Accessories In Place
Painting also requires a number of accessories like rollers, brush, ladder, caps for covering the head and something to cover the nose and mouth. You could get in touch with the local painting professionals and have them hired instead of buying them. Buying them would also not be a bad idea because you could use them later and could consider it as an investment. You could also hire it and make some money out of it. You also must not forget buying a painter’s tape. Thinner is also an important ingredient for painting and you should have it in place. You also must buy adequate quantities of primer which should be coated on the walls before applying the paints.
Choosing The Right Paint Is Important
When it comes to buying paint, you must always follow a golden rule. You must not compromise on the quality of the paint that you are purchasing. A good coat of painting using quality paints will stay in place for at least 5 to 7 years. Hence you should not cut corners and try and opt only for the best that is available in the market. There are several grades and types of paints available. It would be better to always opt for quality paints like Nippon Paint Vinyl Silk VS Vinilex 5000 which are considered one of the best and offer very good value for money. You could learn more about the various types, grades and varieties of paints by spending some time on the internet. Choosing the right shade is also very vital and critical. You must spend some time on the same. If you are not clear about the shades that you need to choose you could take the help of some interior decorator. He or she will be able to help you with the right idea taking into account various factors like size, flooring, fixtures and fittings and other such parameters.
Starting The Actual Job
Once the above things have been taken care of, you can get down to the actual job of painting. It is always better to start with the edges of the walls and then move towards the middles. This is a basic lesson which many DIY painters seem to miss out. Differences between old and new cans of paint are accentuated well if one starts working from the middle. Hence starting from the edges with each new can of paint is something you must always keep in mind. Before starting the rolling you should be sure that it is dipped in water or solvent depending on the type of paint that you are using. Finally you should in a Y or N pattern. This is again a basic painting lesson which many of us often miss out. Once this has been done, you should apply the pain in up and down columns. You must take care to smooth the ridges and edges as you go along.
Conclusion
While the first time the job of painting might look overwhelming with so many points to be taken care of you, as you move along you will be able to do a good job of it. Painting is a skill that can easily be learnt.