One of the top home improvement projects most homeowners frequently venture into is house painting, garnering the highest number of responses (34%). A house painting project is a quick and easy way to freshen up your home’s style and boost your home’s financial return on investment (ROI). What’s more, using fresh and natural colors can make your home look and feel larger and improve the overall mood and ambiance of the house.
But to reap these benefits, you need to ensure that your house paint job is done correctly. Otherwise, a bad paint job can be a waste of money and bring other problems. As simple as it looks, a house paint job isn’t just about brushing paint on a wall. There are still other things and steps you need to take, which none must be overlooked if you’re aiming for perfect and seamless painting results.
With that in mind, here are six steps to help you achieve the perfect paint job.
Visualize your plans
Before shopping for paint colors, try to visualize your plans and analyze what kind of vibe you wish to achieve for your home. Imagine how your planned colors would match your interior or exterior look. You can have a color consultation with your house painting company, as they can give you suggestions and recommendations on which colors will suit best for your home.
They often use digital tools to help you virtually see the possible results of the paint job. During the consultation, you can ask about how much a house paint job costs or the estimated average house paint job cost so you can prepare your budget accordingly.
Prepare the room and the walls
Once you’ve had your color consultation and have enough budget for the house paint job cost, it’s time to prepare the room and walls you’ll be working with. This step is crucial because how you prepare your room and walls can significantly impact the paint job results. The more thorough you prepare, the better the paint results will be. Generally, the preparation steps will vary depending on whether you’re painting the interior or exterior walls.
For a home interior paint job, you’ll need to remove all the furniture pieces, artwork, and other fixtures away from the wall and lay some newspapers or old towels on the floor. You may also have to set up proper lighting and ensure proper ventilation, as interacting with paint in an enclosed space can harm your respiratory system. For exterior wall painting, you’ll need to cover the shrubs near the walls, remove the potted plants and flowers, and cover the light fixtures.
Another vital part of your preparation is the cleaning and washing of the walls you’ll be working with. Failing to prepare the walls or the surfaces will result in poor paint results. Either the new paint won’t stick around as long as expected, or you’ll encounter other issues like chalking, blistering, or cracking paint.
So, scrub, clean, sand, and remove the stains and dirt on the surfaces before you brush any paint. You may also use this time to evaluate your walls for imperfections like nail holes, cracks, or loose surfaces. You’ll need to address and fix these problems before starting any paint job.
Gather the right painting materials and supplies
A perfect house paint job depends on the painting materials you use. If you opt for cheap painting materials and supplies, you can expect the results to look cheap. So, when purchasing painting products, make sure you choose high-quality paint that can offer protection from sun exposure, moisture, and impact.
You’ll also need to buy the right tools, like fresh brushes, rollers, painter’s tape, sanders, etc. If you’re new to house painting and unsure what to use or buy, best to leave this step to the professionals, as they know better when it comes to choosing and using the right painting materials for a particular paint job.
Apply primer
Priming is a crucial and a no-skip step in achieving a perfect house paint job. The primer helps prepare the surface to ensure maximum adhesion, ensuring your paint lasts longer. So, regardless of the type of paint you use, always apply primer to the walls first before painting to guarantee optimal results.
Learn the proper painting techniques
To achieve beautiful and lasting paint results, you must learn and use the proper painting techniques. The painting technique may vary depending on the applicator—like paint sprayers, rollers, and brushes—you decide to use, their size, and their texture. Each paint applicator requires a different motion when used.
You also need to know the right amount of paint before soaking them. When you soak too much or too little paint or use the applicator too quickly or too slowly, it can adversely affect the painting results. In effect, you’ll have uneven drying, bubbling, or streaking.
So, learn the proper methods for each tool first before you start the project. If you’re still unsure or unconfident with your painting techniques, it may be best to leave this step to the professionals. If you’re wondering how much does a paint job costs for a house, it can cost from USD$2,000 up to USD$7,000, depending on your home’s size.
Apply the optimal number of coats
Generally, most paint jobs require two coats, although you may need to add more depending on the surface condition and the paint’s thickness. Whether you need to apply two coats or more, ensure you don’t overdo or underdo it. Additionally, when applying multiple coats, let each coat completely dry before applying the next one. Otherwise, the paint will appear smudged, wrinkled, or cracked.
Final note
The steps above can help you achieve a perfect house paint job. However, remember that a house painting project doesn’t have to be a singular effort, and it rarely is. If you’re struggling to comply with the steps, you can always call on professional painters and let them help you in every step.
MIT Citations
Julia, P. (2020, February 23).
These Are the Top Home Improvement Ideas in 2022. Angi
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
.svg)
.svg%20fill.svg)
.svg){kind=small}