Painting a wall or a room is one of the simplest and most cost effective ways of re-decorating. All you need is some paint, a roller, a brush and off you go. Often times many people choose to purchase low quality paint, and sundries, thinking this will save them money, however, this is not the case. When you purchase low quality paint, and sundries, you often have to spend more time on the job, than you would have, if you had invested in top quality products. Now we know how boring it can be to paint, and nobody wants to re-paint a room many times over. Here are four fool proof tips to make sure your next painting project is a success!
Painting a room using Regal Select
Don’t buy poor quality, low cost paint. Often times poor quality paint is much more difficult to apply and its appearance can be less than ideal. It will also not resist stains and dirt, and will not hold up to scrubbing and cleaning. If you choose this route you definitely will be painting in no time again. Check out my blog Why Premium Paint Is Worth The Money
Premium Quality Paint
Natura Zero-VOC & Zero Emissions Interior Paint
Paint Sundries
Don’t purchase poor quality paint sundries (rollers, brushes, tape, etc.) If you want to save money somewhere, purchase a mid-grade paint (the “ben” line from Benjamin Moore is good) and buy top quality sundries. Purchasing low quality sundries, will affect your time spent painting, and its final appearance. Low quality rollers will leave lint all over your walls, causing you to sand and re-paint them again. A low quality brush, will not hold a lot of paint, will not allow you to have control, and cut straight lines, and will also loose bristles. Investing in top quality brushes and rollers will give you control, save you time, and allow you to apply a uniform coat of paint, giving you a beautiful, smooth finish.
Prepping the Surface for Painting
PREP, PREP, PREP I cannot stress this word enough. A lot of my customers moan and groan when they hear they have to prep the surface. This is a step you shouldn’t skip. 99% of “product failure” is due to inadequate surface preparation. It’s almost is never because of the product, although customers seem to believe so. The product is also the easiest thing to blame. I’ve heard it so many times before, “oh the paint didn’t stick,” “why is my deck peeling?” The first thing I ask is “what did you do for your prep?” and like always the customer responds “prep?” I just applied the paint to the surface. This is a NO, NO! You must prep the surface before anything else. There are many different types of preparation for different surfaces, speak to your local paint store for adequate prep procedures. Check out my blog Preparing Bare Wood for Painting or Staining
Exterior Painting
Depending on the product you have purchased, there are different manufactures guidelines to temperature, when painting outdoors. Rule of thumb is never paint below °10 (it must remain this temperature for a period of 24 hours.) All the new Benjamin Moore exterior paints, allow you to use their products when the outside temperature is °5 or higher. Remember this temperature should remain °5 or above for a period of 24 hours. If you paint when the temperature is below manufactures recommendations, the paint will stay tacky and take a lot longer to dry. If you paint when the surface is too hot (if it’s hot to the touch, it’s recommended you do not paint) it can cause bubbling, lap marks, and an uneven finish. It is best to paint outside in the early morning or evening.
At the end of the day, you get what you pay for. It’s always good to invest in the best quality paint and sundries. Resist the temptation to save a few bucks, because it will actually cost you more in then end. Follow these simple rules and I know your next painting project will be a success.
Billy Petrovski
Creative Director
The Paint People
