It seems easy enough. Open a can of paint, dip a paint brush in it and start painting your wall.

But anyone who’s done their own interior painting knows that it’s not nearly as easy as it seems. From an uneven paint finish on the wall to drips on the floor, you need to avoid any number of pitfalls before your DIY paint project can be a success.

Here are a few interior house painting tips and tricks to make your next project the most successful ever.

1. Avoid Roller Lap Marks

When using a roller to paint a large wall, if you don’t do it right you’ll end up with lap marks where you paint over a part of the wall you previously painted. To avoid them, make sure you overlap the places you painted previously before the paint has dried.

2. Keep Can-to-Can Paint Colour Consistent

Even if they were mixed at the same time using the same colour formula, paint colours can vary from one can to the next. To keep the colour consistent, pour all the paint you’ll need for the job into a single container (a five-gallon bucket usually does the trick) and mix them thoroughly.

3. Make Edges Cleaner

Even when you use masking tape, getting a perfect edge sometimes seems impossible. When you pull of the masking tape, some of the new paint comes with it. Wait until the paint dries thoroughly and use a knife to cut along the edge of the tape as you pull it off.

4. Get an Even Paint Finish

Make sure you prime the entire wall after patching holes and cracks with filler. If not, the finishing coats will absorb into the repairs differently that elsewhere on the wall and result in a blotchy, uneven finish.

5. Use Cotton Drop Cloths

It’s just about impossible to keep your floors free of paint drops. But a good canvas or cotton drop cloth will do a better job than plastic sheets. Paint drops stay wet after they fall on plastic and you can track a single drop all around your house. Cloth drop sheets also stay in place better, they aren’t as slippery as plastic and they are safer for ladders.

If you’re looking for more expert advice about how to get the best results the next time you paint your home, call or drop in to The Paint People, we’re happy to help.