Painting isn’t a hard job, but it takes experience and skills to bring out a professional finish. It takes more effort than simply buying paint and slapping it on a surface. Creating a perfect finish begins with prior preparation, including choosing the correct paint and cleaning the surfaces. It is imperative to know how to move your brushes when doing the actual painting. You must also understand what to do with your working tools when the job is complete.

Doing some research before starting the project will save you a lot of headaches, time, and even money. This article provides you with valuable tips to help you do a better job at painting. Keep reading and learn more about Long Island painting.

1. Set Aside a Prep Day

Preparation is essential in everything, including painting. Putting things in order before the commencement of the project makes the work many times more manageable. First, don’t try to do everything in one day. You don’t want to break your back in an attempt to revamp your house. So, set a day to prepare the room you are painting. And, on this day, be sure to do the following:

Cover or move furniture

Maybe your furniture costs you an arm and a leg, and, honestly speaking, paint can destroy it. It’s impractical to move every piece of furniture out of the room. Small hard furnishings such as light stands and coffee tables can be carried out of the room. However, beds, dining tables, suites, and couches can be moved to the center of the room and covered with large cloths.

Remove appliances and electronics

The refrigerator, stove, gaming system, stereo, and television are all expensive. You should protect them from paint and being mishandled on the painting day. It is best to move them out of the room instead of covering them since they are not bulky.

Remove ornaments and wall hangings

You also don’t want to damage your lavish wall hangings during painting. And, of course, they will get on your way when applying the paint. So, remove everything hanging on the wall, including decorative wall art, candle holders, mirrors, clocks, and picture frames.

Protect soft furnishings

It’s important to remove rugs, mats, and carpet from the floor to prevent them from absorbing paint. Roll them up and cover them with plastic bags. Also, clear away blinds, drapes, and curtains from the windows.

Remove hardware

Painting around light fixtures, outlet covers, switch plates, doorknobs, and cabinet knobs can be tedious. If possible, remove them, put them in clear bags, and fix them back when the paint is dry. This goes for Long Island and other areas.

2. Gather All Your Working Tools

Having all the tools you need in place makes painting easy and enjoyable. Set aside a tool station to organize all the tools and materials you’ll be using. Be sure to gather the following items:

Paintbrushes: Have both natural and synthetic brushes. Synthetic brushes are used in oil-based paints, while natural ones are used in water-based paints.
Rollers: A foam paint roller can help you achieve an extremely smooth surface. Buy a few roller covers if you’ll be painting more than one color.
Pad painters: These will help you to apply the paint neatly and in a simple manner.
Drop cloths: You need to get drop cloths to protect the floor and the items you’ve not removed from the room. The best material is heavy canvas since it is less slippery.
Other Items: Rags, putty knife, sandpaper, painter’s tape, and paint tray.

3. Vacate Your Family

It is essential to restrict people from the work area for several reasons. First, you don’t want your family members to inhale paint fumes that can be hazardous to their health. Secondly, paint that drops on the floor can cause accidental falls, leading to fractures and other injuries. Children and pets can also knock over paint cans while playing in the room, which means digging into your pocket again to buy new paint.

If you are painting one room, restrict it from other people. But if you are painting the entire house, it might be wise to vacate the house until the job is done. Pay for a short vacation or spend time in a relative’s place.

4. Prepare and Clean the Walls

Is there a need to clean the walls, yet they’re getting a fresh coat of paint soon? The answer is yes. Fixing imperfections on the wall and cleaning it makes a massive difference in the final finish. So, here are steps to take when preparing the walls to paint:

Inspect the walls

An inspection of the surfaces helps you identify cracks, holes, flaking paint, and bumps. You may circle these spots lightly so you can locate them quickly when treating them.

Fix cracks and holes

Use filler for holes and cracks and smooth it with sandpaper. You may also apply sealant on the surface. Scrape flaking paint and bumps with the painter’s scraper and then sand and seal the flaws.

Dust and clean the walls

Use a small vacuum to remove dust from the ceiling and walls. Also, remove cobwebs using a long handle brush. Wipe away remaining stains and debris using a sponge, water, and detergent. It is essential to clean the walls a few days in advance to allow them to dry well.

Use painter’s tape on edges

To avoid applying paint on adjacent surfaces, which you don’t want to pain, you need to use tape to cover the edges. The painter’s blue tape is the best for this job. Unlike masking tape, the painter’s tape doesn’t leave behind a sticky residue.

5. Use a Primer

The best base coat is the tinted primer. A primer hides imperfections on the wall and helps to minimize the number of paint coats needed. Besides that, the primer allows the paint to stick better to the wall. If the wall is fresh, you can apply a water-based primer. For older walls, an oil-based primer would be ideal for covering heavy stains. Apply the primer with a roller, starting from the floor to the ceiling.

6. Buy Good Paint

Your choice of paint will profoundly affect the final finish. It might be highly tempting to go for the cheapest varieties, but it’s always not the best decision. Sometimes good quality comes at a higher cost. But, what matters most is to choose the paint that meets your needs and budget. There are a variety of critical factors to consider when selecting your home paint. They include:

· Determine the number and size of rooms to be painted as well as the number of paint coats needed. This will help you to determine the amount of paint you need. And, of course, you will avoid buying excess or lesser paint.
· Consider the existing décor in your home so you can choose the right colors. Make sure the paint colors are blending well with furniture and furnishings in the room. The size of the rooms also determines the color choice. Larger rooms are brighter, while smaller rooms are darker.
· The traffic you expect in the room will determine your choice of sheen. There are different polish types, such as satin, semi-gloss, and gloss, with varying levels of durability.
· If you are painting exterior walls, consider the chemical composition of the paint. This will influence the durability of the paint as well as the effects of weather on the paint.
· Also, find out which type of paint will work best for you – is it oil-based or water-based paint? Oil-based paints cover larger areas, dry slowly, and are the best for dry climates. On the other hand, water-based paints dry quickly, are environmentally-friendly, and easy to clean off.

7. Take the Necessary Safety Measures

Painting has its share of risks, just like other home improvement activities. As such, you must protect yourself and those around you from accidents and injuries. Here are some necessary precautionary steps to take:

Buy appropriate personal protective equipment (PPEs) – Paint contains chemicals that can irritate your eyes and skin. Therefore, you should cover your body with PPEs such as gloves, goggles, dust masks, and overall.
Ensure adequate ventilation – Paint fumes are hazardous and may cause nausea, headaches, and dizziness. To avoid this, ensure the room is well ventilated. Open all windows and doors to allow the circulation of air.

Other precautions – they include:

· Acquire a good ladder
· Seal the area from children and pets
· Avoid drinking, eating, and smoking in the workplace
· Allow the paint to dry completely
· Clean the place thoroughly

8. Paint Like a Pro

It is essential to mix the paint before you apply it to the wall. This ensures the consistency of the paint. When using more than one paint can, mix all of it in a large bucket. This is because shades in different cans can differ even if they are the same color and brand. This process of mixing is known as boxing.

If you want an excellent result, be orderly in your painting. Begin by painting the trim, followed by the ceiling and lastly the walls. Paint the trim with a hand brush to ensure precision. Once you are done with the frame and ceiling, fill up the walls by rolling paint on the surfaces.

Work from the top going down to avoid dripping paint on the floor. If the surfaces need an extra coat, wait for 2-4 hours for the first layer to dry. Ensure that you apply the paint the same way you applied the first coat.

9. Clean All Your Working Tools

To end your project well, clean up all your tools and equipment. You will need them in good shape for your next project. Use mineral spirit to clean oil-based paintbrush and soapy water for the water-based paintbrush and rollers.

Clean all the other tools with water and soap. When they are all clean, dry them in the sun and store them in a cool and dry place. If any paint remains in the can, you should hummer the lid and keep it in a dry place.

10. Allow the Paint to Dry

A newly painted room looks glamorous, and anyone would want to enjoy the space immediately. However, you need to be patient if you wish to achieve outstanding results. Allow the paint to dry overnight before you can start using the room.

Avoid touching the surface but look for drips, lumps, and thin spots that need to be fixed before you call it a day. If the paint is completely dry the next day, remove the painter’s tape, clean the room and return the furniture.

As you can see, painting doesn’t have to be a headache. With these professional tips, you can rest assured of achieving well-polished walls. Just remember to invest in quality paint and painting tools. And always feel free to refer to this article anytime you are painting your home.