A few points from the DIY Network! If you are considering painting a room in your home, check us out at www.routzahnsway.com, stop by in Frederick, at 100 Routzahns way, or call 301-698-2450. We carry interior and exterior paints, stains, and primers, and over 1900 color choices to find the perfect tone for your project! No project is too large, or too small for us, we even have commercial solutions!
Different paint finishes have their advantages.
Before you begin to paint, consider wall imperfections and other
factors. High-gloss paint offers greater durability and is very easy to
clean. If your wall is less than perfect, however, high-gloss paint can
enhance the imperfections. Flat paint will do a much better job of
hiding imperfections, but it's much easier to damage than high-gloss.
Eggshell is a great middle-of-the-road option.
Don't let fear of color turn your room white.
Colors
can add depth and texture to your room. Using the right colors can turn
an otherwise dull room into a beautiful, warm space. If you get a color
you don't like, just paint over it!
Small samples prevent big surprises.
It's
very difficult to tell what a color is going to look like on your wall
using a small paint swatch. Investing in a "test gallon" can get
expensive, especially if you can't make up your mind. Many paint
manufacturers are now offering small sample cans of their colors. They
cost only a few dollars and will prevent you from wasting money on a
color that just isn't right.
Square footage is only half of the equation.
When
you go to buy your paint, you have to know the square footage of your
room. There are many other factors that contribute to the amount of
paint you will need, however. Always consider the surface you're
painting, whether you're priming walls and the number of coats you are
going to need. All of these things will affect the amount of paint you
need to purchase.
Get ready to spend some time preparing.
About
80 percent of your time should be spent doing prep work. Contrary to
popular belief, paint will not hide all imperfections. Take the proper
steps to make your walls as flat as possible, and make sure you clean
them before you start to paint. Any dust or debris left on the wall
could cause your new paint to peel.
There is a reason it's called primer.
Primer
is essential in any good-quality paint job. It seals the surface of
your walls and provides a great base for the paint to grab. If you've
spackled your walls, priming is a must to prevent flashing. Unprimed
spackle holds gloss better than drywall, causing a "shiny" spot on your
wall.
Don't cut in a line.
Always
do brushwork in the corners before you begin rolling. Rolling after
brushwork will flatten any brushstrokes left in the wall, giving you an
evenly painted surface.
Rollers can put more than paint on the wall.
Use
simple masking tape to remove any extra fibers before you paint. If you
don't, those fibers will become a permanent fixture on your wall.
Avoid overextending yourself.
Extension
poles are a great way to cut time and effort out of a paint job. They
will prevent you from climbing up and down a ladder and give you more
leverage when you're painting a wall that's right in front of you. The
benefit of an extension pole far outweighs the price.
If you "box" your paint, you will never fight blotches.
It
may be connected to a computer and look high-tech, but the color mixer
can create slight variations from can to can. The last thing you want is
to have two shades of a color on the same wall. This can be remedied by
mixing all of the paint cans together before you start painting. Boxing
your paint ensures you will have consistent color throughout the room.
