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A new color scheme can glow a room up, smoothing up the overall look, and make it feel modern. Sadly, even the most simple indoor repainting can come a nightmare. Repainted patches, peeling, and streaks are just a few of the many does and don’ts symptom of negligence and poorly executed or completely avoidable actions.
Common repainting mistakes within the indoors are what we study and incorporate the most into this guide. These explanations, and their rationales to avoid and or repair them, applies whether you are a novice DIYs person or simply trying to understand the steps from a painting technique guide. The most appropriate outcomes from interior painting are what this guide, and the rationales, are trying to enable you toward.
Skipping The Required Wall Prep
Mistake
Painting over dirty, glossy, or distressed surfaces can ruin a painting and finishes. Cold, glossy, distressed surfaces will cause the finish to peel, lack adhesion, and unevenly cover it to the eye.
Solution
- For rule number 1 to be effective, you should always wash your walls.
- Remove dust and any asphalt or grease residues to avoid this.
- In some cases, you will need to sand the gloss down to dull and unevenly paint the adhesion in flexible or distressed surfaces.
- Any holes and cracks in walls will need to be patched, sanded, and smoothed.
- Ensure that the surface is clean, dry, smooth, and balanced before beginning.
No Primer
Mistake:
Forgetting to apply primer can lead to excessive revisions caused by unresolved coverage, patchy areas, bleeding stains, and loss of control caused by base paint.
Solution:
Applying stain-blocking primer to patched areas, wood, and previously painted surfaces that are dark will help. For drywall or porous surfaces, a latex paint primer will “seal” the surface, allowing for more uniform paint absorption. This will contribute to a uniform painted surface. For best coverage, use a tinted primer that is close to your topcoat paint color.
Picking the Incorrect Paint Finish
Mistake:
The importance of using the right finish cannot be overstated. The finish will either enhance flaws or will quickly wear off in critical areas.
Solution:
Applying flat/matte paint on ceilings and other low-traffic areas is acceptable. This type of paint will hide imperfections and is appropriate for low-traffic areas. The eggshell/satin finish is ideal for living rooms, bedrooms, and hallways as it provides ease of cleaning and maintenance. Due to the high durability and moisture resistance needed, semi-gloss or gloss finishes are best used in kitchens, bathrooms, on doors, and trim.
Not Testing the Paint Color
Mistake:
Choosing a paint color based on a small color chip or in-store lighting will lead to a color on your wall is vastly different from the paint chip.
Solution:
Before making the final decision on the colors you want, buy a paint sample. Pick a small area of the wall you want to paint, and apply the sample. Review the paint sample at various times of the day to see the effects of artificial and natural light.
Using Cheap Brushes or Rollers
Mistake:
You can tell the quality of painting tools was poor because they leave streaks, roller lint, and brush marks on the paint.
Solution:
Purchase quality tools with synthetic bristles for latex paint.
Use shed-resistant rollers with appropriate naps for your wall texture.
Cleaning your tools after use for future reuse is a must.
Overloading the Brush or the Roller
Overloading a brush or a roller with paint will cause drips, streaks, and inconsistent texture.
A three-in rule helps: dip your brush in paint, then the bottom third, and then tap, without wiping, off the excess.
For rollers, paint excess in the tray before applying to the wall.
It is always better to use the thin coat technique instead of the one thick coat method.
Poor Taping and No Taping
Mistake:
Inline and smooth paint edges require painter’s tape to be used, or not. Either will bleed paint on to trims and ceilings.
Solution:
- Use painter’s tape of the highest quality, and press it down firmly to seal.
- Remove tape after paint is dry and while at a 45-degree angle to prevent peeling.
- For the cleanest edges, the ‘seal the edge’ method is best.
- Paint the tape line with the wall color before the final trim color.
Painting in Bad Conditions
Mistake
Excessively hot, cold, or humid conditions can cause the paint to dry too quickly or too slowly, and it may dry inadequately, resulting in adhesion problems, streaks, or blistering.
Solution
The ideal temperature for painting is between 10°C and 30°C (50°F and 85°F). Avoid humid or rainy seasons. Windows may be opened or fans used for ventilation, but there should not be direct airflow onto the fresh paint.
Not Leaving Enough Time to Dry Between Coats
Mistake
If the second coat is applied before the previous coat is fully dry, this will lead to the undercoat peeling, bubbling, or dragging.
Solution
The paint can advise the time to dry and it should be followed. Between coats, latex paints dry for 24 hours. Lightly touch a hidden area to check, and if the paint feels tacky, the time to wait before applying a coat is extended.
Not Cleaning Up and Ignoring Storage
Mistake
Paint cans left open, brushes soaked in water, and rollers unwrapped cause ruined tools and wasted paint.
Solution
- Brushes and rollers should be washed immediately after use.
- Latex is cleansed using warm soapy water, while oil is cleansed using mineral spirits. Resealed paint cans should be kept in a cool dry location.
- For future reference, label any remaining paint with the room name and the date.
Bonus Tip: Cutting In vs. Rolling Technique
Common mistake: Cutting in and allowing it to dry before rolling the rest of the wall, which produces lines or “framing.”
Best fix: the best way to approach this is to work in small sections. Cut in a portion of the wall, and then roll that section while the paint is still wet to achieve a blend.
Wrap Up
Painting a room is easy for some people, and even small mistakes can be the most frustrating and time-consuming. However, knowing the most common mistakes, and their solutions, provides a way to avoid repeat jobs, and deliver time and excellence in a professional manner with a smooth finish.
It doesn’t matter if you are painting a single accent wall, or redecorating the entire house the most important things in any job are to be prepared and be patient. This will show in the quality of the tools and materials, and in the time you take. In the end, the walls, and you, will appreciate the result!
