Today we have so many different choices when it comes to painting. Where do you start? Well, it depends. Let's start with interior painting. Gone are the days of Navajo White and flat finishes. Now we have over 1700 different colors to choose from in a variety of different finishes.
We still have flat finishes, which are mainly used on ceilings. Then we can choose from low-sheen, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss or gloss finishes. Typically, the lower sheens are made for your walls in the common areas like your living room and bedrooms; while the higher sheens are generally for areas where there will be water, i.e., bathrooms, laundry room and kitchen. Also your doors and trim moldings are painted with the higher sheens.
Now that we have our sheens down, it's time to move onto colors. With 1,700 different colors to choose from sometimes it can be a bit over whelming. What I recommend to my customers is to pick out a few colors that you think will work in your home then go to the paint store and purchase some samples. Paint stores usually have sample size cans so you can apply a small area of your wall to see how the colors are going to look in your house. Now just because a color looked good in your friend’s house doesn't mean it's going to work in your home! Things like lighting and the color of your floors and furniture will all have to be taken into account when selecting the right color for your home.
Okay, we've selected the color; we know what sheen we're going to use, now it's time to paint right? Well not so quick, the first and most important step in a paint job is the preparation. Are there nail holes to fill, cracks to repair? These things should be taken care of before you even think about dipping your paint brush into the can. Next you want to make sure that your floors, cabinets and items you're not painting are covered and protected. I recommend light weight visqueen. It's easy to use and relatively inexpensive. Remove all of your cover plates from your electrical outlets and cover the switches and outlets with tape. Wow! Who thought it would be this much work!
You are now you are ready to paint. Chances are you'll be using brushes and rollers to apply the paint. You want to make sure that the brushes and rollers you are going to use are of good quality and that goes for the paint as well. The better quality paints will cover much better and are also easier to work with; plus by using quality paint your end product will look much nicer.
If you are changing colors you'll want to apply two coats of paint so you get a uniform finish. You should give the first coat at least four hours to dry before applying the 2nd coat of paint. If you are going to use more than two gallons of paint make sure you mix then cans (from the same color or course) together before applying them. This is called "boxing the paint". Sometimes two different cans of paint of the same color may be slightly different, so by boxing the paint together you'll be sure to have the same color when painting your room.
There you have it! Hopefully, with this information you'll have fun with your next painting project. I have over 27 years of experience painting in San Diego and I really do enjoy what I am doing. With the right attitude and the proper materials you should have fun with your next painting project.
Article courtesy of Don Martin, of Mr. D's Painting.
