10 Things to Do Before You Paint

Safety First

Falling at home is a leading cause of unintentional injuries and accounts for more than 8 million emergency-room visits each year, according to the National Safety Council. If you plan to paint in high places, invest in a sturdy ladder with a shelf for your paint and tools, or borrow one.

Hue Knew?

Color selection can be vexing. Consider the age and architectural style of your home. The Sherwin-Williams Historic Collection proposes rustic greens and reds for Arts and Crafts?era homes, while Mid-Century Colours from Fired Earth feature such optimistic hues as Race Yellow and Festival Orange. Think about how you want the room to feel. Blues and greens soothe, yellows uplift, and orange and red tones excite. Rely on neutrals for a relaxing room.

Sampling

Plan to sample a few shades of your selected color, because light quality will alter the look of any paint. This is easily done by applying paint samples to white poster board, then placing the poster board in different parts of the room at different times of day to reveal exactly how each shade will look, whether the space is full of natural light or dimmed by afternoon shadows.

The Right Sheen

To insure optimal paint performance, it's important to select the right sheen for the job. Flat, shine-free paint finishes are well-suited to rich color, and they tend to hide surface imperfections. But flat finishes soil easily and can be difficult to clean. A satin finish will be easier to clean, making it a good choice for kitchens. However, high-gloss paint is best saved for highly stylized rooms.

Sudsy Solution

Trying to paint dirty walls is one of the biggest reasons DIYers end up dissatisfied with their results. Dirt and dust can prevent fresh paint from properly adhering to the surface, so wash walls with warm, soapy water before you start painting. (Most pros use a TSP solution, especially when walls are really dirty.)

Primer Time

Yes, there are paint-with-primer products that can save time. But chances are you will still need to apply more than one coat for an even finish. DIYers also should know that if the old paint is satin or high-gloss, only another satin or high-gloss paint will cover it (unless you sand the previous finish first to improve adhesion). Priming first provides a fresh, clean canvas and is the only way to promise pleasing results.

Pro tip: Use an oil-based primer to cover water stains. A water-based primer will just reactivate a water-based stain.

Get Enough

Few painting problems are more vexing than running out of paint partway through. So measure the surface area you expect to cover, then check the square footage estimates printed on the side of your paint can. Plan for two coats plus touch-ups even when a product promises to fully cover in one coat.

Sticky Shortcut

Taping is tedious. Here's one way to paint without taping when the plan is to redo an entire room, including the trim and ceiling. First, paint the trim and the ceiling without taping. Don't worry about drips or smudges on the walls because those blemishes will be covered by fresh paint. Then use an edger to create a clean paint perimeter above the trim and below the ceiling. Finish by painting the walls.

Caulk Talk

If you are using painter's tape, here's a tip some pros swear by for creating clean, drip-free lines: After taping, dot the tape seam with tiny beads of caulk, then wipe away the excess to create a flat caulk seal over the tape and the surface. Allow that caulk seal to dry. Once dry, paint over the caulk and tape seal to prevent paint from seeping through tape seam.

Give Yourself Plenty of Time

Painting inevitably takes longer than you think it will. If immediate gratification is the goal, consider a one-day paint project like a fresh color for the front door. If you're tackling a more ambitious job, give yourself a few days, if not a week.

Another tip: Remove any hardware, such as doorknobs, hinges, cover plates, and light fixtures, before painting to avoid having to tape everything off first.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/improvement/interior/10-things-to-do-before-you-paint-15614059?src=rss

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