Painting 101: Common Mistakes to Avoid

Make your DIY paint project colorful, easy and efficient by avoiding these common painting mistakes!

Skipping Surface Preparation

Excited to get your walls a facelift? We get it. But before you dip that brush into your paint can, consider going through the necessary first step. Because without surface preparation, you’re actually setting out for a paint project that may be challenging than how paint projects usually are.

Here’s the usual surface prep check list includes:

• Covering your project area—the floor and nearby pieces of furniture—with protective cloth
• Cleaning your surface,
• Scraping off peels or lose chips of paint,
• Patching up cracks and leveling your surface,
• Applying painter’s tape on edges

Preparation can be boring but you’ll see that doing this first step right, gets bulk of the project done, and makes for the later steps to be smooth, easy and even more fun.

Doing Away with Primer

Surface preparation is never complete without your use of primer. What is it, really? Is it necessary? Wouldn’t its default color of white dull the vibrant color I’m after? For better appreciation of its purpose, a good primer should prepare surfaces while covering these functions:

• Hides patched-up cracks, dents, or any sort of surface imperfection
• Enhance adhesion and promote easy application of finishing coat

Did you know that there are different kinds of primer for different kinds of surfaces?

Pairing the Wrong Paint Sheen with the Wrong Surface

Picking the right paint for an area is not just about colors. Choosing the right paint sheen is just as important, and may impact your project’s longevity.

The golden rule when it comes to paint sheens is: the higher the gloss level, the shinier and more durable your coat it is.

• Flats and mattes are great for low-traffic areas and best for hiding surface imperfections.
• Semi-glosses are easy to clean and resistant to weathering—two qualities that make it best for high-traffic and high moisture areas.
• High-glosses or what some painters simply refer to as gloss are most durable and washable of all sheens. However, they tend to highlight surface blemishes.

Have this cheat sheet for paint sheens with you while deciding on the right paint for your project.

Paint Application without a Battle Plan

Rough and uneven paint jobs may be kept at bay with these few paint application reminders:

• Paint with a direction. Always start from the top of your surface, working your way down. This way, drips may be avoided. If you’re working with a roller brush, try the W, M or backward N patterns for application.
• Priorities areas that the sun does not directly touch.
• Finish with your first coat of the whole room, before moving on to your finishing coat.
• Damaging your paint brush by dipping it too deep into the paint can. Plunging it a third of the way in, should load just the right amount of paint on your brush.
• Avoid hardened smudges of paint on the lid of your paint can. Instead of wiping off excess paint, try tapping your brush on the rim so that excess paint naturally falls back into the contents of the can.

Forgetting to Clean Up

Congratulations on getting that new room color scheme up! But the job does not end with applying paint. Keep your brushes and other materials neat and conditioned for another painting venture!

Check out more home decoration projects, only from Island Paints!