Home DIY can be cost-saving and rewarding, but it is vital that you do the job properly to avoid potentially expensive mistakes further down the line.
We have previously talked through what you need to consider before you start, and essential preparation to get a great finish. Now it’s time to get down to the job of actual painting. Here are our top tips.
Plan for the weather – you may have set aside a week’s holiday to get the external painting done, but the weather may have other ideas. Any professional painter will tell you that moisture is their nemesis and can cause bleeding paintwork and annoying bubbles. So if the forecast for your painting window is damp or rainy, it may be worth postponing it to another day. You want dry conditions; a little wind is fine and will help the paint to dry, but if you live somewhere with lots of debris (leaves, sand or grit from the road), you may be better off waiting for the wind to drop, too. If you are struggling to find the time when the weather is just right, you may be better off hiring a professional painter; they tend to have a balance of jobs which allows them to work inside when it is wet and outside when it is dry.
Prime your surfaces – you may have done all the leg work in cleaning, repairing and sanding your surfaces, but it still pays to use a primer. Primer acts as a moisture barrier, thereby preventing mildew from building up on the paint surface, and it also gives you a lovely smooth surface that the topcoat will stick to. This will reduce peeling and give you a great finish. In fact, the use of primer should at least double the lifespan of your paint job.
Start at the top and work your way down – tempting as it may be to start off with the easy to reach areas, a good painter always starts at the top.
Finish up – an excellent paint job is all about the finish; poor cutting in, chipped windowsills and unfinished trims will make your house look scruffy, no matter how much time and money has gone into the preparation, priming and painting. Using masking tape can make it much easier to get a clean finish, but it is important that you remove the masking tape before the paint dries to avoid peeling paint off with it. If you do notice paint in places that it is not supposed to be, take the time to remove it to leave a good, clean finish.
Keeping your home in good condition not only maintains value and prevents costly wear and tear, it makes it look and feel more like home, too. Decorating your home is a labour of love but if you don’t think that you have the time, skills, equipment or patience to do a great job, get in touch with a local painter for a quote; it may not be as expensive as you think. For more tips and inspiration, follow Trust A Trader on Facebook or Twitter.