Painting Do's and Don'ts
Paint Colors
Do:
•- Wall test or test paint color on a piece of cardboard placed against the wall before beginning to paint, since colors appear differently on a color chart
•- Paint two coats for light paint colors, three or four coats for darker colors.
•- Opt for flat finishes over gloss finishes, which show wall imperfections
Don't:
•- Use a color you are not comfortable with
•- Use low-quality paints, which produce a low quality paint job
Type of Paint
Do:
•- Find out what base or sheen was previously used, using an oil base over a previous oil base (and not a water base, which will cause paint to peel/chip)
•- Opt for water bases (which are environmentally safer, dry faster, and are easier to use and clean up)
•- Select the best sheen for the appearance you desire (i.e., flat, low sheen, lo glow, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, or gloss)
Don't:
•- Use water base over an oil base
•- Paint your walls shinier than the trim
•- Use gloss sheen on large surfaces such as ceilings and walls (which detract from the contrast between walls and trim)
Preparation
Do:
•- Remove/cover any furniture/floors you don't want painted (i.e. using drop cloths and masking tape), and remove switch plates and window curtains/blinds
•- Sweep to remove dust and cobwebs and provide a clean surface for your paint job
•- Caulk all cracks in walls and baseboards (using paintable versus pure silicone caulking)
•- Prime all areas that have been repaired or that are stained/discolored
Don't:
•- Leave any parts of the floor uncovered (i.e. look for small gaps between tape and tarps)
•- Forget to check hidden areas for cracks and damage before beginning to paint
Painting
Do:
•- Paint large surfaces before trims
•- Use a paintbrush on areas that a roller can't reach (i.e. corners/edges, around electric boxes)
•- Use paint roller after brushing to hide brush lines made by cutting in
•- On doors, paint doorjamb and edges first, followed by rolling paint on the door and finishing with smooth up-and-down brush strokes
•- Use appropriate solvents to thin paint
Don't:
•- Paint over peeling paint, cracks, or dirt; prepare surfaces first
•- Paint trims before walls, since paint can seep under taped trims
•- Leave a wall half finished to dry; paint to a corner or edge before quitting
•- Over-thin your paint (i.e. stretch it out to cover a larger area), which reduces the quality of the paint job
•- Neglect to check your finished work and fix missed/non-uniform areas
Cleaning Up
Do:
•- Place brushes/rollers in solvent to keep them from drying before cleaning
•- Carefully remove masking tape from floors so as not to cut the floor or remove paint from the baseboards
•- Use appropriate solvent to clean paint spills from the floor
•- Thoroughly clean all paintbrushes. For water-based paints, remove wet paint with running water; for oil-based paints, remove wet paint by repeatedly dipping brush in paint thinner until the solvent comes out clear/free of paint. To remove dry paint from bristles, briskly brush with a wire brush
Don't:
•- Pull up tarps and tape carelessly, which can throw paint and debris on your freshly painted surfaces
•- Delay in cleaning up spilled/splashed paint from the floor
•- Leave paint on equipment you hope to paint with again in the future