Avoiding Amateur Mistakes When Painting 

Let’s face it, there is a little bit of the “do-it-yourselfer” in all of us. Many of us truly believe that if it’s on a YouTube video, we can just copy and repeat the process in our own homes. While this is true to some extent, painting is one of those things that looks best if done by the professionals who have the experience and skill to do the job right the first time. 

Painting mistakes range the spectrum from small errors that can be easily fixed, to large blunders that cost a lot of time, money, and energy to rectify. Here are a few of the amateur mistakes we have been more than happy to fix for our clients. If you are a DIYer, read and learn so these faux pas do not happen to you. 

Applying Paint Over Wallpaper 

Yes indeed, we have seen this many times before and we understand the reasons why homeowners would want to skip the painfully slow process of peeling the wallpaper off in order to paint. Don’t do it. While the paint may go on well, chances are the wallpaper will at some point start to peel. Applying water-based paint over wallpaper can reactivate the glue and cause the paper to come loose from the wall.

Failing to Prep the Walls 

It may seem slightly ridiculous, but we have seen walls that were not cleaned, nail holes not filled, dusty baseboards not wiped down, and even spiderwebs painted over. Failure to clean and prep the walls, trim, and ceiling can mean a sloppy looking job in the end. Prep work should actually take the most amount of time out of the total painting time. A little prep work can mean a professional look when the job is complete. 

Not Preparing for Drips and Smudges

Painting the walls and ceilings of your home or business is not easy. There will be the inevitable drip and smudge in places along the way. Being ready for that is the difference between a pro and an amateur.

Always have a damp cloth with you as you paint for the stray drip or smudge. It should wipe right off if you get it while it is still wet. If the drip occurs in the middle of the wall just try to keep an eye out as you move along the wall to look back at what you just painted. Use a light touch when trying to blend in the drips. You may even need to wipe off the drip and repaint that area again. 

Avoid these amateur mistakes by having a professional paint your interior exterior. Check out our inspiration and portfolio pages for ideas for your paint projects. 

Categorised in: Uncategorized