Missteps to Avoid with Interior Painting

Everyone makes mistakes. It’s a part of being human. Unfortunately, some mistakes are easier to fix than others. Mistakes made with paint and interior painting projects can be painfully challenging to rectify.

In our efforts to educate and pass along our experiences with projects that somehow went awry, here is a quick list of missteps that you should avoid when you are painting the interior of your home. 

#1 Never Leave an Open Paint Can on the Floor 

Hopefully you know where we are going with this, but many a paint can has been accidentally knocked over while concentrating on painting the walls or ceiling. Pets are also known to investigate the smells and stick their snout where it will become a different color. Your best bet is to keep all paint cans covered when you are working and lock your pets out of the area.

#2 Don’t Paint When Tired 

We have seen many paint projects go wrong when a homeowner is painting while tired. Not only is the hand less steady when painting, but you may also be less patient to wait for complete drying between coats if you are not caught up on your Zzzzs. 

#3 Paint Only When Ready

Skipping the prep portion of any painting project can have disastrous consequences. No one likes to be almost done with a project and run out of paint or start painting only to realize that the walls need cleaning or repairs. 

Only start your project when you have cleaned the walls, covered the floors, removed as much furniture as possible, and taken off any switch plates or outlet covers you have in the room. Don’t forget to patch and repair any holes left from nails or other attachments to walls or ceiling. 

#4 Use Primer 

Yes, primer is an added step in the painting process, but it is also one that is crucial to having your paint go on evenly and adhere well. Primer should never be skipped. The added time will save you money and energy later when you need to add another coat of your main color due to bleed-through or uneven color coverage. 

#5 Check the Weather Forecast 

While you won’t have to worry about rain while painting the interior of your home, you should take the humidity into account. 

According to Family Handyman, “Humidity during painting slows drying times. In an extreme case, air may be so saturated that the paint will struggle to form an adequate bond and begin to run before drying.”

While precise recommendations vary by area and conditions, if the relative humidity is 85 percent or higher, hold off on painting.

Avoid these mistakes next time you start a paint project indoors. Check out our blogs on painting ideas for both your interior and exterior paint projects. 

Categorised in: Interior painting