Of all the maintenance and improvement projects taken on by homeowners, interior painting is one of the most common. Walls, doors, ceilings, and windows all receive a heavy dose of wear and tear over time, which can eventually lead to chips, cracks, and faded colors. A fresh coat of paint is often the best solution to an aging finish, and the best way to address damage that a simple touch-up job won’t correct. People also choose to repaint in order to compliment new furniture, accentuate new room styles, and even display new attitudes; however, painting an entire room, let alone a set of them, is exhausting work, and the permanence of the job simply makes some people too anxious about mistakes to enjoy the satisfaction of having performed the labor themselves. For this reason, many homeowners turn to home painters and decorators when it’s time to address the interior, not only for the sake of job quality, but for the efficiency with which they know the painting will be done and the mess will be cleared away.
The preparation of interior walls for fresh paint entails both cleaning and repair. Dirt and grime will have a negative impact on any new coat, reducing adhesion and compromising surface texture, so it is best to thoroughly wash all walls and ceilings in the rooms you intend to paint. This is also the time to repair any drywall or caulk work, as cracks and holes will lead to more extensive damage in the future.
Once your walls are ready to go, the next step is to protect everything else in the area from unwanted splatter and drip. You’ll want to move furniture away from the walls, and towards the center of the room. If you’re still concerned, old sheets can be used as temporary slip covers. Drop cloths are used for masking along the base of all walls to prevent any damage to the floor. Remember: it takes a lot less time to protect your furniture and floors than it does to chip off a room full of paint splatter. You can also generally improve your interior painting experience by taping around doorframes and removing all light-switch and outlet covers before getting started.
Once you’re sufficiently prepared, you can begin the actual painting. One common approach is to work ceiling to walls, top to bottom, area to edge – but there is no one “right” way to go about your project. The same can be said for your method of application. While brushes are commonly used for edging and detail, rolling and spraying are two viable options for the bigger spaces. Rolling is the simpler and generally more cost effective approach, but spraying has its benefits in saving time and arm strength. If you choose to spray, you’ll want to make sure to pay extra attention to your masking and protection work to avoid the “treatment” of any unintended surfaces. In some cases, as when applying a water-based paint (latex/acrylic) on top of an oil based paint, a primer will be needed for proper adhesion and color presentation, and darker colors will often require multiple coats.
Doing your own interior painting can be an overwhelming process, especially if you have an already crowded schedule. Tackling such a big project on your own will often lead to long nights and rooms left in disarray for days or weeks at a time. You can save yourself the stress and trouble of the paint, the preparation, and the clean up by hiring a local home painter to get the job done right and on time.