Paint transforms any room for the better. For you to achieve ideal results you should properly prepare the painting surface. To help you out, here are preparation tips recommended by house painting contractors:

Protect your room prior to painting

The last thing that you want is the paint getting to the unwanted areas. To ensure that this doesn’t happen you should protect your room. You should start by protecting your furniture. You should move the furniture to the center of the house and protect it with drop cloths. Most people use plastic drop cloths but according to painting professionals, you shouldn’t as they tend to get slippery. To be on the safe side you should use canvas drop cloths.

If you are going to paint the ceiling, you should protect the hanging fixtures such as pendant lights and ceiling fans. You should remove the blades, the cover plate and then wrap the fixture with plastic. Painting experts also recommend that you cover up recessed lights. If there is door hardware you should cover the hardware with painter’s tape or plastic bags.

Prepare the walls to be painted

This is the most important part. Different walls require different actions. If the walls are covered with wallpaper you should remove it and using warm water, thoroughly clean off any paste residue that might be there. If you are planning on painting on a wall that has flaking paint, you should use a putty knife to scrape off the flaking paint. When removing the paint you should be cautious as studies show that homes constructed before 1978 have lead paint. To be on the safe side painting contractors recommend that you first test the walls for the presence of lead. You can get a lead test kit at your local hardware store.

In addition to removing the flaking paint, you should also patch any holes that might be on the walls. You should apply the spackling product using a putty knife and then smooth it out. If the hole is in the trim work, kitchen trim work professionals recommend that you use wood filler to fill it and then let it dry slowly. Once you are done, you should smoothen the area by sanding.

Apply a primer

Application of the primer is an important painting preparation process. The cool thing is that you don’t have to apply it on all surfaces. Professional painters recommend that you apply the primer on bare drywall, when painting on stained or repaired areas, when interested in high-gloss finishes and when looking to make drastic color changes on your wall.

Taking a look at house painting dos and don’ts

When painting your house you need to do the right things for you to get ideal results. To help you out, here are house painting dos and don’ts recommended by house painting contractors:

House painting dos

Hire a contractor: Unless you an experienced painter, you should always hire a painting expert to help you with the painting. The professional will not only paint the house but also recommend color combinations that will give your house a perfect look. For ideal results, work with a certified and experienced professional.

Use the right paint: Different areas require different types of paints. Before you apply the paint first consult with experts on the best paint that you should use. Latex paint is preferred by many people as it’s UV resistant and doesn’t fade easily. It’s also less likely to crack and peel. Regardless of the paint that you use, ensure that it’s of high quality.

Pay attention to the weather: Weather influences the quality of the painting results. As you know, paint doesn’t do well in moist environments; therefore, you should avoid painting on humid and rainy days. Professional painters also recommended that you avoid painting on windy days. The cool thing is that due to technology, most of the weather forecast nowadays is accurate. All you need to do is to keep a check on your local weather reports.

Use the right painting tools: Just like in any other industry, there is no way that you will get ideal results if you use the wrong tools. When it comes to rollers and brushes, ensure that they are of high quality. It’s good to note that different painting tools are designed for different surfaces. When making the purchase, buy the right tools for your surfaces.

House painting don’ts

Don’t cut corners: It’s human to want to finish a project at the least time and at the least cost. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that in painting. To achieve perfect results you should follow the necessary painting steps. You should prepare the walls, sand the cracked and blistered areas and apply the right primer.

Don’t scrimp on the paint quality: As mentioned, you should always buy the highest quality paint that you can afford. Cheap paint not only gives a cheap finish, it also comes out easy thus you are required to reapply it after some time. This can be expensive. To be on the safe side you should work with your local painting contractors and use the right paint for your house.