4 Tips for the DIY Painter!

Most DIY painting websites and blogs will give you tips like this:

"How to prevent your rollers from drying out!"

or...

"How to clean your brushes effectively!"

No mention to the process of painting a room, until now!

Tip #1 - Prep

Remove wall plates! There will be no "landlord" painting here! All of our employees are trained to complete a walk through inspection before even opening a can of paint.

While doing your own walk through inspection of the areas you would like to paint, here are some things to look for:

- Areas that need to be covered

- Furniture that needs to be draped

- Holes, damage, etc.

Once you have completed your walk through, it's time to prepare your walls!

You will want a smooth surface to paint on, so patch, repair and sand any damages or holes you found.

Remove all wall plates in the area you are painting.

And last, but not least, tape off the areas you are painting!

Does this sound like tedious work? Although tedious, the DIY painter often overlooks the preparation step. However, a true professional can tape a room in under 10 minutes! This will guarantee clean lines, artistry, and fast results.

If you haven't called Brush Rite Painting by now (BTW, 734-368-3592), that means you're in for the long run! Your bedroom is taped up, furniture covered, and all the wall plates have been removed. So now let's get to priming!

Prime every patch you sanded, or apply primer on the walls if you are going from a dark color to a lighter color. Brush Rite Painting only uses trusted professional-grade vendors, so a lot of the time we don't always have to apply primer, however, we still do it because it gurantees a brighter, and longer lasting color.

The DIY painter can skip this step if your project doesn't involve dark to light color switches, but it is highly recommended.

Now that all the prep work is completed you can begin applying paint!

Tip #2 - Paint the ceiling first!

Ceiling is always first, usually it's a shade of white, but the possibilities are endless! If you need some great inspiration on color trends, you can visit our 2022 Spring Color Trends article here.

When painting the ceiling you are going to cut around the ceiling corners, windows, and doors. By "cutting in", I mean applying paint to the edges of any structure in the room.

This technique is a great judging point for all painters! If you ask any of our crew, they'll tell you about the years of perfecting it took to really dial in their speed and technique when cutting in. So don't rush yourself! Take your time. 😊 Our crew can cut around edges by hand, however, DIY painters are encouraged to tape all areas where frames and corners are involved.

Now that the ceiling, frames, and windows have been properly prepared and painted, you can being painting the walls!

By far, the most satisfying moment in all painting projects, is applying the finishing color. The contrast from new paint being rolled on top of old color... is incredible motivation! So hang tight and get your arms moving about!

We can't give out all our secrets, but this tip will make sure you're not wasting paint!

These are the rollers you'll need for a typical interior painting project:

- Doors usually need a 3/8in roller or 1/16in roller

- Ceilings usually require a 3/4in roller, if the ceiling is flat

Tip #3: Wall texture!

This is the one area that we do not recommend a DIY-er to attempt. If you have a popcorn ceiling or spackle, and you want to remove or apply any other textures, please give us a call, 734-368-3592.

This type of project requires specific equipment for proper application, and unfortunately it's not the kind of equipment you can rent at Home Depot. It also requires a special technique, which our painting professionals have mastered.

Tip #4: Even pressure!

Make sure there is even pressure when applying paint, and think in layers. If the first coat is even everywhere, the second coat will be an easy application!

This will ensure proper, and even distribution of color. Technique will also make sure that your walls look good during all times of the day, not just certain times of the day.

If you start painting in the morning, you have to make sure that all areas have been evenly coated, this way when it's time for sundown, that beautiful golden light bounces properly off the paint.

Bonus Tips:

After you're done, let everything dry and make sure you're not touching a single thing!

Cold temperatures will take longer for paint to dry, avoid starting paint projects during winter without heat!

Proper ventilation is a necessity! Even though most modern paint is of the low to zero VOC category, fumes can still become harmful after long exposure and improper safety equipment.

Lastly, and most importantly, enjoy the process and rest assured that if everything looks horrible when you're finished, you can call Brush Rite Painting to do it FOR you!

If you enjoyed reading about our tips for DIY painters, check out some of the projects we are really proud of here!