Every year, homeowners spend huge amounts of money making major changes and renovations to their properties in order to make them more comfortable or to increase their value. Whilst there are many different expensive things you can do to improve your home, far too many people overlook the transformation which can be achieved just by giving your home a new coat of paint. From painting the exterior walls of your home to give it instant curb appeal, to freshening up your bedrooms with some relaxing colors, painting your home can dramatically improve your standard of living and add real value if you are looking to sell. Far too many people are intimidated by the idea of painting their house because it can appear such a mammoth task.
To help everyone out there who is looking to make this task more manageable, here are our expert tips and tricks for house painting.
Hire a Professional Painting and Decorating Firm
Whilst this first tip may sound a little bit like a cop-out, one of the best ways to guarantee a great paint job for your house is to hire a professional and decorating firm. The folks at PerrymanPainting.com explain that as most people have never or only once or twice had to paint a house before, it can be very hard for them to know where to start or how to get the best results. What will end up taking you a lot of time for a relatively substandard paint job will take a professional firm a fraction of the time, and the difference in quality will be clearly apparent. Professional painting and decorating firms use all the best equipment and know exactly how to use it to do a perfect job every time. If you can afford the service, it is definitely worth your consideration.
Choose the Right Paint
One thing that makes a professional job superior to that which homeowners can achieve on their own is that expert painter decorators know exactly which paint to use depending on the desired finish. To most people, paint is paint, and choosing between the different brands and types of paint is like reading an alien language. Many people don’t realize that there are actually different paints for different surfaces in your home. For the woods and metals of windows, doors, and banisters, for example, you should use gloss paint, whilst acrylic paint is the best choice for exterior walls. If you don’t know, speak to the paint expert at your local DIY store, or wherever you buy your paint, and then will be able to guide you in the right direction.
Always Use Primer
One massive mistake that so many people make when painting their homes is that they don’t use a layer of primer first before their emulsion or acrylic. The primer is so important because it creates a clean and smooth surface on which your top layers of paint will go. This is vital as it will ensure that there is good adhesion between your paint layers and the surface of the wall which can prevent air bubbles and ensure that the paint job lasts a long time. Primer is also necessary if the surface you are painting is particularly porous or isn’t waterproof, as it will act as a seal and stop any moisture from getting in which can cause damage to walls and other surfaces.
Plan Color Schemes
Painting your home is no different from painting a picture, and your choice of colors is absolutely key to the overall effect of the finished job. Identify exactly what mood you want to create in space or what impact you want your paint job to have. If you are looking for a wow factor that adds curb appeal to your home, think about the best color to help your property stand out and look more valuable. The extra value that a well-painted exterior can add to a home is really incredible and a fresh exterior paint job is highly recommended for everyone who is looking to put their house on the market. When painting rooms inside your home, use different colors, shades, and tones to create warm spaces, lighten up dark rooms, and match the function of each area of your home.
Create a Feature Wall
Whilst certain colors and shades are advised in different rooms, you can always create a feature wall to add a splash of personality and break up the monotony of a color scheme. If, for example, you want to paint a particularly dark room in an off-white or cream to brighten it up, you can still use a dark crimson on one of the blank walls as a feature without losing any of the light. Alternatively, you can even mix up paint with wallpaper and add personality and design by painting two opposite walls and wallpapering the other two. Interior design is all about confidence and when it comes to color on walls, let your instincts guide you.
Take Your Time
Painting a home is difficult which is precisely the reason why professional decorating companies are so highly sought after. If you choose to tackle the job yourself, it is so important that as well as following the steps above, you take your time through every part of the process. Everybody wants to get their DIY jobs done as quickly as possible so they can return their home to a state of normality and get on with their life again. When it comes to painting, however, taking your time is absolutely key to producing the best possible finish which will allow you to enjoy your home even more.
Painting a house can seem like a huge job, but as long as you take the right steps it can actually be very pain-free and even fun! Make sure you choose the right paint and that you take each step of the process methodically and carefully. If you don’t have the time or just want to make the process as easy as possible, hiring a professional decorating firm is the ideal way to get an expert job without any of the work or preparation needed.
