One more crack like that and I’ll plaster ya.
Tips and tricks for painting your walls like a pro!
With the latest season of The Block Australia on TV right now, this is your chance to take inspiration and carry on the challenge in your own home.
You can find everything you need to do up your kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms and lounge room here at Lloyds Auctions.
You don’t need a big budget to renovate your home though… Just a simple lick of paint can totally transform your space and truly give it a whole new lease of life!
Turn your home into your very own Block winner with our Outdoor Living Auctions and Home Renovators auctions.
We will help you, not only by giving you the chance to get paint for a bargain, but by giving you a few handy tips and tricks for painting your walls like the pros do!
Choose a nice day
Obviously, your paint will dry faster on a nice warm day but make sure there is no rain hanging around as humidity means more drips!
Remember, it’s all in the preparation!
Professional painters will spend most of their time preparing the walls for paint rather than actually painting!
We know you are probably feeling too excited to wait, but you won’t regret taking the time to set up properly.
Make sure you’ve properly cleaned walls (greasy spots will need a bit of washing with Sugar Soap), scraped off peels and cracks, allowed any patching compound to dry, and sanded to smooth everything over before you start, followed by a rinse with clean water.
Make sure you use proper painter’s tape
This might seem like stating the obvious, but we are just making sure you know that you can’t quite get away with masking tape instead!
Press the painter’s tape down along the skirting boards and trim with a mini scraper or putty knife (not your finger), to get a good seal to prevent the paint bleeding!
Don’t bother taping around your power points and light switches, remove the covers instead!
“Box” your paint
If you need multiple cans of paint to cover your room, it is best to mix them all together in a big bucket first. This is called “boxing” and ensures the same exact colour throughout your room.
Yes, paint can vary slightly from can to can and you may be able to tell where you opened a new can and started painting the wall!
Protect your things
Moving furniture into the centre of the room and covering it with plastic is a must. But don’t forget the small things like door handles! Plastic sandwich bags secured with tape are an easy way to protect them.
When it comes to drop cloths, investing in canvas is the way to go! Canvas absorbs paint drips, unlike plastic drop cloths, which become slippery when spattered with paint.
Plus, you are almost guaranteed to step in the wet paint on the plastic and march it through the house without knowing!
Make sure you “cut in”
Cutting in means that you use a paint brush to paint areas that are too tight for rollers first, such as ceiling lines, corners, and along skirting boards and trim.
But don’t get too carried away! You don’t want the brushed paint to dry before you can blend into it with your roller as you will end up with “picture framing” where you can see a distinction between the cut-in and rolled sections.
Cover your paint bucket, tray, or container with a damp towel when switching between brushing and rolling to keep your paint and tools from drying out when not in use.
Don’t dip too deep!
Dip your brush a third of the way into the paint so you don’t waste any paint by jamming it deep into the bristles. This is also a nightmare to clean!
Tap the brush on the side of the paint can or bucket to remove the excess paint. If you wipe it against the edge you will lose too much!
Wash your roller covers BEFORE you start
This might sound backward but hear us out! The last thing you want is little pieces of fuzz or fluff trapped in your paint as you roller your wall.
Wash them with water and a little bit of liquid soap and run your hands up and down the covers to pull off any loose fibres. Don’t worry, you don’t have to wait for them dry before you start painting!
Paint from top to bottom
Apply the paint from a third of the way down from the ceiling and roller towards the floor. If the paint starts to run or drip you will paint right over it as you go down!
Spread the paint using a ‘W’ or ‘M’ motion to get an even finish! Once an area starts to dry, it’s best to leave it alone. Going back over it can leave marks and streaks in the paint’s surface.
It’s okay to do more than one day’s work!
If you still have more painting to go tomorrow, don’t worry about cleaning all your brushes and rollers to prevent them stiffening.
Simply wrap the brushes or rollers in cling film (double layered is best!) and pop them in the fridge. This stops the paint from drying out and causing stiff, unusable brushes and rollers!
Just remember to take them out at least half an hour before you start painting again the next day.
When it comes to painting, holiday isn’t a positive word
A “holiday” is when you miss a spot while painting and don’t realise. It’s as if you’ve taken a holiday halfway through your painting work.
It is easy to do, especially when the new paint colour is similar to the old one. So, make sure you do a thorough check under a light as you go.
“Holidays” are easy to patch up while you’re still working but they’re a real pain if they’re discovered after you’re done!
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