10 Most Common Painting Mistakes and How to Avoid them?

Knowing how to paint is more than just dipping your brush or rolling it on. I see people making the same mistakes over and over again. I also am guilty of making these very same mistakes myself until I became a painter by trade.

All the Time I See People Do Things Like...

1. Using Cheap Quality Paint...

With today's economy and all, it seems that there is a growing trend for people to do their own panting, yet they will buy paint for their home without really thinking about what they are really getting for their money.

2. Using Spackle Instead Of Using What The Wall Is Made Out Of (Drywall Compound)...

Everyone uses this thing called Spackle. Sure it is lightweight, fast drying, and sands easy on smaller areas but it also leaves sheen or flashing marks under flat paint. If you have ever tried to fix a tape seam on a ceiling using spackle you will soon become a believer in drywall compound.

3. Not Using Primer...

If you ever go to commercial places (public bathrooms is a good example) many times you will see that the metal entry door was repainted and that the new paint is peeling off in the areas where hands push on the door a lot as well as other places.

The door was originally painted with an alkyd enamel finish and some employee of the store was told to re-paint it. So they were given latex paint to use and now you have a peeling, unsound finish.

I see cupboards and cabinets done wrong in homes all the time and there is peeling paint on them which lasts for years. This peeling paint even gets on things like plates and dishes and sticks to them due to static cling.

4. Not Painting the Ceilings...

Sometimes I will do an estimate to paint several rooms in someone's home and they want the walls painted but not the ceilings. Even though the ceilings are white they still look dingy and should be freshened up with a fresh coat of white. It also makes cutting in along the top of the walls a lot easier also when painting the walls.

5. Creating Patches or Streaks...

One of the drawbacks of using latex paint is it is notorious for leaving patches and streaks. Using lower-grade paints only make it worse. If you ever take an angular look down the sides of people's walls you will see patchy areas. You can even see where they rolled in an irregular fashion. Using a quality wall primer underneath the finish coat that works with all paint finishes helps a lot.

6. Not Knowing How To Properly Paint a Door...

People usually don't cut in the sides and edges of doors properly either. When it comes to recessed doors they don't always brush out the door with the grain or the way the door was put together. They don't use primer first for converting alkyd to latex or for even re-painting alkyd over alkyd. The end result is paint failure in the form of peeling or chipping.

7. Painting Over Electrical Sockets and Covers...

Old sockets and the covers can be replaced with new modern-looking white ones. This looks really nice when re-painting a room and wanting to do a complete job.

8. Crude Cut-in Lines Along the Ceiling Edge...

Most people don't cut in good at the top of the ceiling and it looks bad. Using the right paintbrush plus taking your time helps.

9. Only Using One Coat - Applying only one coat can cause fade-through as well as skipped areas.

10. Screw Up a Professional Paint Job in a Nice Home...

Many times someone will move into a home that was previously painted by a professional painter. Not knowing anything about enamels, people can quickly screw up the woodwork, windows and doors as well as the walls says Lee Cusano, not only the author who had also owned his own painting business for more than 20 years,expert too.

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Give your home a brand new look - DIY Painting Tips

When the weather is not conducive to time outdoors, focus on interior home improvement projects. Painting refreshes the look of any room and is relatively inexpensive done yourself. Use the tips below to make any painting project a breeze. Expert advice reduces the time and effort spent revitalizing a room with paint.

Prep Work and Equipment for DIY Painting

Before putting any paint on a wall, prepare the surface. Scrape off residue, fill dents, cracks, and holes with spackle or another type of patch and sand the area until the surface is smooth and even. To prevent spattering or paint on the floor while increasing safety, use a canvas drop cloth rather than a plastic version. Fold the drop cloth around doorways and corners of walls.

When painting over dark-colored paint, paneling, or new drywall, priming is mandatory. In fact, priming is usually a smart move because it prevents bleeding stains, improves adhesion of paint, and usually enables a one-coat paint job. Tinting primer a hue close to the color of the paint helps the topcoat hide the primed walls. For the best coverage and adhesion, select a dedicated primer rather than a combination paint-primer.

Attach the paint roller to an extension pole with telescoping feature. If ceilings are between eight and nine feet tall, use a pole that extends from 18 to 36 inches. To increase control, use a paint roller handle with a threaded, metal hole and an extension pole with a metal core. Keep the project neater by using a lidded bucket and paint grid rather than a paint tray.

Time to Start Your DIY Painting Job

Remove wall plates and put painter's tape around areas that will not be painted including electrical outlets and light switches. Instead of using a small paintbrush to cut in edges around doorframes, corners, and edges of the ceiling, use an edge pad. Add enough paint to fill the bucket halfway and hang the grid on the bucket rim. Dip the sleeve of the paint roller into the bucket until it reaches the paint and remove excess paint by rolling it against the grid.

Once a painted area has dried, avoid the urge to go back over it because this can cause marks or streaks. When stopping before the job is completed, roll or brush excess paint from rollers and brushes, wrap these in plastic wrap, and store them in the refrigerator. Drop the paint grid into the bucket and put the lid on to prevent air from entering - Gerald McConway

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