Ensure a Perfect Edge
The most noticeable things about an interior painting job are the edges. It’s relatively easy to do a decent job painting the walls, but as soon as you pull off the tape, an imperfect edge is revealed. The trick that professional painters use is this: They wait until the paint is dry, then use a utility knife to cut the tape at the edge. The result is a perfect edge.
Follow the Right Order
Painting professionals don’t just start painting. They have a method to ensure the best results possible. First, they paint the trim, then the ceiling, and save the walls for last. It’s not necessary to be neat when painting the trim, because any paint that gets onto the wall will just be painted over later. But it’s important to wait until the trim is completely dry before taping it off to paint the wall.
Use Primer
When you’re painting a light wall a dark color, you may want to skip the primer, but that could be a big mistake. The difference becomes apparent if you have wall patches. Any area that had a hole has to be patched before you paint it. But the paint will look different because the wall absorbs the paint differently. If you use a coat of primer first, you won’t have any of these lighter areas on your wall.
Cover the Flooring
Whether you’re painting the wall or the ceiling, the paint is bound to drip onto the floor. Fortunately, you can save yourself hours of cleaning and scrubbing. But instead of using a plastic sheet that needs to be taped to the floorboards, professional painters use cloth. A drop cloth is heavy enough to stay in place without having to be taped, and it’s reusable.
Keep a Wet Edge
Paint can’t be applied in one round. Instead, you must layer it on with your roller. To avoid being able to see the lap marks later, painters always keep a wet edge. This means every stroke of the roller overlaps the previous stroke before the paint has begun to dry.
Professional painters use other techniques to ensure that the results of their painting job exceed your expectations. In addition to having the necessary know-how, they also have plenty of experience, which can make a big difference for the success of any project.