5 Common Painting Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Do you find that when you try to paint a room yourself, things never turn out quite like you planned?  If said yes and you live in Menlo Park, CA, I can help you.  Read on to find out the top 5 most common painting mistakes and how to avoid them.

Mistake #1:

Failing to Properly Prep – Preparation is the #1 most important part of painting.  You need to make sure that the current surface is ready to accept the new paint.  This includes washing, sanding, scraping and priming if necessary.  Another thing to think about what type of paint you are painting over.  If you are trying to put water-based paint over oil or vice versa, you may need to prime with a special primer in-between.

Mistake #2:

Not Setting Yourself up for Success – Painting is a messy process.  You need to make sure you have areas of the room you don’t want painted taped or masked off.  Including covering the floor, no one will admire your handy-work on the walls and ceiling if there is spilled paint on the floor.  Make sure to tape off any area where you don’t want the new color to appear.

Mistake #3:

Not using quality brushes – One of the biggest issues when trying to do DIY painting is using cheap, disposable brushes.  You need a quality brush to give you a quality finish.  You can get away with the cheap/disposable brushes when putting on stain or sealer.  but for quality paint results you need to start with a good brush.  I prefer the high quality nylon bristle brushes and usually keep a few for water-based and a few for oil-based finishes.  As long as you clean them well after each use, they should last you for many years of painting.

Mistake #4:

Picking the Wrong Paint – There are thousands of types of paints.  As long as you pick a reputable paint brand, this part should be easy.  The part where more people get confused is with regards to sheen.  There are six basic types of sheen: flat, matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, high gloss.  Each of these types of paint is only different based on the amount of shine that particular paint types has.  There are some standard “rules” for which types should be used where.  It boils down to how easy they are to clean up and repel moisture.  The higher the “sheen”, the more water is repelled and the easier it is to clean up.  This is why eggshell is usually used for bathrooms and kitchens.  There is a point of diminishing returns when you get up higher in the sheens.  It is hard to get a perfect finish with a semi-gloss or gloss.  This makes them used mostly for trim and special spots.

Mistake #5:

Using “Pure White” – Look, I know that choosing colors can be very difficult.  You feel like you are using a tiny paint chip to decide how your room will look for “the rest of your life.”  And don’t get me wrong, there are some times where “pure white” is the right choice (very view times).  The good news is, if you don’t really care for a color, its not that hard to change.  There really isn’t any reason to be “afraid of color”.  If you are having trouble deciding on a color, I worked as a designer for many years and can assist you in choosing a new color scheme.  Don’t let your own indecision keep you from the colorful room of your dreams.

If you live in Menlo Park,CA and need painting: I have been painting for years and would love to help you change the color scheme of your room, add an accent wall or just give a one of your rooms a little refresh.  Call or email me today for a FREE painting quote, and stop putting off making your dream room a reality.  If you have a painting mistake you think I missed, comment below and let me know!