Common Wall-Painting Mistakes Beginners Make
DIYing home projects have become increasingly popular—and for good reason. Rolling up your sleeves and taking care of those home remodel projects yourself can be cost-saving, time-saving, and deeply satisfying—until you’ve accidentally botched the paint job in the living room, that is.
Mistakes happen, especially if you’re new to the world of DIY. But being aware of the common wall-painting mistakes beginners make will help you avoid them for a gorgeous paint job you can be proud of.
Being Too Quick To Choose a Paint
Choosing the paint is one of the most fun parts of the project. But we can get so caught up in looking at the colors that we forget they can look different on our wall than on the swatch. That can result in projects turning out differently than you expected.
Keep these things in mind if you don’t want to be stuck with a paint that doesn’t work for your house:
- Always order a sample of the paint you want and test it on a generous piece of wall.
- If you’re testing more than one color, test them on different parts of the wall.
- Look at test swatches next to other objects in the room.
- Pay attention to how the light impacts the color at different times of the day.
Also, keep in mind that paint sheen impacts the way color appears in a room. Rooms with high traffic or high levels of moisture like kitchens will need higher gloss than less-frequented spaces such as bedrooms.
Not Prepping the Walls
How well you prepare a wall before adding your first coat of paint will determine how well it adheres to the walls. The existing color of the wall before you paint it anew could also influence how the color appears.
Before painting, make sure the wall is thoroughly cleaned of all dust, grime, and moisture. Apply a primer to the wall you’re painting if it was rough or unfinished, or if you’re applying a lighter color or lower sheen lighter than the wall was previously.
Free Handing Around the Trim
Lots of people tend to ignore their wall’s trim when it comes to painting. After all, it takes up a relatively small portion of the room. Because of that, we may not paint the wall next to the trim carefully. This results in the trim looking sloppy.
This isn’t to say you have to use painter’s tape every time you paint next to trim. With enough practice, you can use an angled hand brush to “cut in” beside trim for a smooth finish. If you aren’t sure about your skill level, using painter’s tape is your best bet.
It’s only natural to make beginner wall-painting mistakes as someone new to DIY. But don’t despair. ECOS Paints will have your back through them with our collection of eco-friendly paints and know-how.