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Painting can transform a room in a matter of hours. In fact, painting is the number one home maintenance project people plan to complete in the next year. But in order for it to be successful, the transformation takes planning, time and expenses to ensure that the job is done correctly. All of these factors tend to intimidate the average DIYer. Some estimates show that 71% of those planning on that project will procrastinate it. Source: https://www.glidden.com/home/most-popular-searches/what-is-procrastipainting
Painting isn’t easy. That’s why many homeowners hire a professional as opposed to taking on the task themselves. If you’re weighing on whether you should paint yourself or hire us, here are several factors to consider before getting your brush wet.
Choosing the right color and finish
The walls in your home serve as the backdrop to your lives on a daily basis. One of the toughest decisions when painting a room is always which color. The right color can set the tone for you to work, play and relax on a daily basis. There are also so many options that it can be tough to pick just one.
Not only will the color of your paint have a major impact on your wall, but the finish, or sheen, will also have a significant impact. Eggshell, satin, or gloss are all different options to consider. Gloss and satin hold up better in high traffic areas and can be cleaned easier. A downside these finishes is they make patches or wavy drywall much more pronounced. A matte finish will not clean as well but will hide the imperfections.
A professional can help you choose the right shade, finish and accents for the room you’re about to paint.
Selecting the Right Equipment
If you have ever taken on a painting project, you know that purchasing paint supplies provides an unexpected expense. You may start with a list that looks short and sweet, but then you have a discussion with the employee in the paint section at your local hardware store, and you’re leaving with a cart that has three times the equipment you expected. Some of the items you may need include: Rollers, rolling pans, rolling extensions, brushes, drop cloths, tarps, painting tape, sandpaper, spackle, paint thinner and edging tools. Keep in mind that this doesn’t include the estimated $25 that you are going to spend on each can of paint needed for the project. If you do not have any of this equipment to get started, it may be easier and cheaper to contact a professional who has all the necessary tools for the job.
Preparation is key
So, you’ve chosen your color and bought your supplies, it’s time to start slapping some paint on some walls, right? Wrong. Preparation can actually take just as much time as the painting itself. Furniture needs to be moved from the walls and covered, walls and floorboards need to be wiped clean, electrical outlets and switches need to be removed from walls, and holes need to be spackled and sanded to match the wall surface.
All of those steps take place before you even open a paint can, but even once your ready to paint there is still prep to be done before you can use your roller. Rollers are not made to work in tight areas or in corners. For those spots, you’re going to have to take a brush and paint by hand. This process, called edging, can be tedious and always takes longer than you expect. After your first 10 minutes of edging, you will realize that it is an acquired skill, and not something that a painting amateur should be attempting.
After edging, it’s time to roll. Many consider rolling to be the easiest part of a painting project and the most fun. We have to agree. Rolling does require some technique, but once it is mastered, the paint flows on the wall easily and you really start to see the project progress.
So, you’ve finished rolling and the room is done, finally! Except we forgot to mention that over 90% of projects are going to need two coats of paint before they fully hide the color underneath. If you find this discouraging, then maybe hiring a professional is the right decision for you.