Painting around the home may seem like a simple matter, but the fact is that many homeowners botch the job and end up with horrible results. Sure, you want the job finished as soon as possible and with as little effort as possible, but you also take pride in your home and want it to look good, right? Home painting projects can have professional results with a few tips from the pros.

Before You Start
Planning your home painting project is one of the most important aspects of carrying out the project successfully. Careful planning means that you measure the room or other area that will be painted, and that you make a wise selection when it comes to the color of paint that you will use.

Lighter colors, as a general rule, will make your room appear to be bigger than it is. Darker colors will have the opposite effect, making your room appear to be less spacious than it truly is. But darker colors do work to create warmth and lend character to the home, which makes them a good choice as an accent color. And preparing for your project, you should also list the supplies and materials that you will need, and decide whether or not you need to prime the wall before heading out to the store to make your needed purchases.

Color Choice
Be certain that you are selecting the correct paint for the task at hand. Eggshell or flat finish paints are very appealing, and they are super good when it comes to hiding imperfections in the wall, but they are also very hard to keep clean. Satin finish paints are an excellent choice for areas of high traffic, and they can be beautiful without being hard to clean. For trim, gloss and semi-gloss are ideal finishes.

Preparation
Before painting, you need to prepare your walls properly. To begin, remove all of the furniture and other items from the room and then cover any items that cannot be removed with a tarp. You should also cover the floor to protect it from paint damage. Clean your walls, and fill in any imperfections or holes in the wall with spackling compound. Allow that to dry and then sand it carefully. Remove any dust that accumulates during sanding. Apply painter’s tape around the trim. Apply a coat of primer around the patched area. Allow the primer to dry, and then prime all of the walls to provide a good base for the fresh paint to come. Primer is also very helpful in covering up your previous wall color. When covering darker colors, you may need to use more than one coat of primer.

Initial Coat
Allow the primer sufficient time to dry completely, and then get ready to apply your initial coat of paint to the walls. First, paint around the room’s edges and around the windows in the room using a trim brush. Before this paint has time to dry, use a paint roller to put the first coat of paint on, working from top to bottom. Be certain not to spread your paint too thin or too thick. Too thin and it won’t cover your walls appropriately; too heavy and the paint will run and drip.

Second Coat
Allow the first coat of paint sufficient time to dry. Then add your second coat in order to achieve a professional look. Once the second coat is finished, remove the painter’s tape before it has dried. Stand back and admire your handiwork – but don’t touch for at least twelve hours to allow the paint to set.

Author Bio: Alyssa Davis, is a design specialist and writer at Metal-Wall-Art.com, and she offers many suggestions and unique ideas for designing with red metal wall decor and blue metal wall decor.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: home, decor, design, wall art, improvement, remodel, budget, repair, organize, feng shui, clean