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Paint That Room Right |
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Paint That Room Right |
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One of the fastest, least expensive ways to change the look of a room is with paint. Painting can be done fairly quickly and once you get started, it can even be fun. One of the most fundamental things any professional painter will tell you is that you must carefully prepare the area to be painted. More than 80 per cent of all painting failures are due to improper surface preparation. Before you begin, clear the room and give yourself space to work. Remove any furniture that you can, and push the rest to the center of the room. You need at least three feet to maneuver. Remove all drapes, pictures, shelves and electrical outlet covers from the walls. Cover everything with fabric drop cloths, or newspaper. Avoid using plastic, it's not only slippery to walk on, but does not absorb splashes or spills and they just puddle and get stepped in. Wash high-traffic areas well with detergent and water to remove excessive dirt. To remove greasy spots, especially in kitchens, use a solution of bleach and water. It is very important to rinse the areas afterward, so no soap residue remains. Paint will not adhere properly to soap residue. Scrape off any lose paint with a paint scraper. For wood, or more ornate areas, purchase a special molding scraper. If you are painting a surface that has previously been wallpapered you must remove all the paper before painting. This is a big project and usually requires a lot of scraping. A professional steamer will go a long way in easing the burden, so rent or borrow one, if possible. There are also a variety of paper strippers you can try, you simply rub these on the walls with a rag and wait for the chemicals to take effect. Unless the area you are painting has a flat-based paint already on it, you're going to need to do some sanding. It's almost impossible to paint over semi-gloss or high-gloss paints. Use a light grade sandpaper (120-grit). If you're putting latex over an oil-based paint you are going to need to sand more thoroughly with a medium (80-grit) sandpaper. Make sure you sand smoothly and blend into the adjoining areas. Next, you will want to use a stain blocker to cover over any dark marks that you can't remove by washing. If you leave dark spots, grease or wood knots without covering them with a blocker, they will bleed through the new coat of paint. Now you're ready to prime. Priming is important because it seals the surface it is applied to and allows the new paint to bond to the wall. It is especially important to prime if the area to be painted is not in good condition, or if you are changing types of paint, such as putting a latex over a high-gloss or semi-gloss oil-base paint. If your new paint color is lighter than the old, you will need to prime. Priming also insures a more uniform topcoat, especially if you're going from a flat finish to gloss or semi-gloss. Always use primer on unpainted wood and drywall. Raw surfaces soak paint up like a sponge, or reject it. Now you are almost ready to paint. The final step is to fill in any holes from nails, or cracks...or to blend any popped nails (especially prominent in newer construction). There are a many different filling products on the market that will make this job fairly easy. Some are ready-to-use and some need only water added. Look for open joints and gaps in molding. Fill these with acrylic latex caulk (pure silicone will not bond with paint). One last thing before you break out those brushes and open that can of paint: check the temperature. Temperature and humidity can make or break a new paint job. Paint should be applied at temperatures of 21º C, plus or minus 12º C - unless the product instructions state otherwise. Never attempt to pain when the relative humidity is more than 85 per cent. About the Author Cathi Stevenson is a former editor and journalist who has sold more than 2000 articles world-wide. Her eBook "How To Publish & Market Your eBook For Just $5" made the publisher's best sellers' list within months of its release. Learn how she did it with tips from the Author's Cafe Newsletter. Sign up at: http://www.authorscafe.com. Cathi also owns the highly successful book cover design company: Book Cover Express. http://www.bookcoverexpress.com Written by: Cathi Stevenson |
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