painter holding a paint bucket

If you are thinking of repainting your entire home, inside and outside, and you have no experience, but you want to do it like a pro, here are some great DIY painting tips to help you achieve the best results.

Pick the Right Time

Whether you want to paint outside or inside, you can do it only when the weather is dry. Humidity can affect the viscosity of the paint, the way the color appears on the walls and it also prolongs drying time, so it is not recommended to do any paint job while it is raining or for about a day after the rain has stopped.

Visual Inspection and Preparations

Per Denver painting contractors, start by preparing the area where you will be painting. Use drop cloths and plastic foil on everything you don’t want to paint, including the vegetation around the exterior walls. Remove light switch and power outlet covers in the room to be painted and obstacles, such as patio lamps or address plates from the walls outside.

Primers and paints do not stick properly to uneven, damaged or dirty surfaces and they also tend to slip if applied on previous glossy paint, so the first thing you need to do before you start mixing the paint is to inspect the walls you want to paint, to correct any cracks and dents with caulk, to remove old paint with sand paper and to wash every greasy spot with soap and water. If you will be painting exterior walls, you can use a pressure washer to clean the walls. When the caulk is dry, run a piece of sand paper on it to make the entire wall smooth. You will also need to wash the walls to get rid of the old paint and to make sure that the wall to be painted is clean.

Mixing and Applying the Paint

You can use a ready-mixed primer-and-paint product on even, well-prepared walls, but if your wall is uneven or you will be painting on wood, plaster or concrete, a stand-alone primer and a separate, high-quality paint works better. Mix in all the paint that you will need in one large container to ensure color consistency, then you can use a smaller can to dip your brush or your roller into. Whatever type of paint you use, whether you spray the paint or you use a roller, always move from the top to the bottom. Downward movements make it easier to correct any drips and streaks and will allow you to apply the paint evenly. Don’t apply the paint in thick layers – several thinner layers will give you better results.

When you are done, wash all the tools that you have used, brushes and rollers included, then wrap them in plastic foil to store them safely.

With our great DIY painting tips, you will surely do the best paint job on the interior as well as on the exterior of your home – who knows, maybe you will even like the process of cleaning your walls, mixing the colors and embellishing your home.