Painting 101

October 1, 2021

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Painting projects are the perfect way to transform your house into a home, by adding details and finishing touches unique to you. Before starting your next project, prepare your home with these simple tips and tricks.

Paint brush with open paint cans
  1. Furniture Protection

The first step to prepare the space your painting is to address existing furniture or items in the room. If they can be moved, move to the center of the room away from the walls you plan to paint, or remove them from the room entirely. Make sure items remaining in the room are covered with protective sheets or painter’s plastic. This is one of the most important steps, as you’ll prevent potential damage to your furniture or objects.

  1. Wall Plate Removal

Once furniture has been pulled away from the walls, you’ll have access to light switches, outlet covers, vent covers and other wall plates. Taking the time to unscrew and remove these plates will create a more seamless and professional result of your painting project. Choosing to paint around or over existing plates can be messy as paint sticks to various surfaces differently, and if you need to remove wall plates someday, plates can tear and damage the paint or wall.

  1. Taping the Trim

In keeping with a professional, seamless finish to your painting project, making sure to protect areas you don’t wish to paint is extra important. You can never be too careful – no matter how steady your hand, paint may run, drip, or bleed into baseboards, window frames and walls you aren’t planning to paint. Lining these areas with painters’ tape can provide an extra layer of protection against unwanted drips or runs. Bonus Tip: Painters’ tape also allows for a perfectly smooth, crisp line to all paint edges – making your paint jobs look extra clean.

  1. Floor Covers

Drop cloths or plastic floor covers are a must for any painting project. Laying out protection can save your floors from costly damage and time-consuming cleaning. If you’re painting a single wall, you only need to cover the floor within three feet of your painting area. If you’re painting the ceiling, cover the entire floor. As high-quality drop cloths aren’t cheap, the most cost-effective protection is to use a long, narrow “runner”, moving along walls as you paint.

Paint can transform your living space into something creative, colorful, and uniquely yours. Make your Shoreline home one-of-a-kind, just for you. Discover our neighborhood and take a virtual tour today: www.shorelineparkcity.com