Repainting our kitchen
Top Tips for a Good Do-it-Yourself (DIY) Painting Job at Home
Leonard Davis
Painting is a manageable task that you can handle in some cases. Not all the painting jobs warrant you to call in a professional, especially if it is just a small section that requires a bit of correctional painting. When buying the paint for a DIY job, examine the packaging for any additional chemicals that you will have to mix with the paint before applying it. The mixing ratios are important as well, and once that's done, you will be good to go. Here are some of the top tips you need for good DIY painting:
Prep the Surface Adequately
Even though you might be eager to see your wall covered in your new paint, don't get ahead of yourself and skip the preparation stage for the paint job. Prepping the surface adequately is the difference between a paint coating that will last for many years and one that will peel just a few months after application. Start by cleaning the wall to remove any dirt and grime that will inhibit a strong bond between the surface of the wall and the paint. To add on that, note that newly applied paint forms a good coating if there is texture that it can adhere to. Therefore, you should scuff any glossy wall surfaces lightly using sandpaper and rinsing it with clean water before you start painting.
Don't Leave Out Primer
Basically, primer refers to a preparatory coat that you should apply onto a wall that had previously been painted. The primer will take care of any fissures on the wall and make sure that they do not interfere with the smooth final finish that you desire. It also prevents the material used to make the wall (whether concrete or wood) from absorbing the paint. Even though you are at liberty to use a paint-and-primer, ready-made mix on a surface with an old paint coating, it is not very healthy for difficult surfaces like concrete, drywall, and wood. Instead, go for a stand-alone primer made specifically for unpainted surfaces for optimal undercoating results.
Avoid Flat Paint in High Traffic Areas
Paint in high-traffic areas is bound to get dirt far more often than other places within the house. Such rough and tumble places require paint that is easy to maintain. Avoid flat paint that will appear faded when you wash it or retain some marks of dirt. On the contrary, use semi-glosses and washable satins for high-traffic areas like corridors, laundry rooms and closets.
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When we moved into our house the kitchen was a bit yucky. The wall and ceiling around the oven had turned yellow-brown from years of cooking smells, and there was splattered oil all over the walls. It made the whole room feeling uninviting. As soon as we moved in I knew what I had to do: we scrubbed down the walls and repainted the whole room with new white paint. It was such a simple change with a dramatic impact. This blog is all about changing the mood of a room with a new coat of paint and how you can achieve the same effect.