When you walk into a home, you can generally tell whether the paint job was completed by a professional, or by a DIY enthusiast. Professionals always manage to get the paint so smooth and even. What if you want to create that same look in your own home? Do you absolutely need to hire a pro? Not necessarily. There are a few tips you can follow to give your paint job a more professional look.
1. Strain Your Paint
Even if you buy good-quality paint, it may have some dust, chunks of paint, or fuzz in it. These impurities can give your paint job a bit too much texture, making it look less professional. The easiest way to remove them is by using a paint strainer or screen. You can buy a strainer that fits over the edge of your paint bucket for just a few dollars. Pop it on, and then pour your paint from its original container into either a handheld painting bucket or a roller tray. If your paint is older or has been sitting a while, you may end up with quite a lot of debris in the screen. Take a break between every few cups of paint to remove the screen, rinse it, dry it, and replace it. Visit a website like sprayright.com to learn more about straining paint.
2. Combine multiple gallons of paint into one bucket.
If you are painting a larger area that will require more than one gallon of paint to cover, then mix all of your paint cans together before you begin painting. There can be small differences in the colors of paint between cans, and stirring them all together ensures a more uniform look. If this sounds like too much work, you could look for a paint store that sells paint in 5-gallon drums rather than one-gallon buckets. Five gallons is generally enough to cover even the largest rooms.
3. Use a good primer.
A good primer gives your surface a uniform texture and color before you even apply the actual paint. Do not skimp on primer with the mentality that it's hidden under paint, anyways. Spend a little more for one that does a better job and is labeled "professional grade."
4. Use the right roller and brushes.
One reason why DIY paint jobs often look less appealing is that homeowners try to skimp on the brushes or rollers. The better the brush or roller, the more evenly you'll be able to apply the paint. Brushes made from natural fibers do a better job than those with synthetic fibers. Unless your wall is really textured, use a roller with 1/4 inch material. Thicker rollers will lay down too much paint.
With the tips above, your painting job will look far more professional.
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