Interior painting can be an overwhelming task for beginners. However, with the right amount of knowledge and skills, it becomes easier to do it yourself. To maximize your success, read the following tips before you start your interior painting project.

Interior Painting Tip #1 – Consider Hiring Professionals

Before you run off into DIY land, consider the fact that you may actually want to hire professionals for certain jobs. For instance, if you’re painting your house to sell it, it’s advisable to let experts handle the task to avoid mistakes that may reduce your property’s value. Professional painters with great attention to detail produce clean and quality work up to your specifications, thus helping increase your home’s value.  

When choosing a painter, avoid going for painters charging unbelievably low prices. Often, these painters are inexperienced and can cause more harm than good. There’s a saying, “cheap is expensive”. While you may save money initially, you can end up spending twice on the same project due to poor results. To choose the right painters, ask for samples of previous work and certification. 

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Interior Painting Tip #2 – Choose The Right Paint Type And Color

Choosing the right type and color of paint is critical. Paint types are classified as either oil-based or water-based. Oil-based paint, contains either natural oils or synthetic alkyds. They are suitable for areas with high moisture, like kitchens and bathrooms, and areas prone to wear and impact, like floors and moldings. This paint resists rust and stains but is hard to clean once dirty. Due to their thick nature, they take time to dry and have an unpleasant smell while doing so.

On the other hand, water-based paints, also known as latex paints, are commonly used on walls and ceilings. Latex paint dries faster and is easily cleaned with soap and water. This option is less smelly (and less toxic) and can be used over oil-based paints. 

Choosing your paint color is as important as choosing the paint type. The best way to select the right interior paint color is to use your favorite colors’ inspiration to create your color scheme. You can also visit different homes to get an idea of the colors you want or research on internet sites like Instagram or Pinterest for the best decorating colors for your home. 

When it comes to selecting neutrals, you want to know if the color is warm or cool-toned. A good way to tell is to look at the darkest version of the color on the color swatch.

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Interior Painting Tip #3 – Get The Necessary Tools

When it comes to painting supplies, the quality of the tools determines the quality of your work. Just like paint, cheap tools produce poor-quality work with unpleasant results. The must-have tools include:

• Wall cleaner: Have cleaners on hand so that you can work on a clean surface; a dirty wall can cause the paint to bubble.  
• Painter’s tape: This tape is necessary for straight lines and making sure that the paint doesn’t go where you don’t want it.
• Brushes: Look for painting brushes specific for the job you want to do, and ensure you have them in your necessary sizes.  
• Rollers: Rollers are essential for painting large surfaces. Have both the standard roller and the mini-paint roller for getting into small spaces.  
• Paint tray: This is essential to have when working with a paint roller.
• Ladder: A ladder is crucial in helping reach higher wall surfaces.  

Other tools and materials you may need are paint sprayers, drop cloths, primers, turpentine, and sponges.

Tip #4 – Choose The Right Primer

Using a primer is crucial as it helps your paint adhere and last. There are different paint primers, and your choice depends on your painting surface. The types of primers include oil-based, latex, and shellac primers. Oil-based primers can be used on oil-based and latex paint and are mainly suitable for wood, steel, and metal surfaces. Latex primers are best for prepping drywall surfaces, softwood, and brick. Shellac primer is best for interior paint jobs because it’s stain and water-resistant and works well on drywall, wood, metal, and plastic.  

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Conclusion

Painting your interior walls can make your space look new and vibrant. With the above tips, you can now tackle an interior painting project. Although it may take a little practice, you’ll be sure to get the hang of it over time. The next project to tackle is painting furniture!