While you are stuck inside for the winter you should use this time wisely to tackle some of those outstanding chores that didn't get done over the summer. Interior painting is one task that lends itself nicely to this time of year, but as a novice painter you may not know that bad preparation and planning could mean you'll be doing a repaint a whole lot earlier than you expected. Taking note of these three tips will make sure you get it right the first time, and that perfect painted finishes are in your immediate future.
Old Paint
One of the first decisions that you are going to make is deciding what colour and finish paint you are going to use on your walls. If you have some old paint lying around from your last project, stop right now before you automatically decide to use it again. Did you know that paint has a use-by date just like the food in your fridge?
It is recommended that you use your paint within one year of purchase. If you have owned the paint for longer than this, there are several signs that the paint is no longer good and should not be used:
- If the paint has been stored in a place where it may have frozen and then thawed again, the freeze then thaw cycle can change the structure of the paint and leave it chunky, and unable to be used. . Victoria and Tasmania, for example, have overnight lows that go below freezing, so be careful with old paint particularly in these states.
- If you open the paint can and it smells, this is another indicator that you should discard the paint. The smell is caused by bacteria growing within the paint. The paint is now contaminated, and if you use it you will be placing mould and mildew spores onto your walls that can make your family sick.
Once you have decided whether you are going to use old paint or not, you need to think about the environment of the room you are painting.
Damp Rooms
Certain rooms of the home lend themselves to having a damp atmosphere. One example is your bathroom because of the steam produced by those hot, long winter showers. If you go and repaint a moisture-prone room without dealing with the dampness first, the moisture will find its way under the paint, and will peel it from the walls before the first year is out.
Install an extractor fan, mend all leaks, or install a dehumidifier into this damp environment before you paint so that it has a chance to stick to the walls and remain there. You can purchase the items you need to remove the damp from your home at your local home hardware store.
Once you have gotten the damp problem under control, you need to prepare the room for painting.
Bad Preparation
A third reason why painting jobs go badly is because time wasn't taken to make sure the room is properly prepared before the new paint was applied. Keep these tips in mind before you open up the paint can:
- Walls needs to be washed down with sugar soap before the paint is applied. The sugar soap breaks down any grease or dirt on the walls, and that gives the paint a chance to adhere to the wall rather than slide right off.
- Existing paint that is peeling needs to be removed before new paint can be applied. This can be done by purchasing a paint scraper from your hardware store. If you paint over peeling paint, the new paint will come off with the old when it falls away.
By being aware of these three problem areas when it comes to interior painting, your chances of success are greatly improved when you put this advice to good use. A fresh coat of paint can give a huge facelift to any room, so enjoy the chance you have to spruce up your home's interior before the summer sun beckons you back outside again in a few short months. Keep in mind too that if this isn't a project you feel comfortable completing on your own that you can hire professional painters.
Share
