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Grab Your Paintbrush! Easy Steps to Freshen Up Your Walls!

A new spring season invites changes to your home with fresh spring decorating. There are many ways to do that, and one of the easiest is a new coat of paint. You may decide to use the same colour and do some touch-ups to make your walls look cleaner, or decide to change it up by using a new colour.

If you are feeling inspired to change HGTV gives 10 tips for picking paint colours. Click here to visit their website. Or if you want to see some suggestions for which paint colours to use in which rooms visit DYI Home Designs website- click here.

Whether you paint just one room or the whole house it will give your home a clean, refreshed spring feel. Painting your home is easy, economical and most of us are able to handle a roller and paint brush. Below are some helpful hints to make the job as smooth and simple as possible.

1.  Prepare- Proper preparation is one of the most important painting tips to get an expert looking paint job. It is also the most time consuming but well worth it.

  • Remove anything from the room that may be in the way and remove all necessary hardware and fixtures
  • Wipe down the walls with a solution of water and a little dish soap to remove dirt, dust and grease
  • Fill any cracks with plaster filler and sand down. Wipe any excess dust with a damp cloth
  • Make sure to have all the brushes, rollers and paint trays needed to do the job
  • Use painters tape to tape off the trim, ceilings windows, doors and any other areas not being painted. This will ensure a nice straight line and will help you avoid painting any of those areas
  • When you open up your new can of paint, before you start to pour paint into the rolling tray, use a nail or other sharp object and carefully pierce holes in the lid groove of the tin (the ridged section where the lid fits in). Doing this will let any excess paint drip back into the tin rather than down the sides. It will also help the lid to be sealed tight when you’ve finished.

 2.  Paint from the top down – Always start painting from the highest to the lowest area, starting with the ceiling and working your way down.  This will help catch any drips that may ruin a freshly painted wall.

 3.  Prevent drips and reduce brush marks – To reduce those unsightly brush marks when you have finished painting, make sure you don’t pull the brush away sharply when completing any stroke; instead use a smooth and controlled motion to drag the brush into the finished section.

 4.  Paint at least twice – This doesn’t mean to paint a wall, let it dry and paint again. When using a roller, go over the same section at least twice. Avoid using too much paint, use just the right amount of paint for the wall and don’t put too much paint on the brush when dipping into the tin. Put a small amount of paint on the roller and use long even strokes to apply thin coats.

 5.  Paint the Trim Last – the trim can often catch some of the spray that comes off of the paint roller, in order to avoid this it is best to paint the trim last since it will be done with a brush and excess paint won’t get on the walls.

A newly painted wall is usually flawless. However, over time, paint endures a lot of wear and tear and flaws start to appear—scuffs marks, dirt, chipping, holes that need to be repaired and other types of damage. Click here to watch a step-by-step tutorial by Expert Village on how to touch up painted walls.

If you would rather have someone else do the painting for you there are many professional painters in Chilliwack that would be more than happy to give you a quote.

For more information about maintaining your home, please view WBI Home Warranty – Homeowner Maintenance Manual.