Painting the interior of your home is a great way to make a big change to your home without a investing major time or money. It’s big job, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. A little bit of knowledge and preparation can go a long way toward making the painting process a lot less stressful. By planning ahead, staying organized, and avoiding common mistakes, you can ensure a smooth and successful outcome.
However, if you have major doubts about your ability to paint your home’s interior or if you have a busy schedule and don’t know how you’ll manage to find the time- consider hiring a professional. An experienced professional painter can guarantee gorgeous results and you won’t have to deal with the prep work and clean up required when you are doing it yourself.
If you’re comfortable tackling this exciting project yourself, you’ll want to check out the guide below for expert advice on how to get started.
How to Clean your Walls for Painting
One of the most time-consuming aspects of interior painting is prep work. You might have a lot of cleaning to do before you pick up a single paint brush.
How do you properly clean your walls and ceilings?
First, dust your walls, ceilings and baseboards with a dry rag or feather duster. They may not appear dusty and you might be tempted to skip this step but you’ll be amazed at how much dust accumulates, especially in corners. Taking the time to wipe down your area will prevent lumpy paint down the road.
Next, use a damp sponge or rag to wipe your walls down with a mild, non-bleaching cleaner, like Murphy’s Oil Soap, or you can also use a mixture of dish soap, warm water and baking soda. Keep in mind that you don’t want to scrub your walls too hard, this can damage the existing paint on your walls and leave you with an uneven painting surface. Clean your walls gently and make sure you’re using the right products for the job.
Protect your Flooring and Furniture From Paint
Another big part of interior painting prep work is protecting your flooring and furniture. You’ll want to cover these areas, as paint stains are tough to remove from fabrics, wood and carpeting.
You can do this by covering your sofa, chairs, and other furniture with a tarp or blanket, but plastic sheeting is favored by the professionals because it is thicker and more durable, plus it’s disposable, which makes for easy cleanup once your jobs done.
The Tools You’ll Need for Interior Painting
Once your walls are clean and your flooring is covered, it’s take to gather the equipment that you’ll need to get the job done right. Here’s a list of the most important painting supplies you’ll need. You can get all of these things at your local hardware or home improvement store.
- Paint and primer- No one wants to spent a ton on home improvement projects but cutting corners and buying cheap paint can be more expensive in the long run. High quality paint has better coverage so it will take less coats to get the job done. It’s also more durable so you won’t have to do this all over again in a year.
- Brushes and rollers- This is another area where it’s better to invest a little more up front to save yourself a big headache. Low quality brushes and rollers can give your streaky results and even leave bristles and fibers behind in your wet paint. Paint rollers hold more paint than a brush so you can cover larger areas in less time but it’s still good to have brushes on hand for small or tight spaces.
- Paint trays and buckets- When you are using a roller, pour your paint into paint trays with disposable liners for easy clean up. When painting with a brush, small paint cups or buckets are way more manageable than dragging around the paint can.
- A ladder and extension poles- Use a sturdy ladder for delicate edge-work along your ceiling and extension poles for your paint roller for painting high walls and ceilings.
- Painters tape or masking tape- Unless you are highly skilled with a paintbrush, painters tape is the best way to get crisp professional paint lines. Just be sure to remove the tape before your paint is dry to avoid peeling off your hard work.
- Spackle, a putty knife and sandpaper- Use spackle to fill nail holes and any other imperfections in your walls to give your new paint a even surface. Spread on a thin coat, let dry and then sand till it’s smooth and even.
- Protective gear- A painters mask, goggles and gloves can protect you from harsh paints and chemicals.
Purchasing Your Interior Paint
Now it’s time to choose your paint. As we mentioned earlier, it’s important to purchase high quality paint for your interior. Although it costs a little more upfront, it will cover in less coats and last longer plus it’s easier to clean. Talk to the paint experts at your local store if you need help selecting the right brand.
Choosing a paint color is the fun part of this whole experience, but it’s not as simple as just selecting a pretty paint chip. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when choosing a color for your home:
- Buy a sample jar- Holding up a swatch can give you idea of how the color might look but to really be confident in your selection, consider buying a few color samples and painting them directly on the wall.
- Don’t rush- Leave your sample paints on your wall for at least 24 hours. Let them dry thoroughly and then look at them at various times of the day under different lighting. A color that looks perfect in mid-afternoon sunlight can look completely different in the evening in artificial light.
- Consider the finish- No matter what color you choose it will be available in several different finishes, each with different pros and cons. The higher the sheen the more durable and easy to clean it is, but the more it shows dirt. Most people opt for a middle of the road satin finish.
- To prime, or not to prime?- As long as you have a high quality paint, you can often skip the primer, but if you are attempting to cover a dark colored paint a primer will make the task much easier.
How to Choose a Professional Painting Company in San Diego
If painting your interior yourself sound like way too much work a professional painting company is definitely the way to go. However, there are a few things to consider when hiring a professional painter for your home or business. Here are a few questions that you may want to ask before you hire any company:
- How long will the painting project take? Simple jobs can be done in an afternoon, but large or complex rooms may take longer.
- How long until you can begin? Most painting projects can be done within a couple days to a week, but if they are booked for months in advance it can be a very long time before your job is even started.
- What is the cost of my interior painting project? The cost of the painting project will depend on several factors, such as the quality of the paint job you choose, the materials used, and the size of the project.
Get Quality Interior Painting from Peak Builders & Roofers
Are you looking for help with interior painting in San Diego, CA? If you are looking for a contractor to paint your home or business, you have come to the right place.
We are a team of painting experts that are here to help you in any way possible. We have helped many San Diego homeowners with their painting projects. Please contact us to get a free estimate.