Pro Painter Tips for a Remarkable Result

Professional painter tips include the fact that painting your home is a big job for anyone, including professional painters. The difference between professionals and the average homeowner is that expert painters have a system and know a few “tricks.”

Franklin Painting of Farmington, CT, would like to share a few pro painting tips that will help you turn your next painting project into a masterpiece that you’ll be proud of.

Tips for preparation

Most pro painters will tell you that painting is 80% prep and 20% painting. Here are some prep tips.

Prep tip #1: Have everything you need

Make a list and get what you’ll need for the job ahead of time. You don’t want to stop in the middle of the work to go find a putty knife or extra roller covers.

Prep tip #2: Buy quality

This goes for paints and primers as well as for brushes, rollers, roller covers and other equipment. It will make your job easier and produce a better result.

Prep tip #3: Prepare the area

Pull furniture and personal items away from the areas where you’ll be working. You probably can’t empty out a room completely, so use sturdy drop cloths to cover everything. Taped-down cardboard is a good way to protect flooring. If you’re painting outside, cut away shrubbery that’s close to the house.

Prep tip #4: Prepare the painting surfaces

Quality paint adheres to clean surfaces. Remove dust, oils, dirt, tape and chipping paint from the surfaces you’ll be painting. Sand everything and then wipe away the sanding dust.

Prep tip #5: Fix the surfaces

Fill in nail holes and other surface depressions and sand them over. Follow the directions on the spackle container.

Prep tip #6: Protect fixtures and windows

Some lighting fixtures can be removed from the work area; others should be covered. The same with wall décor, door knobs and electrical outlets. Windows should be covered with plastic. Cover everything you don’t want paint on.

Professional Painter Tips

Now that you’re all prepped and ready, here are some expert painting tips.

Painting tip #1: Start with trim and ceilings

By painting trim and ceilings first, you won’t have to worry about neatness. Just get the paint on, and you’ll paint over any messes when you do the walls.

Painting tip #2: Cut in the edges

For walls and ceilings, use a brush to cut in all the surface edges two or three inches so your roller won’t have to scrape adjacent surfaces during rolling.

Painting tip #3: Clean as you go

Be ready with damp cloths and rags to clean up spills. Even professional painters make a few messes, but they’re ready to clean them up quickly.

Painting tip #4: Don’t overfill brushes and rollers

Don’t try to get too much paint on your brushes and rollers. Brushes will drip all over the place, and rollers will rain paint in the air. Just go slow and steady for the best result.

Painting tip #5: Additional coats

After your first coat dries, look at it closely. If you see shady areas, add another coat. Some types of surfaces require more paint to produce a clean, even color.

Painting tip #6: Ask your paint store associates

Most people who work in paint stores can give you plenty of helpful advice, so don’t be afraid to ask. And always read packaging labels, where there’s plenty of good information.

Magnificent Painting Results For Your Home

We hope these professional prep and professional painting tips have helped as you get ready to paint your home. If you’d rather bypass all the work and let experienced, local paint professionals do it. Franklin Painting is here to help throughout the greater Farmington, CT, area.

Give us a call, or reach out with our handy contact form.