Painting

by: William C. Darling

Painting and decorating is the simplest and inexpensive way to enhance the looks of your house. If you are serious about giving your house a makeover, you can start with some handy and useful tips for painting and decorating. A successful painting and decorating project depends upon many factors.

One of the most important factors which influence the success of painting and decorating project is the skill in the application of the paint. You should have little knowledge about how to apply paints. Paints should be applied top to bottom and left to right. This is important to get an even and fine finish. You should know about the kind of material to be applied on different types of surfaces. Weather conditions prevailing at the time of paint application also affect the life and quality of the paint.

Before starting any work, you need to have a plan and you should check the condition of all the rooms. A kitchen and a bathroom may have moisture and children’s room may have different types of marks. So you should decide over colours, colour combinations, brand of paints, interior painting techniques and finally, effects you want to achieve.

Painting a house with different colours of your choice offers you a stage to decorate your house. Choice of colours is very important while painting different rooms. Colours are very important as they create mood and ambience. Bright colours lend a vibrant and cheery look to the house, while light and pastel shades give a sober and serene ambience. Dark colours make the room look smaller but cosier. Lighter colours create a feeling of space. Another factor which influences your choice of colours is the function of a particular room.

Take measurements of all the walls which need to be painted. Now calculate the amount of paints needed. Gather all the tools like brushes, rollers and sprays and cleaning agents. Cover all the surfaces like furniture, fittings and exposed items with drop cloth. It is really essential as paint may spill over these things and removing it may not be very easy.

Prepare walls before painting. Clean them of any dirt, dust and cobwebs. Use joint compound to fill all the holes and cracks present in the walls. Make it smooth with spackling knife. Rub sand paper over the rough areas or problem areas on the walls. It will give fine finish to the wall after painting. After wall preparation, start painting. Applying more than one coat of lighter shades is better than applying one coat of heavy paint.

Some basic rules

Purchase best tools and best quality paint, irrespective of the type. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the material used. Avoid hastening the job, let the procedures take their own time. You can decorate the rooms with different kinds of artefacts. All the artefacts placed in the rooms should share a basic theme. It may be ethnic or contemporary.

But if you find it too difficult, do not hesitate to ask for help. Painting contractors will always be happy to use their skills and knowledge to make your house look beautiful


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