With the hot weather here in Victoria BC this summer, spending a lot of time indoors can be hard to do voluntarily. But maybe you have visitors coming or your family has more free time than usual, and you want to fix up your place without breaking the bank. Painting in Victoria is one way to make a room feel more lively and fresh. Whether to give your bedroom a new look or to fix up the bathroom walls, painting can do wonders and it does not have to be a huge hassle to complete the task by yourself. But without the right tips, messes can happen and you may find yourself spending more time indoors than necessary. We at Moloney Painting have years of experience completing a variety of painting projects and would like to share some of our tips with you.
Picking the Right Type of Paint
The paint you need depends on the type of room and painting task. Here’s what you need to know:
- Eggshell paint is best used for the walls of moisture-free rooms. It has no shine, is washable and durable, and can be used on imperfect walls.
- Flat paint is not very washable or durable unless you wipe the whole wall clean and is best used for moisture-free rooms, especially bedrooms.
- Pearl/satin has a bit of sheen and is washable and good for bathrooms.
- Semi-gloss is shinier than pearl/satin and is durable, washable, and also good for bathrooms.
- High-gloss paint is the shiniest and is best used to accent surfaces such as on trims. It is washable and durable.
Preparing the walls for success
If you prepare ahead of time, you can prevent mistakes from happening and save time and materials. Take the time to remove nails now and fill in the holes with spackle, then wash the walls. By washing the walls to remove dirt, you can avoid having to do an extra coat of paint afterwards.
Don’t forget to remove everything from the room that you do not want to get paint on, including door knobs and light switches–you’ll save yourself from regret later. Then, line the floors with drop cloths, overlapping each individual piece by about a foot to minimize the chance that paint will get onto the floor. You can also prepare the paint can to minimize spills by hammering nails around the rim of the can.
Painting efficiently
If you are changing your walls from one bold colour to another, use primer on the walls first. Tinted primers are necessary for especially bold colours such as deep green, red, and blue. Investing in quality rollers and edging brushes can also save you time and keep your edges looking neat.
Paint the room in this order: first the ceiling, then the walls, then the door and any other woodwork, and then the floor if desired. When painting the large surfaces, paint an ‘M’ or ‘W’ shape on the wall and fill in the shape with horizontal strokes. Continue making that shape and filling it in until the area is covered. Once you have completed the bulk of the painting, put aside a small jar of paint to use for touch-ups later on, once the current paint is dry.
Cleaning and finishing up
Keep the room ventilated and free of furniture for at least 24 hours. You should wash your brushes and rollers as soon as you are done painting if you want to reuse them, and if you are concerned about the leftover paint spilling when you move it out of the room, first clean the can’s rim. Then, put paper towel over the lid and hammer it onto the can.
When completing summer painting jobs in Victoria BC, you want to be organized from the start to the finish. We hope these tips will help you to do just that. And if you are in Victoria BC and have a bigger project or need a job done when you do not have the time to do it yourself, contact us at Moloney Painting.
