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Painting the interior of your home...properly
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Prep work is key for a proper paint job
Paint color can make such a large impact on a room’s overall visual appeal. At the same time, making the wrong paint selections, or not doing the job properly can lead to a lot of unnecessary stress and an undesirable outcome.
Starting with the obvious, you need to select an appropriate paint color. The proper shade and depth of color is key to showing off a room’s potential. It is also important to understand the difference in paint sheens, quality, and various formulas available when you are selecting your paint. For example, if you are interested in being environmentally conscious, or if you have health concerns, you may want to spend a little extra money and opt for paint that is a low or no-VOC formula, which will naturally have less odor. Or if you have a high traffic area that needs to be cleaned regularly to remove fingerprints, crayon, or water splashes, a good quality semi-gloss paint is going to be your best bet.
But don’t jump into rolling and brushing just yet. Prep work is key with a quality paint job. You’ll want to properly address any imperfections on your walls to create a clean, smooth surface before you begin. Tape around trim and break points will provide a clean line. Be sure to properly protect the floors and any areas that you want to remain free of spills and splatters. If you are painting a room that has odor issues, mildewed or stained walls, it is best to clean and prime the walls first. And don’t forget to gather all of your necessary tools before you start working so you won’t have to stop in the middle of a job.
If you feel you are lacking the skills, patience, or time it takes to tackle a painting job on your own, you may want to consider hiring a professional. Tom Lasserud, a Richfield, MN based painter who has been in the business for over thirty years, points out that hiring a professional can actually save a homeowner money and insure a better outcome. “Homeowners often don’t have the proper equipment to get the job done right, especially if they are attempting a trickier job, such as painting ceilings or two-story foyers. If it’s a larger job, a professional painter will likely be more efficient in completing the work and getting it done right the first time.” Lasserud noted that he is often called in to fix a homeowner’s mistakes after they attempted to do the work themselves. Trim work and painting with darker colors, such as a deep red, are especially difficult for the average homeowner to do well.
Once your painting project is complete, be sure to keep extra paint on hand for touch-ups down the road. Any excess paint that is no longer needed, or older paint that needs to be disposed of, needs to be brought to the local recycling center.
Now sit back and enjoy your new look. Next week we will explore how to effectively light a room.
To contact Tom Lasserud Painting call (612) 387-5218
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