I don't often offer technical posts even though part of my business is painting, but this one does come with a lesson and hopefully a little bit of humor learned in hindsight. One would think that painting is a fairly simple enterprise, but apparently it's not. A bad paint job is a bad paint job, and even an untrained eye can see it. As a result, here are my tips for a good painting job.
#0: Primer. If you have any spots on the wall that you had to fix before you paint, you must user primer on it or you will be able to see it f-o-r-e-v-e-r. It's called flashing. Please trust me on this. I speak the truth.
#1: Color. Make your color selection. If you are touching up because your child happened to color on the wall with marker, then you should have invested in washable markers to begin with. But if it has already happened, it's time to move on. Choose either the same color, from the same can, or plan to repaint the whole wall. Even if you are using paint from the same can, if the room receives natural sunlight, chances are it's faded...and you need to repaint the whole wall.
#2: Check your finish. I don't mean the end of the paint job. Finish refers to the sheen of the paint. As a general rule, the shinier the finish, the more cleanable it is. (See tip #1 regarding why you would need a scrubbable finish in the first place.) While flat paint hides a multitude of texture flaws, it is not very cleanable. I don't recommend this finish for kids' rooms...
#3: Please use tape. Unless you are a professional painter, plan to spend a little bit on tape. You'll thank me in the end. And don't get the cheap stuff. It doesn't work. That's why it's cheap. A good quality tape will save you a whole lot of hassle in the end. Honestly, pulling tape is my favorite part of painting. Also, here's a pro tip for you: pull the tape off while the paint is still wet. If you happen to not be done and need to pull tape after it's dry, then run along the seam with an exacto blade before you pull the tape. You're welcome.
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#4: Plan to touch up. Oopsies happen. I get it. But you and I both know that if you don't fix that runner spot right away, you will definitely not take the time to sand it down, retexture, and repaint later. If paint drips onto the trim, wipe it off right away. It's okay that it happened, but don't leave it.
What you do affects other people. If you do a bad paint job, at some point, someone else will have to fix it, so please do it right in the first place. It's called having integrity, being accountable (even to yourself), being mature, etc. It matters. This time it's paint. Next time it will probably be something else. Do it right.
This is your painting public service announcement. You (and your landlord) can thank me later. In the meantime, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@JensWallsTalk). You might just catch a sneak peak of what I'm currently painting.
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