Painting tips for owners in north carolina

It’s no secret that adding a fresh coat of paint is one of the best ways to refresh the inside of your home. In fact, it consistently ranks as one of the best home improvements you can do in the Triangle area because of its great return-on-investment. While a seasoned pro will do a quality job in a shorter amount of time, anyone can paint their own home with a little help and the right tools. Summer is the best time to paint your home in the Chapel Hill area, so grab some supplies from the hardware store, pick your preferred hue, and freshen up your space!

Here are some professional tips to help you add a splash of color or just refresh the walls of your Triangle area home this summer.

Painting Supplies – What You’ll Need

  • Primer
  • Stir stick
  • Pouring spout
  • Roller tray with several liners
  • Angled paint brush
  • Painter’s tape
  • Drop cloths
  • Wall-filler
  • Natural sponge, cloth, and TSP cleaning solution

Clear The Room & Prep The Floors

Remove everything from the room and place it either elsewhere in the house or in the middle of the room if necessary. Remove the molding, cupboard doors, and hinges, essentially everything that’s attached to the wall. Place the drop clothes on the floor and cover as much area as possible. Messes usually happen when you least expect them, so it isn’t always going to be below where you’re painting that gets the most drips.

Repair The Holes, Sand, and Wipe Clean

Use painter’s putty or some other wall filler to fix the holes in the wall. Use a flat metal scraper to really press the putty far enough in the hole to make sure it stays in there while you’re sanding. After all the holes have been filled, it’s time to sand, sand and sand some more. Sanding is really important to ensuring that the surface is flat and even, especially in areas where you’ve made some minor repairs. It also help to make the next coat of paint stick better to the wall. Once this is done, give the walls a good wipe with a TSP cleaning solution to remove the sanding dust. Wipe with the solution, then wipe again with just water to remove any residue the solution may have left behind.

Apply Primer

Primers are specially formulated to help create a nice, even base for the paint to stick to. While it might look like just a white coat of paint, it’s not the same thing. If you can, try and opt for alcohol and alkyd primers because they tend to cover the best. Spread the primer on evenly on each of the walls making sure to cover ever inch, from top to bottom. You can spot-primer the ceiling where necessary, but make sure that the walls are evenly coated before proceeding to the next step.

It’s Time To Paint!

For a good painting job that you’ll be happy with for years to come, make sure you’re using quality paint. Visit a local paint store and they’ll help you find the right paint for the job and keep it within your budget. For example, you shouldn’t use the same paint in the bathroom as you would your bedroom, because it would start to ruin over time due to all of the moisture. Latex paints are a popular choice for most do-it-yourself painters because they’re water-based and alkalyd, so they can be a little more forgiving if you make a mistake.

First, use painters tape to section off areas where you don’t want the paint to accidentally touch, like the ceiling and other fixtures. Press firmly to make sure that the tape is on tight enough so the paint won’t bleed beneath the adhesive. Placing your liner inside the roller tray, pour some of the paint in the basin and get a good coating of paint on your roller, enough for the walls but not too much that you’re dripping on the walls or floor. Roll evenly, leaving a few inches between the paint and the painters tape. You’ll use your angled brush later to precisely fill in this area.

Budget for enough paint to coat each of the walls twice for the best outcome, and have a little extra paint leftover for touchups after everything is dry. After the paint is completely dry, slowly and carefully remove the painters tape while making sure not to rip up some of the paint with it. Once this is done, you’re walls should be ready to enjoy for the next few years! Put the molding back on and anything else you took off in the process, remove the drop cloths and put the furniture back.

Lastly, sit back and admire what a great job you’ve done.

If you’re getting ready to sell your home, the My NC Homes team wants to help! Get in touch with them today and they’ll help you determine what your home is worth, what upgrades could be done to improve the value, and help you set a realistic timeline. Send them a message or give them a call today at 919.659.5173 to learn more.

Posted by Larry Tollen on
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