Have you ever noticed that there always seems to be something that needs to be painted? From walls, to cabinets, to touchups the list of possible painting projects is infinite. Unfortunately, despite the pleasing appearance of something well-painted, the process of painting it is not as straightforward.There are many key questions you should ask yourself before you start your own project, and who knows, maybe hiring a professional will actually turn out to be the best decision.
1. Have you ever painted before?
The concept of painting something doesn’t appear so complicated, but until you have a couple projects under your belt it’s best practice to acknowledge how much work a good paint job can be.
First off, there are countless things you have to do to prepare. You have to move the objects that you don’t want to get paint on them or that are blocking part of where you want to paint. If the surfaces that you’ll be painting are older and you want the paint/primer to stick you should wipe it down with a wet cloth or tack cloth before you start. Two other helpful things are putting painter’s tape so you don’t paint somewhere you don’t intend to and putting down plastic or cardboard to catch any paint drips.
On to painting! Because surfaces that need to be painted can be above your head, the effort of bending over to get paint from a tray on the ground and then reaching up to paint and get all the little corners can be tiresome. If you’re painting an object then this might not be as much of a problem, but often it’s necessary to do multiple coats to reach true color. Many times these multiple coats aren’t thought about, but the time needed for them to adequately dry before you can apply the following coat can add up quickly.
Last but not least you have to clean up every time you paint, which means that if you don’t finish in one go you either have to wash the brushes and rollers out or wrap them in plastic so the paint doesn’t dry.
2. Are you painting a room or your entire house?
It’s one thing to want to take care of painting a bedroom or bathroom on your own, however the effort needed to paint a whole house is a different story. The amount of prep time, paint and other materials needed, and time you’ll have to dedicate to the project increase at a rapid pace the more surface area you decide to paint, especially when you consider the multiple coats. Many times painting a room is within reason, but if you desire to paint multiple rooms or your entire house maybe it’s time to consider hiring a professional painter!
3. Do you have enough time to finish the project on your own?
One thing that we all need more of is time! Painting is one of those things that often takes more time than you originally plan. Part of planning a project well is estimating how much time it can take, and that can be tricky. One of the best ways to know is to talk to friends/family that painted something recently and ask them how long it took.
4. What equipment best fits the job?
Most painting equipment is well known such as a paint brush, a roller and tray, and paint stirring sticks. However, if you’re planning on painting a decent amount then you might want to consider learning more about (and maybe investing in) power rollers and sprayers which not only make your job much more efficient but can also produce a higher quality coat on the surface as they more evenly spread the paint.
5. How much would hiring out my project cost?
This question makes or breaks if you’ll be able to save time and effort by hiring out your project! As there’s not really a benchmark it’s almost impossible to say how much your specific project will cost, but if you call the painting companies closest to you they often will be willing to give you a quote for what it is you want to paint. Remember that getting multiple quotes is the best way to know who you’d want to hire because it gives you the chance to interact with the workers and get competitive pricing.
6. How much would the paint cost if you did it yourself?
The first step is finding out how much paint you’ll need. Online there are many Paint Calculators that will provide you with how much square footage you’ll be painting and a recommendation of how much paint you should purchase as a result. The costs of paints vary a lot based on quality, what kind of paint it is, and where you buy it from. If you want a more in-depth breakdown of how to pick what paint you can find a Paint Buying Guide.
7. What colors should you use?
One of the most important decisions! What color would be best? Your kids might say lime green and pink walls but you know better. This really depends on where you’re painting and your personal preference but here are some guidelines:
- Rooms that don’t receive much natural light by way of windows should be painted a lighter color
- Paint a piece of paper or poster board the color you’re thinking of and hang it on the wall. Then observe how it looks during different times or the day
- Remember that the color of a room contributes a lot to how you can decorate it and the overall mood, darker colors generate a heavier feeling and lighter colors a more open and free feeling
- If you have kids, lighter colored walls in play areas might be an accident waiting to happen!
- Many paint stores have color pickers (Walmart even has an online one) so you can see all the many different shades and color combinations
As you can see there are many questions that require consideration before you start painting something. Some of them may seem unnecessary but we promise that if you take the time to explore a bit and come up with answers for them your painting project will not only be faster and higher quality but also more enjoyable! Here at Nacey Painting Inc. we want everyone to understand how easy painting can be. With our 40 years of experience we’ve also experienced that sometimes it’s just simpler and better to call up a professional to get the job done quickly, right, and how you want it. We’re always ready to help, request a quote from us today!
