Interior painting in San Diego: interior painting mistakes you should avoid

A new paint job is a perfect way to make your home’s interior look fresh again. It’s cheaper and less time-consuming than making architectural changes to your space.

Interior painting may look easy, but a lot has to go into it if you want your home’s interior to look its best. The painting process can be long and you need to make sure everything goes perfectly if you want a beautiful finish.

Even if you have past experience in painting your home, you might be making a few mistakes during your paint jobs without realizing it. 

Let’s take a look at some common mistakes according to interior painters in San Diego you could be making while painting your interiors and how to avoid them.

You’re not using painter’s tape

Applying painter’s tape can be a drag, but doing so will help you paint perfectly straight lines and minimize dripping. 

Also, painter’s tape can help you paint carefully around areas where you don’t want to get paint on, such as light switches and wall sockets. Once you’re done painting, you only need to peel the tape off, revealing beautifully straight paint lines.

Before applying the tape, make sure the surface is clean, and avoid removing the tape until the paint has dried completely.

You don’t clean the walls before painting them

How long your interior paint job will last depends a lot on how well you’ve prepared your walls before painting them. Many assume a dirty wall can simply be covered up with paint, but dirt and grime can affect how well the paint adheres to the walls.

Aside from dirt, cracks, scratches, flaking of old paint and bubble holes can also potentially ruin your new paint job.

Before painting, make sure to clean your walls thoroughly with clean water and mild detergent. After the walls dry, work on repairing any blemishes on the walls with wood putty and sandpaper if needed.

Also, don’t forget to apply primer to your walls after cleaning and repairing them; this will ensure a smooth finish when you start painting.

You’re using the wrong paintbrush

The kind of paintbrush you use will play a big role in how your interior paint job will turn out. 

Depending on the kind of paint you’re using, you’ll need to change your brush. For example, for latex paint, you should use a brush with synthetic bristles, while a natural bristle brush works best for oil-based paints.

Another thing you need to be careful of is the quality of your paintbrush; a good quality brush promises a better finish.

You picked the wrong sheen

The sheen determines the glossiness of the paint after it’s been applied. Choosing the wrong sheen would mean your walls getting a look and feel that you weren’t expecting.

The sheen you choose depends on your preferences, but it’s important to note that some finishing may work better on some surfaces than others. For example, ceilings aren’t always as smooth as interior walls, so applying a matte finish would help mask any imperfections.

Additionally, if the sheen is too glossy, imperfections on your walls may become more obvious. In this case, a semi-gloss finish would be more appropriate.

You didn’t compare paint samples to interior lighting

Even if a paint color looks good on paper, it might look different on your walls depending on the lighting.

When choosing paint for your interiors, get yourself several paint sample cards and put them against your interior walls to get an idea of what it’ll look like under your home’s lighting.

You’ll also want to check how the paint will look in natural sunlight.

Contact a professional for interior painting in San Diego

If you want to get the best out of your home’s interior paint job, a professional interior painting company can give you a hand. They have access to high-quality paint and their teams of expert painters always promise a perfect job.

Get in touch with your friendly neighborhood painting company today!