With the holidays approaching, many families in Lawrence, Kansas, will decide to refresh their home by painting the interior prior to their holiday decorating and prior to opening their home to guests. If you are among these households, you need to make multiple decisions in a short time, such as how much do you want to do, what is your budget, and what colors will improve the various rooms in your home year-round. A painting contractor can help you make these decisions.
Your next question could be, “Where do I find painters near me?” Absolute Painters provides interior house painting services for residents of Lawrence KS, and Lenexa KS. They will schedule a consultation with you to learn your needs and goals. Then, they will plan an approach that is customized for you and your home. Their trained and experienced staff will provide you with high quality and professional service. So call us to help you with your painting project and cross one item off of your holiday to-do list.
Having a painting contractor handle this project for you prevents you from encountering the problems that can occur if you try to do it yourself, especially during the busy holiday season.
Avoid Painting With Cheap Brushes and Rollers
Professional painters buy quality paint brushes and rollers for multiple reasons. Quality paint brushes and rollers provide better coverage and use less paint than cheaper brushes and rollers. Your walls look better, and you save money on paint. Quality brushes and rollers also last longer, so long term, they are a better investment. However, most home owners don’t paint that often, so they may feel that the higher cost of quality brushes and rollers isn’t worth it for occasional use. In addition, some parts of a job may require extra brushes that may not seem worth buying to home owners, such as foam brushes for molding and window casings and a selection of brushes with manmade, polyester, and natural bristles for different types of paints. This is a good reason to hire us. Since we use our painting equipment on a daily basis, we invest in a large selection of quality tools, and the results show in the completed job.
Don’t Skip the Pre-painting Prep
With the normal holiday time crunch and a desire to see how the room is going to look, it can be very tempting to grab a brush and a can of paint and start painting. However, the time and effort used to prep before painting improves the look and the durability of the final project. Paint will adhere better to clean walls, and an un-seen soiled spot will not be able to change the color of the new paint covering that spot. Peeling paint needs to be removed so that it doesn’t continue to peel and take the new paint with it. Cracks and blemishes need to be patched and sealed so that they don’t show with extra emphasis under the new paint. In addition, every step should be allowed to dry completely prior to proceeding to the next step. We can handle all these steps properly to provide you with the long-lasting outcome that you desire while you handle other pre-holiday tasks.
Painter’s Tape is a Must! Accept No Substitutions!
Painter’s tape is another tool that contributes to a professional-quality look when the painting is completed. Even for those who are certain that they can create a straight line, painter’s tape creates a straight edge where the newly applied paint ends without the need for touch-ups. Unlike other tapes that are sometimes used as substitutes, painter’s tape doesn’t allow paint to bleed through onto neighboring surfaces, and it can be removed without damaging the newly painted surface. It is essential to apply painters tape carefully and press it down to remove all air bubbles.
Primer Prepares Your Walls for the Paint
Primer helps paint adhere better, covers any flaws or patching, and prevents the previous paint color from showing and altering the new paint color. With a glue-like base, primer helps paint adhere better and last longer. It also hides any flaws and patched areas so that the new paint covers evenly without any color variation. In addition, it masks any potential of the old paint color showing through and altering the new paint color. It is an essential step that we never skip.
Painting Over Wallpaper?
Removing old wallpaper is usually the best plan to prevent it from showing through the new paint, altering the new paint color, or preventing it from peeling in the future taking the new paint color with it. However, many people decide that painting over wallpaper is more expedient. Sometimes, painting over wallpaper is also done because it prevents damaging the drywall beneath the wall paper. Anyone who chooses to paint over wallpaper needs to be sure that the wallpaper is secure, damaged wallpaper is removed and patched, loose pieces are re-glued, and edges at the floor and ceiling are caulked. They should also use an oil-based primer and paint. Water-based primer and paint can cause the wallpaper to bubble and peel.
Choose the Right Finish for Each Room
Before you select a paint, you should learn the characteristics of the different types of paints. For example, high gloss paints reflect light, so they help brighten a darker room. They also can withstand the additional cleaning that is necessary in high-traffic areas. We will provide this information when we meet with you so that you can select the best and most durable finish for each room.
Consider Issues With the Existing Finish
Sometimes, the surface that you are painting, such as a high-gloss surface, requires additional steps than the ones already mentioned. High-gloss surfaces are extremely smooth and don’t provide an adequate surface for the new paint to adhere. So, the wall needs to be lightly sanded before it is cleaned to provide a more textured surface for the new paint. We will also discuss issues like this when we meet with you.
Bad Technique
There are painting techniques that assist in applying the paint in a smooth, even manner without drips, runs, and brush or roller marks. Some of these techniques include starting at the top and painting down, watching for any drips or runs so that you can fix them before they start to dry. You should also dip your brush or roller only one-third of the way into the paint to avoid overloading the brush or roller. In addition, you should have everything possible moved out of the room to protect your belongings and make it easier to reach where your painting. Anything that can’t be moved should be covered. Finally, make sure that anything you stand on is safe and secure. When you hire Absolute Painting, we can assure you that we follow the best techniques and practices.
Avoiding or Delaying Cleanup
After the last bit of paint is applied, you need to clean the paint brushes and rollers immediately with dish detergent and water or the paint will dry. Then, it will be between hard and impossible to clean your brushes and rollers so that you can use them again. That may not be an issue if you are done painting for a few years, but if you have another room you want to do next week, you may have to buy more brushes.
So, now that you know all the steps involved in painting to produce the professional look you desire that will last for a long time, hiring a painter while you handle other holiday preparations makes sense. To find “painters near me” to provide you with pre-holiday interior house painting services, contact Absolute Painters, serving residents of Lawrence KS, and Lenexa KS.
