Many of us never implement our home improvement and renovation ideas, due to the fact that they tend to be very expensive. I have always been an advocate of simple ideas, that make the house look beautiful. I like the ideas where one needs fewer changes and inexpensive remedies. One of these remedies is interior painting.
As mentioned above, the best way to make a home look good with the help of cheap home improvements, is to give it a good paint job from the inside. The advantages of painting the interior of the house, is that the look of the house changes immediately. The change in colors also effectively changes the mood and temperament of the house. If good techniques are implemented, then the atmosphere of the house changes all together.
The basic reason for the change in temperament or atmosphere, is the freshness of the paint. The old paint that bored you, contained an accumulation of dirt and had faded off as a result of continuous use and wear and tear. Another factor that made the paint look old and shabby, was the effect of weathering. So how does one effectively restore that charming paint surface? The following are some of the effective techniques, that you can put to use and give the interiors of your house a new, gorgeous make over.
Selection of Colors
The most critical step in interior painting is to select the main color and the shades and sub shades for the rooms. Initially, decide if you are going to repaint the whole house or just one room of the house. It is always recommended that you repaint the whole house. First, have a look at all the hardware that is in your house. The hardware includes all the door knobs, permanently fixed shelves and cupboards or for that matter, any hardware that is permanently attached to the house.
It is recommended that you use the same restoration hardware paint and the same color and shade for almost all the hardware. Confused? Here are a few elaborations, paint and polish all the door knobs and door handles in silver or golden restoration hardware paint color. Paint the shelves and cupboards in the bedrooms in a similar color. You can also paint all the shelves in the kitchen, contrast to the color of the floor and ceiling. Remember to visualize all the different shades and colors, before selecting a particular one.
Order of Painting
To make a particular room look beautiful and give it a good finish, one needs to follow a particular order of tasks.
- Scrapping off the old paint: The old paint that is already on the wall, can be easily scraped off with a smooth metallic foil or can be taken off with the help of a regular metallic scraper.
- Sandpaper Run Offs: The second step is to give all the surfaces a good run off, with the help of sandpaper. This smooths out the uneven paint removals.
- Applying the Primer: Applying the primer is extremely important, as the surface on which the paint is supposed to be applied, becomes a bit rough and also clear white in color.
- Painting the Ceiling: The nest step is to paint the ceiling. This can be done with the help of a roller and a paint tray.
- Painting the Wall: The wall can be easily painted, with the help of a roller.
- Painting the Wood Work: Painting the wood work is usually done with the brush, as the surfaces are small and also have many angles.
- Painting the Floor: Painting the floor is the last task and has to be done with a roller.
Interior Painting Techniques
Home techniques for interior painting can be implemented with the help of two basic tools of trade, that is the simple brush and a roller brush. The simple brush is made up of bristles, that are made of natural fibers or the ones that are prepared artificially. As the name suggests, the roller brush is made up of a sponge roller. To use the brush properly, first of all hold it near the base of the handle and as close to the bristles, as possible.
While dipping the brush in the paint, dip the bristles only half way through. While applying the paint on surface, make it a point to move the brush in one direction only, either horizontal or vertical. An odd stroke stands out later on and looks very bad. Applying the appropriate pressure on the brush is also very important. Apply enough pressure, so that the bristles are bent only slightly.
The same is the case with the roller. Never apply too much pressure, or the surface tends to stand out, even after the paint has dried out. Make it a point to give finishing touches to the paint job, especially near the corners and edges.
While painting the specific rooms, apply the prescribed number of coats to get the best effect. Also remember to let the primer and initial coats dry off, before giving another coat. Leave the hardware for the last, as it needs a lot of polishing.