Top 10 Painting Mistakes

Out of all of the home improvement projects, painting is the hardest to mess up, right?

Well, not so fast.

Everyone who’s painted a room or two has endured their fair share of mistakes. Living with the wrong color, dripping paint onto the floor or kicking over an entire can of paint (gulp) are just a few of the all-too-common mistakes do-it-yourselfers make in their haste to transform their space. If you are planning a painting project soon, be sure not to fall victim to one of these blunders.

1) Not Asking for Samples
No one is going to argue that picking out paint is incredibly difficult. There are thousands of different shades of the same color carried by dozens of manufacturers. That’s why you should never buy any paint without sampling it first.

Paint samples are available from most home improvement centers. Choose a couple of different shades and apply them to large, blank canvases. Hang them on the wall and test them for a couple of days. As morning turns to night you’ll see the colors change—as well as your feelings toward them. It’s true; some colors just don’t look like how they did in the store. If it is a custom color you are after, have the salesperson write down the color combination they made for you. That way if you like it the next person will have the formula.

2) Failing to do Simple Math
We can’t decide what is more frustrating: running out of paint mid-project or buying too much and letting the surplus go to waste. Luckily you can avoid these mini-catastrophes by hitting up a paint calculator. Find the length and width of your space, answer a couple of easy questions and you’ll never have to worry about buying the wrong amount of paint again.

3) Playing it Safe
Enough with the white paint already! If you are going to paint, add a little color. The best thing about paint is how inexpensive and versatile it is; so go wild and get a fun shade for once. Go really crazy and get two.

4) Not Giving Yourself Ample Room
Moving furniture is never fun, but it’s imperative when you’re painting a wall. Many people think that just a foot of two is ample space to maneuver, but it’s not. Clearing enough space gives you the room to do the project properly, instead of trying to paint in an obstacle course. This is a recipe for an accident.

Taking the furniture outside of the room you are working on is ideal, but if it’s not possible then simply push it to the center of the room. Once it’s all gathered, toss plastic sheeting or a drop cloth over it and tape it down. After this is over and done with, you’ll have the rest of the room to cover…

5) Not Protecting Surfaces
Even the tidiest of do-it-yourselfers have accidents. With paint, it’s inevitable. Drips, smudges and specks of paint will turn up in places never even graced by your paintbrush. For this reason alone it’s critical that you cover all visible surfaces, especially the floor.

Invest in plastic sheeting or drop cloths and blue painter’s tape and cover everything in sight. Protecting the outlying areas will take some work, but is well worth the extra time. You’ll really resent that cornflower blue when it winds up on your white floor.

6) Donning the Wrong Get Up
Again, we can’t emphasize the need for protection. This time we are turning the focus to you. Besides wearing clothing intended for trash, you’ll want to cover your feet (we’ve heard of people painting in flip flops) and hair. If you’ve never had paint in your hair, consider yourself lucky. It takes dozens of washes to get it out and you are just better off picking it out one strand at a time. Who has time for that?

One last tip: if you are using a paint sprayer, you’ll want to wear a face mask and goggles too.

7) Skipping Priming and Sanding
Priming will not only extend the life of your paint job, it will make for a much better end result. Many people opt not to prime because they feel it’s unnecessary, but if you are going through all of the trouble of painting, why not prime too? You will save yourself the trouble of scraping peeling paint off of your walls in a couple of years. Need further persuasion? Read on.

Okay, so sanding isn’t always necessary, but when it needs to be done, do it. This is especially true with furniture that has been previously painted. The logic behind the step is that the existing surface needs something to grab onto and sanding provides that rough texture. The good news is that you don’t need to sand it down to bare wood; just give it enough elbow grease to rough up the surface.

8) Using the Wrong Tools
If you want to mess up a home improvement project big time, go at it with the wrong tool. The same goes for painting. It’s easy to think that a paintbrush is well, just a paintbrush, but they are not all created equal. Neither are rollers. Their shape, size and ergonomics have everything to do with how easy or difficult your project will be. Before you plunk down hard cash on supplies, do some research about what kind of tools you need.

9) Using the Wrong Sheen
Even more important than the color is the sheen. Paint comes in several finishes intended for different purposes. High-gloss paint is easy to clean, so it’s frequently used in high-traffic areas. We’ve heard of a very misguided painter using a flat paint in a bathroom resulting in a major headache for the occupant of the house. Matte finishes will work in a bedroom or in places that have little contact with dirty fingers or moisture. Still confused? Check out our article on paint sheens.

10) Getting Ahead of Yourself
Sometimes these goofs can be attributed pure excitement. Jazzed about introducing that new color into our lives, we forget painting takes more prep time than most other do-it-yourself projects. That’s why we end up with paint in our hair, on the floor, on the couch and on the cat. If you are planning on breathing new life into that old dresser or are going to give your living room a makeover, go for it but take your time! Like grandma said, “Haste makes waste,” and she was right.

Every home improvement project comes with goof-ups and painting is no exception. However, make disasters less likely by planning carefully, equipping yourself properly and taking your time. And if you do mess up, take heart. Even pros make mistakes. The important thing is getting over them so you can take on the next bigger and better project.

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