The Painting Mistake That New Homeowners Should Avoid

There are many benefits to buying a new construction home, and getting to make it all yours is the best. Once you get moved in, you're probably itching to swap out the boring builder-grade white paint for the perfect designer hue. But before you open that can of expensive paint, pump the brakes. Rushing to paint your walls in the first year is one of the most costly and frustrating mistakes a new homeowner can make. Why? Because things need time to settle.

In newly-built homes, lumber used for framing retains moisture but slowly dries out and shrinks while acclimating inside your walls. This dehydration is natural and unavoidable. Still, it causes your home's structure to subtly shift and the result of that movement is the dreaded nail pop. As the wood framing pulls away from the drywall a bit, the heads of the fasteners can push out against the thin joint compound and create those unsightly bumps on otherwise perfect walls. Immediately painting on the breathable builder-grade paint also slows all that drying. Should a nail pop appear, you'll likely end up wasting money on expensive paint as you might have to sand, patch, prime, and repaint spots on the wall again.

That's a bunch of time, money, and emotional energy that no one should have to waste. If you can handle the suspense of waiting a full year to let things settle, your paint will be perfect the first time around. There is something you can do in the meantime, though.

That 12-month moratorium on painting allows your new house to complete the vast majority of its settling. By the time your home's first anniversary rolls around, nearly all of the inevitable nail pops, stress cracks, and other minor drywall separations will have shown up. This waiting game is also tied to your builder's warranty. Most contracts include a comprehensive one-year punch list, or a list of final to-do's your contractor must complete before the project officially ends and they receive final payment, that covers fixing these minor drywall issues. In these 12 months, you can document all these structural imperfections; that'll make it easy for the crew to tackle them in one efficient visit so you're left with a clean slate to enjoy.

We know it can be tough to stare at dull builder-grade paint for a whole year, but there is a compromise. You could apply an inexpensive, good quality primer/sealer or neutral base coat. That still gives your wall a clean, fresh look and gives you plenty of time to look at upcoming paint color trend predictions. Then, once those repairs are made and the warranty period is satisfied, you can proceed with the final perfect coat with the confidence that it'll last for years without any ugly bumps or cracks pushing their way through. This simple act of patience ensures that your first paint job will be the only one you have to deal with for a very long time.