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5 Amateur Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Paint Job
By KEVIN PHINNEY
It’s important to be prepared before you paint. Some things to consider include buying extra paint, cleaning the walls beforehand, moving pets outdoors to keep them safe from the fumes, and finally, checking the forecast to avoid complications related to cracking and drying of paint.
One of the biggest mistakes a novice can make is to believe you can scrimp on the tools you need. Along with good quality brushes, invest in rollers, trays, a paint paid to reach tight corners, trim guards, painter’s tape, and plenty of drop cloths to keep the paint where you want it.
One of the most time-consuming mistakes you can make is not priming what you're painting. Experts suggest that priming before painting can create a better bond for your paint, serve as a sealant to prevent the new application from soaking into the old one, and also cover tough spots from the old paint.
A rookie error is to create uneven lines and miss spots while painting, so always start high and then paint lower to catch drips. Other things to avoid include painting lightly, over-brushing (which can leave ridges), accidentally hitting the ceiling with a roller, and not keeping the lid on the paint can closed when not pouring paint.
Double check your work using a bright light and a damp sponge after the surface is dry. Common painting errors that can show up include painting over a spot that wasn’t clean before, or “alligatoring,” which is when the paint cracks in a reptilian pattern, due to painting another coat when the previous one wasn’t dry.