How To Paint Your Home Ottawa

Painting Guide

A fresh coat of paint can make a huge difference in your home. You may find your home looking and feeling newer. This can feel like a difficult task to tackle but it does not have to be. Here is your guide to painting your home like a pro!

Plan

You want to make sure that you plan your approach. Start by thinking about what you want to finished product to look like. This can be informed by a number of things. What is the purpose of the room? What type of natural light do you have coming in? What is the shape of the room? These things can inform your goals. You may want to brighten up certain spaces. You are also not limited to painting all of the walls in the room the same colour. You may want to use a bold hue to create an accent wall. Think I cover and plan ahead!

Pick a Colour

There are so many colours out there, it can all feel a little bit overwhelming. Start by deciding on some general colour characteristics. Choose if you want warm, cool or neutral colours. Then move on to more specifics. Eventually, you’ll narrow it down to a colour like blue for instance and then you can sift through some shades and pick your favourite. 

Get Your Tools

Some important tools you may want to pick up depending on the job include:

-Paint

-Paint roller

-Roller extension pole

-Drop Cloths

-Paint Brushes

-Paint Tray

-Sandpaper

-Painters Tape

-Rags

Figure out How Much Paint You Need

The rule of thumb is generally 1 gallon per 400 square feet. You want to do at least two coats per project so make sure to take that into account as well. There are a few other factors that can increase your paint use. Painting from light to dark or cool to warm will require more paint as well. If you’re applying white onto warm or dark colours make sure to get extra paint. 

Prep the Room

Empty the room of all furniture. If this is not possible for whatever reason, simply move all the furniture into the middle of the room and cover it with a drop cloth. Make sure you’re also putting a drop cloth down on the floor unless you really enjoy splatters of paint on your floor. Think you won’t splatter any paint? You’re wrong, get the drop cloth. 

Grab some painters tape and firmly apply it to the edges of the room and around any windows or features that you do not want to paint. Make sure that the seal is tight so no paint sneaks onto the wall. Remove outlet and light switch covers and apply painters tape to protect them from paint.

Mix that Paint

Use a wooden paint stick to stir the paint. This will make sure that the colour is consistent. Be sure to keep on mixing throughout the project to prevent variations in colour. 

Give Yourself Ample Time

Make sure you have plenty of time, you do not want to have to rush. Take prep and clean up into into account and make sure you have more time than you need. Do not rush the job. Slow and steady wins this race. 

Techniques

Work from the top of the room down. Plan on two coats of your main paint colour. You may need to do a primer coat first depending on the project. If you’re going from an incredibly dark colour to a lighter colour we would recommend primer.

Use a brush to take care of the edges closest to the floor and ceiling as well as around any outlets or windows. Use a roller to cover the bigger open areas. Use a “W” shape stroke to avoid leaving roller marks and provide ample coverage. Make sure you’re tackling one wall at a time. 

Don’t Forget Ventilation 

Make sure your space is well ventilated to avoid inhaling too many paint fumes. Keeping the room warm with a fan going will also help speed up the drying process. 

Clean Up

Remove all painters tape and gather up your supplies. Check for any splatters and spills before you move the drop clothes and be careful not to make a mess. Wash your brushes with soap and water if you’re using water or latex-based paints. You need to use mineral spirits to clean oil-based paint off of brushes. 

Enjoy 

Put the furniture back and now you have a brand new room! Sit back, relax, and enjoy it. Job well done. This will be a refreshing feeling, bask in it for a moment.