COLOR US TECHNICAL PART 2
In our last blog post Color Us Technical Part 1, we covered some of the basics on how to select your base paint, and how to determine what your paint finish should be. So now that you have your paint picked out and purchased, how do you get it on those walls?
If this is your question, you are in the right place! Check out our tips below to learn about some of the basics on paint application!
DIY Application: Roller or Brush?: Simply put, a brush works best for detail work, such as applying paint along door frames, trim, ceilings, and small spaces. Paint rollers work best for covering large portions of wall. The topic of paint brushes could be a novel by itself, but Sherwin Williams has a simple reference article with more information than we could cover in this blog post here. When selecting your paint rollers, our simplest tip is to pay attention to the nap on the roller. Nap is the length of the fibers on the roller, and longer fibers create a more textured look, while shorter fibers create a smoother appearance. You can test out different rollers to see what texture you are looking for, but always use the same roller nap for one project!
DIY Application: How much paint?: This can be a tricky question, as what is currently on your walls can change the situation. However, the proper approach is to always use a primer. This will guarantee you are covering what is underneath and starting with the paint manufacturer’s anticipated base coat for best coverage and performance. To determine how many cans of paint you need, calculate the area of your wall, and check the paint label for how much area coverage each can of paint includes. This will help you determine how much paint you need to purchase. We recommend an extra gallon to compensate for spills, over application, or just some extra paint for touchups later! Keep in mind that wet paint on wet paint is not 2 coats. You should let the first coat dry so that the paint can cure properly, and avoid performance and coverage issues.
Professional Painter: Our number one tip for using a professional painter is to make sure they understand mils of paint. What is mils, you ask? Great question! Mils is the unit of measurement that all paint manufacturers measure coats of paint. There is a wet mil and dry mil test, but most paint suppliers will provide you with a wet mil guage tool for free. Paint manufacturers will have a required mils located on their paint data page, and not following this recommendation for thickness will void your paint warranty. If your painter follows the proper mils and recommended systems on the data page (including primers) then you will have the best paint performance for your product!
Still have questions? There’s more we could dive into! Send us a message at info@spacestylistsco.com, we would love to help you navigate your paint project and help turn your house into a home!
