There are so many videos, tutorials, and articles on the art of “simply” painting a room. I’ve read and watched many of them, yet I’ve still learned a bunch of things on my own that I didn’t find anywhere else.
The #1 thing you should know before you start painting. Don’t try to buy your first color without trying a sample first. Yes, you pay money up front to try a color but you save so much should you have a color you do not love. Throw it on the wall and look at it in the daytime and nighttime.
Samples are your friend. They let you know if you are making an awesome decision, or a terrible one.
Brushes. The best quality you can buy. Great brushes leave less bristle marks on your wall and more importantly do not shed all over your newly painted wall. As you can imagine, it’s not fun picking bristles off the wall as you go along. The brush in the photo is what Home Depot calls a “Better” brush, but for $8 and shedding everywhere I call it crap. Purdy has been a wonderful brush that I always trust not to do me wrong.
Rollers. The cheapest you can buy. Whether I bought cheap or expensive rollers, I really didn’t see a difference. It is true that the “fatter” ones have more surface area to hold more paint, thus letting you paint a little faster. Other than that, the “quality” of the expensive rollers didn’t impress me.
Paint, cheap vs expensive? What brand of paint? So far I’ve used Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore paints, both have been good. Once you jump into painting and start trying it out for yourself you will develop a favor over one brand or the other. It may just wind down to “which paint shop is the closest?”. As far as I’ve seen there’s no terrible paint brand that will slide off your wall once it’s up, so it’s pretty safe to try any trusted brands.
Aura vs Ben Paint (Benjamin Moore line)
When I originally started using their paints I was talked into the “oh so fabulous” Aura paint. Later on when my money was tighter I opted to try out Ben instead. I thought there was going to be a difference, and there was! The cheaper paint was better. What?! To me, it’s true. Ben smells a little less than Aura paint does, and it’s thicker. Aura seems thinner which I personally don’t like, it makes it more runny which makes you put on thinner coats. So yes, I could have saved myself a big fat $100 should I had just tried Ben first.
The “Aura only needs one coat” line they will throw you, also seemed to not always be true. After painting multiple rooms using multiple colors there was only one room that looks decent with one coat. There was only one benefit I found of Aura, and that’s the satin finish it offers is very pretty.
Just try different things, and see what you think before always following the “more expensive the better it is” rule.
Finishes? Different brands will have different names for their finishes. For the most part it boils down to what you look you want to achieve. I always suggest to use the high gloss or “most shiny” for your trim and doors. For imperfect walls, use a more flat or matte finish. This helps to not accentuate the flaws. Should you want walls that reflect more light they usually have a medium gloss or satin finish. Check with your local paint store for they will suggest what will work best for you.
About Oil Based Paints. Oil based paints seem to cover things better for a more uniform finish without “working” as much, however, they’re much more harsh. Don’t even think about painting a full size master bedroom in one go, unless you have a very airy room it’s not a good idea. Oil based paint is also great when using a primer coat to hide flaws. I went this route and then put latex paint over it. Also if you’re using oil based paint you may opt to use cheaper brushes, since it’s really hard to keep the nice brushes staying nice when oil based paint grabs onto the bristles and holds on for dear life.
About Latex Based Paints. These paints are much more flexible when it comes to spilling them, breathing in the fumes, and all around are more forgiving. It’s easier to wash this type of paint out of the high quality brushes and also easier to remove it from your skin. In general if you aren’t covering something or dealing with a difficult adhesion project, use latex paint.
NEVER FORGET: Find an old outfit or buy a jumpsuit that is *just* for painting! Even if it’s just a little job where “you’re sure you will not spill anything” it’s better than ruining some clothing since getting paint off of it is near impossible, whether it be oil or latex based.
Painters tape is you’re friend. Tape it off if you don’t want it painted!
And the best tip I can give you, is just dive in! You won’t learn unless you start somewhere. I’ll be posting more in depth information on painting in the future. A mix of things I’ve learned from the professionals, online, and just learning along the way.
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