Common Painting Mistakes to Avoid

When you’re painting your home it can be hard to get it perfect. We’ve seen it all. Paint drips, pitted textures, lines in the paint, dents, smudges, fingerprints, and more. Unfortunately mistakes in the paint will stay until they are fixed properly and redone. Fortunately however you can avoid making these mistakes in the first place with some patience and preparation.

Bumpy Texture

The most common cause of bumpy texture on a wall, those little hard bumps, is dirt and dust that was not removed properly. When you are repairing your walls and sanding, it’s important to give the wall a wipe before painting. This applies to the floor as well. If you are painting trim, drywall, or cabinetry that meets with the floor your brush or roller will pick up all the little particles. Make sure you vacuum thoroughly. 

Paint Drips

Paint drips are annoying and they will not level themselves out. This is caused by having too much paint on your brush or roller. As you apply pressure and move the brush or roller, the paint builds up where there is less pressure and contact with the wall. If you have too much paint then the result is a drip. Once a drip starts to dry, you will need to scrape, sand and then repaint. To avoid this make sure that your brush is loaded with a moderate amount of paint and you’re keeping your eye on where the paint is gathering. 

Texture and Lines

If you roll over paint that has already started drying, you will start to see a difference in texture. It makes the paint tackier and stick more to the roller or brush and it will also leave lines where the paint was drying before it got moved around. This can be tempting to do as it can look patchy as it dries and you want to fix it. It can also happen if you are painting a section beside and roll into the previous section to smooth the transition. If you have to go back over a painted section make sure it is right away so the paint is still wet, or after it is fully dry. 

Smudges, Dents, Scrapes

These are most commonly caused by not fully dried paint as you are moving in the room. It can be really easy to hit a spot with your pole, lean up against the wall, or touch it in some way. If that happens assess whether the paint is wet enough that you can just smooth it out. If it has already started drying you will likely need to wait until it is fully dry and then sand and patch if needed before repainting. 

Pitting in Repaired Walls

If you have repaired a hole in the wall or dent with some spackling, it is important to wait until it is completely dry. If it has not fully cured before you put paint on it, then your roller or brush will pick up small pieces of it during the painting process and leave you with small holes or patches in your repair. You then have to wait for everything to dry and start from the beginning with filling and sanding. It is a good idea to mark any repairs on the wall with tape so you can go back to it before painting and make sure it is dry. 

Visible Patches or Raised Areas

Usually this becomes apparent after you have painted over a repaired patch on the wall that you forgot about. If you do not sand a patch of spackling compound smooth after doing the repair it will be harder to sand once the paint has been put over top. Similar to the previous tip, make sure that you are marking any patching you do and going back to it. 

Imperfections in walls happen and are common. But by slowing down and being intentional, you can cut down on the amount of them. For professional results, contact Concordia Painting. We can help you avoid these issues and fix any problems already on your walls.