When living in an apartment, you’d want to give it your own personal touch to make it as comfortable for you and your family. But if the wall colors don’t match your style and decor, it could affect the overall feel of a room.
So if you’re planning on painting your apartment, the process should be easy with these tips and tricks:
1. Ask First
If you’re renting your apartment, it might be better to read through your lease or ask your landlord if they have any policies against changing the wall colors. Since some won’t allow painting, you might end up losing your security deposit.
While some may permit a bit of DIY, but will only approve of a few select colors. But if your landlord gives the green light to your project, then you better start creating your plan!
2. Choose Your Colors Wisely
Whether you’re intending on painting one room or your entire apartment, the colors you’ll select will be crucial for how the final results will look.
To help you decide what color to choose, you can get paint swatches so you can compare which color combinations will suit your room. You can even paint a tiny area of your wall to let you know how the paint will translate once it’s on.
3. Get High-Quality Paints
Cheaper paints will be easier on your wallet, but you won’t think you made better savings once your walls start peeling and chipping faster than expected.
Getting the right finish for the wall texture will also help your paints last longer. For instance, glossy paints are great for painting wooden doors and cabinets. Semi-glossy finishes are good for your kid’s bedrooms because they’re easy to clean. While matte paints are best for textured walls because they can hide any imperfections.
4. Your Supplies Will Matter
If you’re getting good-quality paint, you might as well invest in high-grade supplies and brushes. Since cheap nap rollers have the tendency to shed, they’ll leave undesirable fuzz on the walls and ruin the finish. The same goes for low-quality brushes because they leave blotchy paint marks that will be difficult to cover up once they’re dry.
5. Protect Your Apartment
Make sure to dedicate a day to moving or covering any furniture in the room you’re planning to paint to prevent any spills and splatters from ruining them.
Fabric drop cloths will also work better for protecting your floors since they’ll absorb any paint droplets compared to plastic ones. They’ll save you the headache of cleaning any footprints in case you accidentally step on a puddle of wet paint.
6. Prep the Walls
New paint will have a hard time sticking to grimy and dusty walls, that’s why it’s recommended to prep them beforehand. You can wipe off old stains with a wet cloth and allow them to dry completely.
Your new walls would also look ten times better if you could cover up any old cracks and holes. With a layer of a patching compound or spackling paste, your apartment can instantly look brand new.
7. Master Your Painting Technique
If you want a smooth finish, make sure to avoid applying thin coats of paint since they’ll dry faster. This will result in lap marks, where one part can appear darker or glossier compared to other parts of your wall. To prevent this from happening, keep a wet edge on your latest coat to make it easier to roll another layer on top.
Pros also prefer cutting in the paint before coloring in the rest of the surface since this will ensure you’ll get clean lines. To do this, use a brush for painting any edges or crevices where a roller won’t reach.
8. Consider Painter’s Tape
Painter’s tape may not come cheap, but it’s a valuable addition to your supplies since it will help you get crisp and clean lines for painting edges.
This will also be handy for covering trims, outlets, door frames, or other surfaces you don’t want paint on. Don’t be afraid to place a few generous strips since they will remove easily without leaving any damage to your work.
9. Don’t Forget to Clean Up
Once you’ve successfully covered your walls with paint, slowly peel off any painter’s tape. Then, clear out your supplies and store them in a cool, dry place for your next project.
Remove the covers from your furniture and floors, and inspect for any stray paint splatters. If you see any, make sure to wipe them off before they dry permanently.
Final Words
If after all your efforts and you’re not satisfied with your work, it might be time to call in the professionals! Soho Painters can give your apartment a fresh new look with just a few buckets of paint. If you want to know more about our services, contact our team today for a free estimate!
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