The Complete Homeowners guide to Painting
- By Timothy Mahoney
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- 21 Dec, 2015
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The decision to paint is full of emotions and excitement, and many homeowners dive in quickly, anxious to get the project started so they can make important changes to their homes.
While we completely understand the thrill of a painting project (after all, we believe in Painting Happiness!) we also think it’s important to take a rational approach. Painting is a process and if the excitement causes you to skip important steps, the end results will suffer.
To help you out, we’ve created this comprehensive guide with everything you need to know to plan and prepare for your next painting project. Use this guide to follow important steps in the process, and you’re sure to be pleased during the final walkthrough.
The entire guide should take you around 13 minutes to read (yes, we timed it!). If you're rushed for time but would still like the information, get the entire resource in PDF format that you can read at your convenience.
Finding the perfect interior paint color can steal your attention so quickly that you might forget (or overlook) another crucial decision: choosing the best sheen.
So, why is sheen such a big deal?
Well, think of it like picking new tires for your car. If you’re going to be taking high-speed laps at the track on a Saturday, you would choose a tire built specifically for speed. If, on the other hand, you need extra traction for a snowy climate, you would never pick slicks; a knobby snow tire would make the most sense.
In the same way, you need to a pick a sheen that matches the function and purpose of the space you’re painting.
Let’s paint a scenario (no pun intended). Have you ever been walking through your house, maybe first thing in the morning with a fresh cup of coffee in your hand, and felt like it was going to be a good day? Maybe you were ahead of schedule, had a few minutes to burn before work, so you decided to kick back and watch the news. As you hung a left into the living room you suddenly noticed a mark on your wall. You walked over, still feeling optimistic, and tried to brush it away (it could be dust, right?). It didn’t move, so you licked your thumb and tried to rub it off.
No luck.
It was definitely and undeniably a scratch. And maybe you just painted the room too!
The truth is, life happens. Everything from the occasional flying toy, to bumped piece of furniture, to shuffling pictures around on your walls can leave dings, scratches, and gouges in your interior paint. So, what do you do?
