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It is absolutely essential to check a potential
painter’s references before you hire them to
paint your home. Furthermore, do not be shy
about asking a reference if you may inspect
their paint job. The walls in a home are a house
painter’s canvas. While a faux painter has
artistic liberty, a house painter’s job has to
be far more precise. Have you ever been to a
party at someone’s home and excused yourself to
the powder room where you had time to notice the
walls? Did the wall paint, carelessly cut-in,
overlap onto the baseboard or crown molding? If
you haven’t noticed that before, you will now!
Elements of a good paint job: Preparation for
Paint
A painter should be highly respectful of
your things. Your floor should be completely
covered with a canvas, rolled paper, or plastic
sheeting. Preferably the room should be cleared
of all furniture. If that is not possible, each
piece should be moved to the center of the room
and covered individually and completely. If the
moldings are not being painted, then they should
be covered as well to avoid paint specks from
rollers or overspray from a sprayer. Ask the
painter’s reference if this was done during
their job?
Each painter has their own method that works for
them, but some techniques are more successful
than others for a quality finished product.
Attention to wall defects first:
The first thing that needs to be done is to
detect any imperfections in the walls that may
need to be filled or patched prior to painting.
If the painter uses joint compound or some
similar material, make sure that the patch jobs
are sanded completely smooth and are even with
the existing wall. This can be done by running
your hand over the area and on to the
surrounding wall. Corrections made to the walls
must be sealed with a good primer before
painting takes place or you will see a sheen
difference between the new patch and the
existing wall, which may have many coats of
paint.
Cutting in:
Some painters may paint the bulk of the
walls first leaving a small gap between the new
color and the moldings. Then they will go back
and cut in the new color to the moldings. While
this works and gets the job done, it is not
preferable. A roller or sprayer will provide an
even coat if done properly. If the painter then
goes back and cuts in to the trim, many times
you will be able to see a line running just
around the moldings. It will be the same color
as the rest of the wall from most angles, but
when the light is just right you will notice a
difference in sheen. This is because the paint
brush is applying a thinner or thicker amount of
paint with each brush stroke than the roller or
sprayer. When the two meet you see a difference.
If a painter cuts in with a brush, then it
should be done first, and then the walls should
be painted, overlapping the brushed paint. Make
sure that the brushed area gets complete color
coverage.
Taping:
Painters also have varied techniques when
it comes to creating a line between the molding
color and the wall. The goal for your home is to
have every line be perfectly crisp when one
paint color changes to another. Anything less is
the mark of a poor quality and hurried job.
There are painters who are so skilled that they
can cut paint in with their steady hand, but the
vast majority of painters should be using some
type of taping system. Tape allows for the
painter to create a perfectly crisp line. You
should also investigate the timing of when they
pull the tape off. It should be done almost
immediately after the area is completed. When
tape is left while the paint dries, its
integrity begins to diminish as the wet paint
breaks down the very seal that the tape creates.
You will then see defects and breaks in the
crisp lines where the paint has bled under the
tape and on to the moldings.
Wall coverage:
Next, as a painter is rolling the walls,
their technique can make a quality difference.
Painters who roll straight up and down can leave
a paint job which has a striped effect. The best
method for good, even coverage is to employ a
cross-hatch technique. This method will blend
far better as the painter progress up and down
the walls and side to side. Remember, from the
moment the paint is applied, it has begun to dry
and blending is very important. A cross-hatch
technique will also provide for better coverage
on heavily textured walls.
Touchups:
After the cut in is complete, a good
painter will also check each corner of the room
where two different angles meet and make sure
that the cut in is crisp. If it is not, then a
small brush and some touch-up paint from the
molding can erase any imperfections. This is
also a good time to use that touch-up paint to
remedy any additional spots where the paint
might have bled on to the moldings.
Summary:
With attention to
detail, a good painter will deliver a flawless
paint job whose look returns your walls to an
almost new condition. |
