
Professional painters in Atlanta have spent years perfecting their craft. They know the right supplies for each job, and doing beautiful work with a clean finish is second nature. You can do your research, put the time and effort into your preparation and paint job, and have close to professional-looking results.
But many do not realize the expense of all the necessary supplies adds up, and years of experience go into doing the work like a pro.
Staffed with licensed and insured professional painters Atlanta based painting companies can help you get the job done quickly and easily. You still have control over colors and finish, but you won’t have the fuss of learning how to be a professional painter when that is not your life’s ambition.
If you are ready to have a painter in Atlanta come and give you an estimate on your work, just enter da search, “painters near me Atlanta,” and you are sure to find a company that can help at affordable rates.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to give a DIY painting job a try, however, and you can certainly do it well with the right research, preparation, and supplies. If you want to put the work into painting your home yourself, then you need Interior Painting Guide to get started:
Research Your Needs
Painters in Atlanta know that you need to have all the right tools and supplies in order to get the job done right. Cutting corners can lead to blemishes, a messy job, injuries, and environmental damage. Do your research before diving in to avoid wasting time and money, and putting yourself and your housemates at risk.
Be prepare before going to the store or ordering paint by calculating how much paint you need with this paint calculator.
1. Know Your Paint
Different jobs need different kinds of paint. Exterior paint is made to withstand the elements, and the best type of paint may vary based on your environment. Interior paint can release toxic fumes, so make sure your paint is marked as containing either low or no volatile organic compounds.
In addition to making sure you have the right paint for the overall job, you want to make sure you know what kind of base you have. Bare drywall will require a different kind of paint than damaged walls or walls primed with an oil-based paint.
To know what kind of base you are working with, wipe the area with a rubbing alcohol-soaked cotton ball. If there is residue on the cotton ball, then your base is latex. If not, it is oil.
Finally, pay attention to the kind of finish you want. Paints come in varying levels of gloss, and you want to make sure the gloss in the paint you choose matches your expectations. Just know that some very high gloss paints are slippery and you may need to sand your starting surface to give the paint some texture to stick to.
2. Get the Right Tools
Knowing what you need and making sure you are in good supply can help cut down on injury, and keep your job looking neat. Don’t male the mistake of cutting corners on your tools.
Spend the extra money on good brushes and rollers that will not leave streaks or blotchy marks. Get yourself an edger and a couple of angled brushes for corners, too.
And do not skimp on the tape. Cheap painter’s tape or masking tape may leave a sticky residue that is difficult to clean up, or may just pull up your brand new paint job that lies underneath.
One final essential that people often think they can skip, is scaffolding. Painters in Atlanta will tell you unequivocally: Don’t. It is never safe to paint in high places from a ladder. You will be tempted to lean farther out than is safe, and the up and down can get exhausting. Scaffolding is time-consuming to put together, but it is inexpensive and you will be glad you made the investment when you get through your project sans broken bones.
Do the Job Right
Once you know you have all the right supplies and tools, it is time to dive in. You need to take just as much time and care in each step of the process as you did in gathering your supplies, in order to create a smooth, professional finish.
3. Keep Things Consistent
Because mixers at the store can produce slight variations, you want to mix all the paint you need for your job all at once. This way you can be sure every swipe will be the same color.
4. Blur the Lines
Painters in Atlanta will tell you that the heat leads to faster drying times for latex paint. Paint can start to dry in minutes which leads to unsightly lap lines. Make sure you keep your roller loaded with paint and overlap each row.
Clean Up Responsibly
A cold beer in the shade may sound better than cleaning up when you finally finish your paint job, but you still have work to do.
5. Preserve Brushes
Wrap brushes and rollers in plastic or aluminum and put them in the refrigerator in order to keep them ready to use if your paint job isn’t done in one day. Just bring them back to room temperature before you start again.
6. Protect the Environment
Make sure the runoff from your cleanup is not going to make it into the groundwater supply. This is less of a worry if you have a municipal water source, but you still want to make sure your paint job does not do damage to the environment surrounding your home.
Final Thoughts
If reading this article has you ready to enter that search of “painters near me Atlanta,” you are not alone. Professional painters can take away all the headache and simply leave you to choose your color and finish.
If, however, reading this article has you ready to dive in, good luck and enjoy the fruits of your labor!