So you have decided to take on the interior and exterior painting of your home. It’s a big job no matter if you live in a small condo or a large historic home. Being a painting contractor here in Denver, we know how tough it is take on such a challenge. But we want to provide you with the top 3 do’s and don’ts to painting your home.

Top 3 Do’s

1. Primer, it’s worth it – We know that putting on a coat of primer is a big extra step, but it’s definitely worth it. Primer covers up old paint colors and gives the paint a great surface to adhere to. It is a must if you are painting a room with a old bright color.
2. Paint grid – The paint trays you buy at the hardware store are inexpensive and dispensable, but they have a fatal flaw. They are easy to tip over. Not a fun task of cleaning up spilled paint on your carpet, tile or shoes. Invest in a paint grid, which clips onto a five-gallon bucket sitting inside the bucket itself. This ensures the paint stays in the bucket until you want to put it on the wall.
3. Track your paint color – Make sure you keep track of the brand and color number of your paint. You never know when you are going to need to do a touch up because of scuffed walls, doorjamb damage or your kids’ decision to redecorate!

Top 3 Don’ts

1. Impatience – You want your home to look it’s best, right? Make sure you plan for several days worth of preparation time prior to any painting takes place. Search for imperfections in your walls, doorjambs and baseboards. Take the time to repair any dings, dents or gouges. Let the wall compound or wood filler dry then sand the area smooth. This will ensure you paint job will look professional while lasting for years.
2. Painting on humid days – Living in the Rocky Mountains, we are fortunate to have a dry climate. Humid days or humid parts of the country can significantly affect how long it takes paint to dry. Obviously this can extend the length of the painting job. If possible, it’s better for you to wait until a dry day to paint your home. Be sure to turn off to turn off swamp coolers as well which can add to the humidity in your home.
3. Putting on one coat – We know that one coat is faster and easier, but it won’t make your home look great. Putting on two coats will guarantee the paint color chosen will be the rich and full color you chose in the home improvement store.