Common House Painting Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Are you planning a house painting project to start in the coming fall? There are many options to give your house a cleaner and fresher vibe. However, we often must remember to take precautions when starting a painting project. This results in drips, streaks, uneven edges, crooked lines, blotchiness, and paint on the ceiling.

If you have decided to paint the exterior or interior of your house, let us assist you. In this blog, our team has listed common house painting mistakes and how to avoid them. Keep an eye on them to make your house painting project smooth and effortless.

1. Skipping Surface Preparation

Surface preparation is the first and foremost requirement for any house painting job. The area that needs to be painted must first be cleaned of dirt, dust, or grease. It is highly recommended that surface preparation be completed. The new paint's adherence and finish could be compromised if the dust, grime, and old paint are not cleaned thoroughly.

Ultimate Prep Checklist for Home Painting

Below, we have provided you with the ultimate checklist for preparing the surface before you start your home painting project.

• Take off the previous coat of paint.
• Use the appropriate filler product to seal any holes or cracks.
• Remove the patch by sanding down the affected area.
• Tape the ceiling, outlets, and trim with painter's tape.
• Transfer or cover your home décor or furnishings.

2. Avoid Choosing the Wrong Paint

One of the most repeated mistakes homeowners often need to correct is choosing the right type of paint. Incorrect paint can result in bad outcomes, such as peeling or fading. Select the appropriate paint for various surfaces and settings before you start your project. We recommend asking a professional to paint. Keep certain things in mind while choosing a paint, such as indoors versus outdoors or locations prone to excessive moisture.

Tips for Choosing the Right Paint

Below, we have provided tips to help you choose the perfect paint for your home project.

• Type of Surface: Know what surface you are painting on before picking the paint. Various surfaces require different types of paint to ensure proper adhesion, durability, and a polished finish. As an illustration, oil-based paints are commonly applied to wooden and metal surfaces, while water-based paints are a good choice for walls and ceilings.
• Kind of Finish: Before you select paint, you should know what type of finish you are looking for. The paint you select determines the finish you will get for your walls. There are many options for fishing that you can work with. Some are eggshell, gloss, satin, semi-gloss, flat, and matte.  Choose the finish pant cording to match the functionality of your room. Some options are matte for low-traffic areas, eggshell or satin for moderate use, and semi-gloss or gloss for high-traffic areas or trim.
• Pick a Good Color Scheme: When choosing paint colors, consider the room's existing elements and the atmosphere you want to create. Limit your options to 3 to 5 colors, and pick two fundamental colors for safety. Test samples of your room's lighting to ensure they complement your walls. Also, find complementary colors for decor that match your wall paint.
• Quality of Your Paint: Choosing high-quality paint is crucial for ensuring the longevity and durability of your painting project. Excellent paint should possess various desirable characteristics, including extended durability, zero VOCs, ease of cleaning, smooth finish, one-coat coverage, superior touch-up capabilities, resistance to marks, and low odor. Selecting a good paint can significantly impact properties such as resistance to stains, gloss, adhesion, and crack resistance. Overall, higher-quality paints generally offer better coverage and longer-lasting results.
• Consider Levels of VOC: Flat (or matte) paints with fewer than 50 grams per liter are generally considered low-VOC, while a zero-VOC paint is one with fewer than 5 grams per liter. Nonflat paints (such as satin and semi-gloss) are considered low-VOC if they have fewer than 100 grams of VOCs per liter. Low-VOC or non-VOC paints are preferable for indoor use to minimize harmful emissions.
• Take Professional Guidance: Your natural intuition is essential when selecting a paint color. However, professional guidance can provide you with better and more durable results. We recommend taking guidance or hiring Professional contractors. They have significantly more experience prepping walls in a manner that makes the paint last longer. Consult with paint experts or professionals for recommendations based on your specific project requirements.

3. Neglecting Painter Tape

This mistake will significantly impact the outcome of your home painting project. If you need a painter, you'll be pleased with the clean lines they can achieve. However, it's essential to use painter's tape to avoid messy edges and uneven finishes. Painter's tape is an excellent tool for achieving clean and polished edges. It is easy to apply and remove, ensuring professional-looking results.

Guidelines for Applying Painter Tape

• Use high-quality painter's tape designed for the surface you're working on (e.g., delicate surfaces, general use, or multi-surface).
• Ensure the surface where the tape will be applied is clean and dry. Dust, dirt, or moisture can prevent the tape from sticking properly.
• Measure the length of tape needed and cut it with a sharp blade or scissors for a clean edge. Avoid stretching the tape as you cut.
• Position the tape along the edges you want to mask. Press it down firmly, ensuring it adheres to the surface without gaps.
• Use a flat tool (like a putty knife or credit card) to press down the tape along the edges.
• Run your fingers or a tool along the tape’s edge to ensure it is fully adhered to and smooth out any wrinkles or air bubbles.
• When masking larger areas, overlap the tape slightly at the seams to ensure complete coverage and prevent gaps.
• Avoid brushing or rolling directly over the edge of the tape, as this can push paint under the tape.
• Allow the paint to dry completely before removing the tape.
• Pull the tape off at a 45-degree angle to prevent the paint from peeling or tearing.
• If the paint has seeped under the tape, touch the area with a small brush after the paint has dried.

4. Avoid Overloading Paintbrush

Applying excessive amounts of paint at once can lead to the formation of drips, uneven coverage, and extended drying times. Learn the proper method for loading a brush or roller and applying paint in thin, even layers. Choose a brush suitable for the specific paint and surface you are working with. Prefer a smaller brush with a tapered edge when working on intricate tasks. On the other hand, if you're dealing with larger areas, go for a bigger brush.

Immerse the brush in the paint, ensuring it does not exceed one-third of the bristle length. This helps prevent paint from dripping and allows for improved control. Tap the brush lightly against the side of the can or use a brush comb to remove any extra paint. Be careful not to scrape the brush against the edge of the can, as it may harm the bristles. Lightly stir the brush in the paint to ensure it is evenly distributed throughout the bristles. This helps avoid uneven applications.

5. Ignoring Weather Conditions

The weather plays a significant role in painting projects, impacting factors such as the drying time, adhesion, and final appearance of the paint. The absence of harsh weather conditions like rain, wind, and high humidity marks ideal painting conditions.

Various weather conditions, such as humidity, temperature, and wind, can influence paint drying times and the final appearance. Get advice on the best weather conditions for painting before you start your project. Additionally, it's beneficial to familiarize yourself with various painting techniques suitable for your specific climate to achieve optimal outcomes.

6. Not Picking Correctly or Skipping Primer

Primers are one of the most important things associated with painting and the most repeated mistakes by painters. These are special coatings designed to fix specific surface issues. Applying a good primer cart before painting can avoid problems such as staining, efflorescence, alkalinity, and adhesion. However, people often skip or choose the wrong primer for the job. This mistake can seriously impact your project's work quality, durability, and longevity.

Applying a primer is necessary when dealing with bold color changes, old wood paneling, or painting surfaces with peeling or loose paint. Skipping this step would be a huge mistake because the primer is necessary for a smooth base. Not applying a primer can cause early paint failures, which can lead to frustration and more money spent.

How to Choose the Right Primer?

Below, we have provided you with a step-by-step tutorial to choose the suitable primer for your walls:

• Know Your Surface: Before choosing a primer, the first step is to know the surface you are dealing with. For solvent-based surfaces, it is recommended to use a latex-based primer. If the primer is oil-based, it will work well if it is water-based. Oil-based primers are effective for painting wood and metal surfaces. Oil primers have many applications and can be used on various surfaces, excluding drywall or masonry.
• Satins and Odors: Consider the stains and odors of your walls because strains will bleed right through most primers and paint no matter how many coats you apply. Choose a stain-blocking primer from oil-based (alkyd) and water-based (acrylic-latex) forms to avoid such uncomfortable circumstances.
• NEW Drywalls: If you have drywall, it can absorb the paint fast, causing blotchy, dull areas under the paint and an inconsistent sheen. Use Pick a Drywall Sealer Prime to avoid these problems.
• Moisture-Prone Areas: Before you get a primer, consider moisture-prone areas. Rooms like kitchens, closets, bathrooms, and laundry rooms can cause paint to mildew, flake, or peel. For this area, pick a vapor barrier primer to seal the surface and minimize the passage of moisture.

Bonus Tips: 3 Most Popular House Painting Trends of 2024

Billy.com is a team of professionals who work with industry experts to keep up with the latest trends in home decor. Below are the three most trending theme choices for your house painting project:

Polo Blue & Diamond White

Polo blue and diamond white were the first and most powerful color combinations for house painting, breaking the internet in 2024. This aesthetic, vibrant, rich color combination gives your place an aesthetically pleasant vibe. What makes it preferable is that it will work for both the interior and exterior of your house painting project. Both of these colors blend perfectly with each other, and their undertones give your home a unique look.

The sophistication of white, paired with a bold blend of polo blue, provides a depth and intensity contrast. The mesmerizing shade adapts to different lighting conditions, showcasing a variety of hues throughout the day. It is ideal for homeowners seeking a way to make a powerful statement; they try this combination for their next house painting project.

Amherst Gray & Oyster Bay

Another excellent choice for your house painting project is Amherst Gray, combined with oysters. These rich gray tones create a unique blend, providing a stunning visual depth to your home.  They can make your place a visual masterpiece of elegance and strength. Its impressive versatility readily complements contemporary and traditional architectural styles.

The color's richness and depth elegantly absorb and reflect varying lighting conditions, causing it to subtly change tones throughout the day. Whether you pair Amherst gray with bold, contrasting colors or use it to enhance neutral tones, it will never fail to add a sense of grandeur and style. If you want to add a refined touch that is captivating and enduring for your walls, try choosing this color combination for your house painting project.

Gold and Dark Green

This is at the end of our list, but it is one of the color combinations that naturally complements each other. Many interior designers and home décor experts advise using green as one of the most popular painting colors. This color gives your interior that calming and natural vibe. If you pick dark green for your house painting project, pair it with gold, bronze or brass shades. The boldness of dark green will give your walls that organic feel and gold will give them that luxurious glimmering effect. This is a profoundly satisfying match that has the rich, burnished gold and the forest coolness of dark green.

Expert Tips to Hire the Right House Painting Contractor

Have you caught up on all the potential mistakes you might make during your house painting project? Now it is time to learn how to find the good painters who will make your walls a complete masterpiece with their skills.

Here are some steps to go through to make your hiring process easier:

• Find Good Recommendation: Start your journey to finding a good contractor for your house painting project by looking for good contractors. If anyone in your family has recently finished a house painting project, try asking them to recommend an option based on their experience. This is one of the easiest ways to find a painter that you can trust.
• Look Online for Options: You can also search the Internet for suitable options. Start by giving your browser the prompt “Find Good House Painters Near Me.” Review the options and select contractors or companies with higher ratings and good reviews. You can also ask trusted platforms like Billy.com, HireBestPros, and HomeProEstimates to locate your area's most reliable painters.
• Review their Experience: After getting a few different options, review each professional’s time and experience in the industry. To do that, visit the painter’s website. Also, check if they are on the Better Business Bureau listing. You might feel more confident choosing a long-established business.
• Read Customer Testimonials: Customer reviews clearly show whether a service provider is a good option. They are a form of feedback or personal evaluation provided by a customer who has used a service provider. A good house painter would have customer ratings between 4.2 and 4.5 stars. Reading testimonials will give you an evident reputation of the painter and the type of service they provide.
• Check Licenses and Certificates: A certified house painting company will make your project more efficient and budget-friendly. Make sure each company is licensed. Confirm that the license is up-to-date and relevant to residential properties, too. If the company refuses to prove they’re licensed, choose a different house painter.
• Request for Insurance Coverage: It's essential to ensure the company has general liability and workers' compensation insurance. This will ensure that your best interests are protected if a painter causes damage to your property while working. Workers' compensation insurance will provide coverage in case of any on-the-job injuries. Rest assured, the company will not hold you responsible for any damages.
• Explore Portfolios Online: Look at their portfolio online to see if the painter can match the standards of your project. This allows you to review their work and avoid wasting time and money. Check out their Google My Business profile or social media accounts like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Contractors often post their best work on their accounts. If they don’t have an online presence, ask them to provide you with a picture of their latest work.
• Request multiple Estimates: List five to six potential candidates and ask them for quotes for your house painting project. This will allow you to compare options and choose the best painter for your budget. Taking and revving estimates allows you to compare prices, services offered, and the reputation of different painting professionals. This way, you can make a better and more informed final decision. If you want the best price from leading painting companies in your area, ask us for a painting estimate today. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Below, we have provided you with answers to some of the FAQs about common house painting mistakes:

Q1. What are the common mistakes in painting?

Ans: Painters are expected to make mistakes, such as drips, streaks, uneven edges, crooked lines, blotchiness, and accidentally getting paint on the ceiling.

Q2. Does weather affect painting?

Ans: Changes in weather and humidity also affect paints. If it is too hot or cold, the paint will not dry properly, and there will be too much moisture in the air.

Q3. How important is painting a house?

Ans: Painting your house is a fast and convenient method of giving it a fashionable update. It can also increase its financial value and reduce maintenance expenses. In addition, painting your home can also have some positive effects on your health.

Q4. Is there a wrong way to paint walls?

Ans: There are many wrong practices when painting a wall. Some must skip surface preparation and use the right tools or paint type. Try reading the entire blog to find the best solution for your situation.

Q5. Which paint tool is used to correct your mistakes?

Ans: Many professional tools can help you avoid mistakes during your house painting project. Some are eraser tools, drop cloths, and painter's tape.

Conclusion

We all wonder what common mistakes we make while house painting. You can clean and freshen up your home in many different ways. On the other hand, when we start drawing, we often forget to be safe. This makes drips, streaks, rough edges, crooked lines, spots, and paint on the ceiling.

Let us help you if you've chosen to paint the outside or inside of your house.

This blog post outlines five common house painting mistakes and how to avoid them. Follow these tips to make painting your house easy and smooth. Contact Billy.com to get the best rates from leading painters in your area. Also, learn why paying someone to paint your house is a good idea.