Painting your interior on a tight budget doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to compromise on style or appearance. If you’re planning to tackle your interior painting project on a small budget this year, the best way to save money is to do the job yourself. In addition, below are several interior painting tips you can use to create a trendy interior decor without breaking the bank.
Select the right color palette.
One way to keep your interior painting project within budget is to get the color scheme right the first time. Having several gallons of custom mixed paint that’s not returnable can negatively impact your budget and entire home renovation project. If you’re not committed to a certain color, buy a can of paint first, paint a piece of foam board, let it dry and see what it looks like at different times of day. Also, you don’t need to choose the most expensive paint to give your interior a touch of sophistication. This can be easily achieved, for instance, by painting the trim a completely different color or a shade lighter or darker than the wall. Picking a complementary shade for the trim will provide richness and depth to your interior, while beautifully tying the walls and ceiling together.
Calculate the square footage.
Calculating the square footage of the area in need of painting is essential to estimate the right amount of paint. Once you find out the size of the area, you can determine the amount of paint needed for the job. Besides the square footage, another thing to consider is the level and method of surface preparation. As an example, a rough, textured, unprimed wall requires more paint than a smooth surface.
Choose the right type of paint.
To get a durable paint job, it’s essential to choose a paint product that provides great coverage and can withstand light scrubbing. Since flat and satin paint formulations come off easily when cleaning walls, the best paint varieties for interiors are semi-gloss and gloss finishes, which can be washed frequently without showing signs of wear. Some new, high-performance paint systems are very easy to clean but may be cost prohibitive for a low-budget interior painting project. On the flip side, opting for a scrubbable coating will save you a lot of time and money in the future because you don’t need to repaint that often.
Prepare walls correctly.
When it comes to the durability of a paint job, nothing is more important than proper surface preparation. When paint is applied to poorly prepared walls, it may fail to adhere properly to surfaces, which will ultimately lead to paint failure. Depending on the condition of your walls and the type of paint previously applied, wall preparation may range from applying one coat of primer to scraping old paint, repairing walls and priming surfaces. Extra care should be taken when acrylic latex paint is to be applied on top of oil-based paint. Since these two paint systems are incompatible with each other, loss of adhesion will occur even when the base coat is in perfect condition. The topcoat will eventually lift off the base, compromising the entire paint job. Though all these won’t impact your current budget, having to repaint your interior within a few months will affect your finances.
By following these simple tips next time you paint, you can easily get a professional-looking job without going over budget. For more information on how to do this or to hire one of our experienced residential painters, please call (904)-641-4800 or complete our online form.
