Want to get your home painted for this winter? Here are some things you need to know.
December is already here, which means it’s not long before the holiday season begins in earnest. Soon there are going to be parties and gatherings galore, which means your home needs to be in great shape for entertaining.
One of the best ways to freshen up your home and give it a brighter, newer look is to apply a fresh coat of paint. However, before you get yourself a house painter or do it yourself, make sure to keep the following tips in mind. These tips will ensure that your paint looks great and remains nice, even during the midst of winter.
1. Clean The Walls Properly
Before you start painting, make sure that you clean the walls properly. Mix lukewarm water and a generic detergent in a bucket, and with the help of a sponge or cloth, wipe the walls. Doing so will remove any dust and debris that may be stuck to the surface of the walls, and give you a clean slate to paint on. This step is extremely important, especially in the winter when dust is more, because if you directly start painting without cleaning your walls first, the paint will not stick and in a matter of weeks, the paint will start peeling off and “alligatoring”, which refers to the flaking of paint that occurs when the paint doesn’t sit well on the walls.
2. Use Special Paint Created For Winters
If you live in areas with intense winters and cold, then we highly recommend that you use paints that are created specially for low temperatures. Unlike water-based paints that tend to freeze and thaw continuously over the drying period, these paints have added substances that make application easier and reduce the drying time as well. While it isn’t necessary, it is a better option than the other alternatives that are available. However, you can use normal paints mixed in with special additives and substances that lead to easy application and make dying easier, in place of such paints.
3. Take Care Of The Weather
Before you choose the day you’ll paint your house on, make sure that you keep weather predictions in mind, regardless of whether you’re painting the interior or exterior. This is crucial because if you pick an overcast or rainy day, your paint will suffer and it’ll simply not dry. Drying is already a challenge during the winters, and if the weather is damp or wet, all your effort will go in vain. As you might have already guessed, the best weather for painting your home in the winter is a bright, sunny and dry day, which will ensure that the paint dries fast and properly. Otherwise, there is a high chance that the paint will remain wet for a long time, which will make re-coating a challenge as well.
4. Use The Right Tools
Other than using special paint, it’s also important to use the right painting tools in tandem. If you’re going to be painting in the winter, you’ll probably be using thicker paint, in order to make the paint job as long lasting as possible. So you need to use thicker brushes and rollers, made with strong nylon and polyester, which will make application an easier affair and ensure that your paint covers every area of the walls evenly and perfectly. You can even get yourself an infrared thermometer, which will allow you to monitor the temperature of the paint as well as your surroundings, as you apply it. Something that is especially important in the winter.
5. Get Professional Help
Although we’ve given you several tips that will make painting your home yourself easier, getting professional help isn’t a bad idea. Especially if you haven’t painted before. Painting in the winter can be risky business, and if you’re not experienced or you’re not sure about what to do, the end result might turn out to be not what you expected. Despite what others might think or say, painting is complicated and it takes quite a bit of skill and precision to coat every part of a wall or an area evenly. That is why we suggest that you take the help of professionals for paintings, and hire a house painter for yourself.