A fresh coat of paint in an eye-catching new color is a great way to spice up any home and add some new flair to a room, whether on its own or as part of a complete home remodel in Columbus. Unfortunately, painting a home can easily get really messy, and you run the risk of a tough cleanup with splotches and smears of paint that could become permanent fixtures in your home. Preparing your home beforehand is the best way to ensure an easy cleanup that leaves your home spotless. Here are a few simple, DIY things you can do to protect your home from your next paint job.
Remove Hardware
Detaching hardware from walls and doors makes your painting job much easier, and also prevents you from getting paint on items like outlet covers and ceiling fans. To the best extent possible, remove all of the hardware in the room, from the basics like doorknobs all the way up to light fixtures. As you pack up your hardware, make sure that screws, nails, and other fasteners are properly stored with the hardware itself. Think about using individual Ziploc bags or plastic containers for each piece.
Tape Molding and Edges
There’s nothing worse than getting a streak of paint on your hardwood floor, or on a door that you wanted to paint with an accent color. Use blue painter’s tape (which won’t mark up your walls or leave behind any sticky residue) to cover up any boundaries where you want paint to have a clear edge. If you can, find the widest width of tape available ‒ otherwise, you may wind up with paint on the opposite side of the tape! Also, remember that even with tape, it’s still important to be careful when you paint, as curling edges can allow paint to get underneath the tape and overly vigorous painting can cause the tape to fall right off the wall.
Move Whatever You Can Out of the Room
If you can avoid exposing your precious belongings to paint, do it. The extra effort it takes to move small furniture, paintings and other decorations, photos, books, rugs, and clothing from a room is well worth it when you see that you completely eliminate the risk of accidentally getting paint or dust on them.
Cover Floors and Furniture
Anything that can’t be moved out of the room ‒ including your floor ‒ should be covered with a drop cloth, clean tarp, or plastic sheeting that is taped in place. This will ensure that any dripping or misting paint is caught by these guards rather than pooling on the floor. Disposable cloths are excellent for easy cleanup, since you can just fold them up, immediately place them into a plastic bag that paint won’t escape from, and throw them away.
Free Remodeling Consultation!
Are you ready to remodel your home? Contact the professional Columbus, Ohio home remodelers at R.H Homes Remodeling today! We will help you identify the best design and budget for your project.
