Painting Tips of Mar '06 Do your walls seem dull and uninviting? Want a cozy room? A new paint job is probably what you need. Before painting your room, pick out a colour scheme for your walls. First, light colours make a home look larger. They also reflect light and heat, making them good choices for sun-drenched areas. Dark colours, on the other hand, absorb light and heat. They make a house appear smaller but also can create drama, weight and mass. Used on the tip of a tall house, a dark colour will visually diminish its height. When choosing a colour, take the colour chips provided by the painting centre outside to observe the colour under varying light conditions. Look at the colour vertically in open shade or on an overcast day. Wall preparation is very important in creating a lasting paint job. First scrub away dirt and mould with household detergent. Scrape away flaking paint with a putty knife and sand down the edges of the scraped section into the surrounding surface. Patch all holes and cracks with plaster. Lastly send off any rough spots with fine sandpaper and dust thoroughly to remove any dust residue. Now you are set to go. A correct painting sequence will save you time and cost
- Ceilings
- Walls
- Trim (windows, door, then baseboard)
By painting the ceilings first you can be sure that any drips falling on the walls will be covered. When painting the walls, always paint from the top down, again to be sure drips are covered. And, finally, do the trim so that any paint that accidentally gets on the trim can be covered. For best effect always cover the wall with 2 coats of paint. There are some simple advance technique, like colourwash and sponging, which can dramatically enchance your room. Colour washing
This technique brings elegance to any surface. Colourwashing adds texture to interior walls by applying another coat of paint over a painted background. You can get a variety of different textures and patterns by brushing on or off additional coats and through the manner in which you brush. Dragging
This technique reveals the base coat beneath fine, irregularly-spaced lines. This gives the appearance of woven fabric or planned, close-grained wood. Dragging is ideal for walls or furniture pieces with flat surfaces
Happy painting |
