Our Top 5 Tricks of the Trade
Preparation
Preparation is paramount to a professional paint job. Make sure your walls are clean and grease free. You'll also want to patch up any holes in the walls, sand back any inconsistencies and hammer in (then plaster) any nails that may be protruding.
Quality Paint
Don't skimp on the paint, purchasing a quality paint like Taubmans endure will not only prolong the life of your paint but it can also help reduce mould & bacteria growth. A quality paint will also be easier to wash and be less prone to staining or marking from scuffs.
Use Canvas Drop Cloths
While cheaper, you shouldn't be using old bed sheets as drop clothes. All but the smallest paint splashes will seep through thin bed sheets to your flooring. Although plastic will contain spills, the spilled paint will stay wet for far longer on plastic. That wet paint will inevitably find the bottom of your shoes and then onto your flooring.
Most pros opt for canvas drop sheets. They're not slippery and they absorb spilled paint (large spills or they can bleed through so you'll still need to clean those up).
Box Paint for Consistent Colour
The "same" colour of paint can vary between cans. A small difference in tint or colour can be very obvious when it's on the wall or ceiling. To make sure you have a consistent colour from start to finish, a pro painter will combine their cans of paint in a larger bucket (a process called "boxing").
Wash New Rollers
Washing your new rollers in a little soapy water will get rid of the excess fluff on them and stop that fluff from permanently embedding itself into your freshly painted walls. Simply run your hand up the wet roller to rub off the excess fluff. Repeat this process a couple of times until the bulk of the fluff is gone. No need to wait for it to dry, you can start using the roller while it's damp.