Most people will attempt painting a wall at some point in their life. And by the end of it, most of them realise it’s a lot harder than they expected! 

Successfully painting a wall means you need to know these tips and tricks for DIY wall painting. Otherwise, you end up with a mess, or the paint flakes off soon after. 

Tips for Exterior Wall Painting

The approach needed for painting exterior walls is a bit different from interior walls. Since the paint is exposed to the elements, it’s got a more rigorous application process to make sure it lasts a long time. 

Pressure-Wash the Walls

The exterior of your home is covered in dirt, dust, and other outdoor substances. Before you can begin painting, you have to thoroughly clean all this dirt off. Otherwise, any paint that you apply won’t stay on. 

Pressure washers are the most efficient way to clean your walls. So you need to thoroughly power-wash the exterior of your home before you can think of painting. 

Much like dirt, old paint can create a barrier between the exterior wall and your new paint job. If power washing isn’t enough to remove old paint from the walls, go over it with a paint scraper or sanding block to remove it. 

Repair Damages

If you notice any damage to your walls or windows, fix them before you paint. Otherwise, you’ll have to patch them up and then paint over them again. Save yourself time by fixing any damages ahead of painting. 

Prime Walls

Most common exterior house paints require a primer before you can start painting. The purpose of the primer is to even out the tone of the paint that will go on the walls. This way, if there are any stains on the wall, they are covered before the paint even goes on. 

Cover Other Fixtures

Using tape and plastic sheets, cover up anything you don’t want to be painted. Mistakes happen, and you want to be able to paint efficiently and without worrying about the tiny details. 

Make sure you cover your doors and window frames, light fixtures, doorbells, and latches. 

Tips for Interior Wall Painting

Interior wall painting is a bit simpler than outdoor painting since there’s usually less dirt and other external factors to deal with. Here are some of the top tricks to remember when painting an interior wall. 

Wait for Good Weather

Since you’re painting inside, a lot of people don’t realise that the weather matters. Waiting for hot and warm days to do your interior painting means it will dry much faster – even if not directly exposed to the sunlight. 

To avoid breathing in paint fumes, you’ll want to keep your doors and windows open to create a breeze. This is going to be very unpleasant if it’s windy or raining outside. 

Get Creative

Painting a wall allows you to get creative with your rooms. You can do a feature wall with a different colour or a mural. 

You can completely change the look and feel of the space with a few of these tricks.

Remove Outlet Covers

A lot of people tape over outlets and paint around them carefully. And this is okay, but there’s a simpler and more effective solution. Unscrew outlets; then you can paint right over the space they take up on the wall. Once the paint is dry, you can replace the outlets. 

This helps make the paint job smoother. You don’t need to worry about accidentally painting the outlet cover if it’s not there! It also saves you a lot of time overall. 

Frequently Asked Questions

WHEN SHOULD I USE A ROLLER VS PAINTBRUSH?

It’s best to use rollers for the largest portions of the wall, and then a paintbrush for the corners and around the fixtures. Essentially it comes down to control – you need more control in smaller areas or areas where it’ll show if you make a mistake. 

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME FOR PAINTING A WALL?

Painting a wall takes about a day to do, and a few more days to dry completely. It’s best to find a time when you’ll have uninterrupted heat and sunshine for a few days.

HOW CAN I SEAL AGAINST DAMP BEFORE PAINTING A WALL?

It won’t help if you apply a coat of damp seal while your walls are still damp. So you first need to identify and fix the cause of damp before you can get to painting. Once your walls are no longer damp you can apply a damp seal before you start painting.

Using These Tips for Painting a Wall

Make sure you’re successful next time you’re painting a wall! Whether it’s an interior or exterior wall, if you follow this DIY wall painting guide, it should look good!

And if you’re not confident in painting walls yourself, don’t worry! Then you can hire a painter to help you out. They know all the tips and tricks, so you don’t have to.