While the whole process of painting seems quite simple, it’s also surprisingly easy to muck up with the smallest of mistakes. To steer clear of these common pitfalls we’ve put together 5 simple things to remember:

1.      Take time choosing the right colour

This can be one of the most devastating painting mistakes – and happens before you even get started. You pick out a nice colour and order your paint – but when you put the paint on the walls at home, it doesn’t look like the colour you picked out.

So remember… No matter how long you spend choosing your paint, the colour on screen or on the front of the tin in the shop will always look different once it’s on you wall (and more importantly dry on your wall). Avoid this mistake by buying a tester pot of paint that you can try out on a smaller project first. It’s also useful to make sure you look at the colour at different times of the day – i.e. at night when using artificial light vs. daytime when you will be looking at it in more natural light. Make sure you like the colour at all times of the day.

2.      Prepare properly

Before you start painting it’s always important to begin with a blank slate. For paint to go on smoothly your walls should be clean, dry and free of any loose debris. Vacuum surfaces where necessary or wipe them with a tack cloth and ensure picture hooks have been taken out and holes filled in.

3.      Protect your surroundings

Paint has a habit of ending up in places we never intended. So before you even open your new can – make sure your entire work area is protected. You'll thank yourself for this when you're not scrubbing that paint splatter off your wood flooring.

4.      Use primer

If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well. Primer covers flaws in the surface and is what gives you that smooth long lasting finish. There are different primers for different surfaces – at Teknos we offer a full matt white primer which makes it the perfect ceiling paint as well as an adhesion primer for interior and exterior wood surfaces.

5.      And most importantly… Use a good quality paint!

If you’re looking for that professional finish then we cannot stress to you enough about the importance of a good quality paint. Our Teknos paints will not only leave you with an even/smooth finish when using both rollers and paint brushes, but you’ll only need a few coats – therefore needing less paint from the outset.

Use this as a checklist for when you start a new painting project and you’ll be left with some very professional looking walls.