When it comes to painting, commercial painters in Sydney to Minneapolis really have it down a fine art, which it truly is. The results they get speak for themselves. Often times those results come with a high price tag that leaves homeowners and business owners wondering how to get commercial painting results without having to hire a commercial painter.

If you’ve ever taken on a paint project on your own, you know the results can be dicey when you’re not sure what you’re doing. It seems simple on the surface but when you’re mid-project and your paint color looks slightly different suddenly, it’s no longer just fun and games. There are some things you can take from the pros to make your DIY job look amazing though.

Wondering what they do to get such amazing results? Keep reading. These are five painting tips and tricks even commercial painters use to make your home look awesome. See what you can learn here before you start your next project.

1. They Use The Good Stuff

Commercial painters know that quality matters when you’re choosing your paint. High quality paints last longer, apply more smoothly, protect your walls better, and look amazing. They don’t even bother looking for the lower quality paints which can tend to be more watery. They can also give you a patchy finish that requires several coats to fix.

If you’re going for a commercial quality finish you’re going to have to use paint that is made to last. It might look like the more expensive option at first, but when you take into account possibly having to buy more of the cheap stuff, or redoing the job in a year, it all equals out.

2. They Use The Right Tools

Professional painters don’t substitute masking tape for painter’s tape or sheets for drop cloths. They know these things make a big difference and they use the right tools. If you’re thinking it doesn’t matter, you’re definitely wrong. Masking tape isn’t meant to stand up to wet paint. If you drip anything on it it’s going to wrinkle, and paint will get under it.

If paint is getting under your tape, it’s not serving its purpose at all. You won’t get clean lines and you’ll end up with a dead giveaway that you did the job yourself. When it comes to drop cloths; sheets just aren’t going to hold up to any accidental spills (which do happen) meaning you’re risking your carpets when you try to substitute the real deal for a makeshift option.

3. They Mix Their Paint

Okay, so they don’t mix the actual colors in the store, but they do prevent unpleasant color surprises by mixing all of the cans they plan to use together. Sometimes even when you buy all of your paint at the same time, the color might vary slightly from can to can. It’s not always something you see until it’s on your walls. No one wants that surprise.

Take this tip from the pros and mix all the cans you plan to use in a larger five-gallon bucket. This will make it certain that you are getting the same color on every part of your wall for your whole project. You can probably fix an unwanted color surprise but it’s best to just avoid it if you can. Use this tip and it won’t be an issue.

4. They Just Remove Outlet Covers

You could spend time taping around each outlet cover you want to keep safe but it’s tedious and leaves a lot of room for error. Commercial painters save time and headaches by just removing the covers at the start of their job. Not only doesn’t this mean they don’t have to spend time taping them off, but it gives a better look on the finished product.

If any paint slips under your tape, your outlet covers are not going to have a nice sharp finished look. If you remove the covers, paint your walls, and then replace the covers you are assured that your paint job will look polished. Your outlet covers will go over the paint giving you nice sharp lines that the pros get every time.

5. They Understand How Important Prep Time Is

When you’re getting ready to paint it can be easy to get swept up in the excitement of a new project and just start painting right away. This is a mistake commercial painters don’t make. Prep time is very important to how your project is going to look when you’re finished. Skimping on prep time is another way to make sure everyone knows you painted the walls yourself.

Before you start painting take the time to set yourself up for success. You can do this by looking for areas of the wall where the paint is chipped or peeling. Sand those down so your wall is smooth. If the walls look dirty somewhere, clean them before you start putting on the first coat of new paint.

Walls that are dirty (especially if it’s a grease based type of stain) don’t hold paint very well. You might find that if you skip cleaning the walls you’ll end up having to reapply paint several times before it really sticks. Save yourself this frustration and make sure you’re spending a lot of time prepping before you start painting.

Conclusion

Commercial painters definitely know what they’re doing when it comes to getting results that look great. This is what they do and they’ve either learned through trial and error or from other painters what works and what doesn’t. You can use their experience and knowledge to your advantage when you’re taking on your own home painting project.

Use the tips you’ve read about here to get professional results no one will even second guess when they see your home’s new look. You can disclose you did it yourself or let them think you paid for a professional. Either way, your place is sure to look great.