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Painting Your Own Home: Tips to Make the Process Painless
Painting Your Own Home: Tips to Make the Process Painless
While it’s might seem easier to hire professionals to paint the house, but with a little research you can find the job is not as intimidating as it seems. With a few free days set aside and some preparation, painting one room (or multiple) is easily doable for anyone. Here are a few things to consider before you start.
Apply a Primer Coat
Preparation entails most of the painting process. It’s easy to become frustrated during the preparation stage, because prepping to paint can take longer than the actual painting component of the project.
Interior walls aren’t always perfect, and painting the walls is a perfect opportunity to fix those imperfections. If you’re using a putty or a filler to patch holes, the paint will react differently to those substances than it will the wall itself. The solution here is to prime your walls, so the new paint color has a uniform surface to adhere to. It’s one simple step that doesn’t seem like much, but could end up saving you a whole lot of work at the end of the process.
Factor in taping time
Taping up the room is tedious work, but will be worth it when you don’t have to waste time being ultra-careful or nervous when getting close to edges. Instead of trying to take the tape off while the paint is still dry, wait at least 24 hours for the paint to dry, and use a knife to slice the tape off at the edge. If the paint is still even a little wet or gummy, don’t continue. Make sure the knife is sharp enough and pull the tape away at a 45-degree angle, making sure not to rip the paint.
Set up with clean-up in mind
To protect floors, a drop cloth is a necessity. In some cases, cotton or canvas drop clothes can work better than plastic. Plastic drop cloths can be slippery and don’t easily stay in place, especially when ladders are involved. Any splatters or drips of paint that fall onto a plastic drop cloth won’t dry or absorb right away and can be easily tracked throughout the rest of your house. A canvas or cotton drop cloth will be more stable and will protect the floors better. Tape the edges of the drop cloth to the tops of the trim to protect both the floor and the trims from any splattering or dripping paint.
Work top down
Not only does it prevent drips from ruining anything you’ve already painted, but it keeps the walls and baseboards free of any dust or debris from sticking to wet trim. Paint the ceiling first, move to the walls and possible crown moldings. Only then should you move to any trims around windows or doors and finish with the baseboards. Not only will this keep a system in place to ensure there’s no questioning what’s been painted and what hasn’t, but it’ll keep things clean.
Check thickness of previous paint layers
Cracks on an exterior paint job don’t reflect the owner’s best intentions and should be fixed before the damage is too much to fix. Too thick of a layer of paint means that the paint might just be too heavy to stay, and will start to crack and to peel off. It loses its grip and can’t attach to the other layers of paint. In older homes, it’s likely that some of those layers of paint have lead in them, in which case you’ll need to look into how to remove it safely. The EPA has guidelines here. This could be the one step that requires you to outsource, if the layer of paint is extremely thick, because removing it completely (and correctly) will ensure the next coat of paint will attach correctly. Hiring a home washing company can help you identify these cracks in exterior paint as well. If anything, have the exterior of your home professionally power washed, so the paint will have a clean surface to adhere to.
Using these tips, ideally the house-painting process will be doable for anyone. Prepare yourself to set aside time for set-up, knowing that it will help when you’re done painting and ready to clean up. Instead of hiring painting professionals, save some money for decorating and tackle the job yourself.
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Bio: Matt Lawler is an Internet marketing specialist from Tempe, Arizona where he attended Arizona State University. Whenever he can step away from the computer, Matt enjoys playing sports, traveling and exploring the great outdoors. Follow him on Twitter.
Laura Key, REALTOR® Cal BRE 01908085 310-866-8422 Laura.A.Key@gmail.com www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com
Larchmont Living - My Favorite Pizza - Village Pizzeria
One of my very favorite things to do is to go to Larchmont Village and enjoy people watching. While I am there I have my spots I love to hit. Of course I love grabbing a coffee at one of many little shops up and down the strip, but every so often, when my diet permits I must simply have my slice of Clam & Garlic pizza! HEAVEN, HEAVEN, HEAVEN!
Village Pizzeria is a simple little place, yet it is always busy! They have seating inside and outside. The menu is simple with a splash of uniqueness. I am always treated nicely and enjoy the atmosphere.
The no-nonsense way of ordering is perfect. If you are in a rush, simply don't come because they are not a microwave place. You get fresh food for a very decent price.
I love taking my friends and family here when they come to town. It has won my heart for pizza!
Although the Clam & Garlic pizza is my favorite splurge, I have not had a bad item on the menu!
Village Pizzeria is located at 131 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004. They also offer delivery with a $20 minimum however I just love going and eating outside so I can people watch!
Visit their website: www.villagepizzeria.net
For more fun things to do in LA: https://www.groupon.com/local/los-angeles/things-to-do
Are you looking for a neighborhood like this one that feels more like a village? Start your search today at www.KeyCaliforniaHomes.com
Tree Hugging REALTOR®
This weekend I had a wonderful time previewing homes in Hancock Park. You would think that since I see so many homes with clients the last thing I would want to do on a rare off Sunday is go see more homes! Sometimes you find treasures worth more than gold. Such is the finding of this fabulous tree. This great maze of branches and leaves still lives behind a multi-million fixer upper.
The minute you see this fallen beauty you know it has stories to tell. Children climbing it's branches, picnics under it's once upright limbs. You just don't see things like this everyday. And even though this old tree has fallen, it will still have many stories to tell. I do hope that the new owners leave it right where it is, so it can create future stories for all to wonder at.
There is something so rare, so beautiful and so peaceful about standing beside it. I could not fit the whole tree in a single photo. Look at the first photo, you will see the base and some of it's exposed roots.
Memories, precious memories this tree holds! I feel all the more wiser just for seeing this classic beauty!
Ready to start making memories of your own? Find your new home today! Text LKHOMES to 87778 for your FREE. Or call me today and let's get started on your personal journey! 310.866.8422
Hancock Park, Memories, California Homes, Holiday Joy, Childhood Dreams, Trees, Old Trees, Wisdom, Peace, Peaceful, Joy, Majestic, Realty Goddess, Realtor Goddess, Real Estate Agent, #1 Agent, Windsor Square, Mid-Wilshire
Beautiful Tile Work
This beautiful tile work was found in a bathroom located by the pool! Just Gorgeous! Its bright and detailed. In my opinion you just can't go wrong with mermaids by a pool.
Buyers: Ready to find your new home? Sellers: Want to see what homes are being listed at in your neighborhood?
It's easy! Text LKHOMES to 87778 for free MLS application.
Hard at Work In Real Estate
Looking for A New Home? Text LKHOMES to 87778 to get instant free access to the MLS! Or Call me at 310.866.8422
Homes are turning over quickly in Los Angeles! Let me work hard for you!
California Real Estate, Los Angeles Homes, Homes for Sale, Larchmont Homes for Sale, Hancock Park Homes for Sale, Windsor Square Homes for Sale, West Hollywood Homes for Sale, Koreatown Homes for Sale, Realty Goddess, Top Los Angeles Real Estate Agent, Real Estate Agent, Realtor, MLS, Home Search
My New Favorite House in Hancock Park
Call Me for More Details 310.866.8422
I see a lot of homes daily, so when I came across this beautifully restored home located in Hancock Park my heart leap. For the past two years I have driven by this beauty on my way home, but one day I saw a fellow agent placing a "For Sale" sign outside beside the lovely rose garden! I rushed home to look up the details and saw it was going to be an open house. That Sunday my first agenda was to see this house and what I found made me fall in love more.
- 8 bedrooms 8 Bathrooms
- 12 foot ceilings
- 3 Floors
- Private nooks
- Garage with additional living/working space
- Rose Garden
- Porch
- Mature tree in the front yard
- Apx SF 6000 on a 9470 Lot
This home has history, it was been LOVINGLY restored to it's original glory and no detail was spared. This home is one that you simply must see and in my opinion is priced perfectly.
The time is perfect to purchase your new home! Text LKHOMES to 87778 to find your next home FREE! My app gives you DIRECT access to the SoCal MLS. No more fluff, no more outdated listings....just homes at your fingertips! Call me today! 310.866.8422