For many homeowners, time off means a long list of DIY projects. If you’re thinking about your next painting project, you’ve come to the right place. Tash, Head Colour Specialist at Lick has shared her ultimate advice for saving money and time when painting your home. Paintbrushes at the ready!
REVEALED: Paint your way to a happy home – expert colour choices revealed
1. Paint from high to low
Paint from the highest point to low, this will help to catch any drips and minimise mess and waste of paint.
2. Clean your walls
This may seem like an obvious addition but keeping the walls pristine will help to make for a smoother finish and application, microfibre cloths are perfect for this.
Cleaning your walls will give you a smooth surface to paint on
3. Bag your brushes
Keep your brushes and paint rollers in bags ready for the next day, rather than washing them after each use, saves time, water and energy.
READ: 8 savvy home upgrades to add £70k to your property price
WOW: 11 of the best bathroom makeovers on Instagram
4. Clean your brushes
Once your paint project is complete, get stubborn paint out of brushes with white vinegar so you can use them again. It does a great job of breaking down the paint particles.
Clean your brushes properly
5. Use a paint calculator
In order to work out how much paint you will need for a particular job, use an online calculator so you’re not over-ordering.
6. Paint more than one room the same colour
Instead of using a lot of half pots of paint to decorate your home, use one shade in multiple spaces as this is likely to save on costs.
7. Keep leftover paint
Saving leftover paint for touch-ups is a savvy move. Decant your paint into a mason jar or recycled jam jar. This will preserve your paint until you need it.
SEE: DIY savvy mum completely transforms kitchen for only £100 – here’s how
Take your time when deciding colours
8. Get the colour right the first time
There’s nothing worse than painting an entire room then deciding you don’t like the shade. Make sure you use samples or even consult a colour specialist to help you choose.
9. Invest in good quality paint
It may be tempting to reach for cheap paint when you first start renovating but you’ll soon learn that it is thin and low in pigment so you will find yourself painting three coats and buying double. Not time or cost-effective at all.
Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.
