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You may have checked other items on your condo living checklist. Now what remains is condo painting. Then, you wonder: 'Can you paint a condo?' After all, you may already have some painting experience. However, there's more to painting your condo than meets the eye.
Read on for a DIY painting guide for your condo, paint color ideas, and condo painting tips. You'll also get a clear answer as to whether you should paint a condo yourself or get help from a professional painting company.
DIY Guide for Your Condo Painting Job
You may be painting afresh or simply freshening up your condo with a new coat of paint. In either case, following the steps below will be worthwhile.
Step One: Get permission from the landlord
It's easy to pick up your paintbrush and start condo painting. However, you should do well to confirm if your landlord is okay with changing the look of your new apartment. Otherwise, you may be putting your security deposit at risk.
Similarly, confirm that there are no restrictions on painting or wallpapering interior walls. Usually, restrictions only apply to structural changes or modifications of condo units.
Of course, you don't need such permission if you're the condo owner. However, your homeowners' association may have rules for exterior paint colors, fences, decks, etc.
Step Two: Choose paint colors and collate tools
Before starting the condo painting job, choose the look and paint colors you want. Then you have to bring out all the essential tools. You can get painting materials from hardware stores.
The painting materials include the following:
• Paint
• Roller
• Brushes
• Primer
• Plastic wraps
• Drop cloth
• Rags
• Ladder
• Paint tray
• Painters tape
• Extension pole
• Rubber gloves
• Eye protection
• Mask or respirator
• Hat
Step Three: Do your prep work
• Clearing the room of objects like furniture and light fixtures is another step before you start painting.
• After that, you can spread a large tarp or drop cloth on the floor.
• Then apply painter's tape to the edges of doors and windows, light switches, and electrical outlets.
• It's necessary to remove cracked paint from walls and repair any damage.
• Remember to wipe down all surfaces with a damp rag and let them dry. Also, keep windows open for ventilation.
• A helpful tip is placing buckets of water containing lemon slices on the floor. This will help reduce the amount of paint smell.
Step Four: Apply a primer
Remember to apply a primer before painting adequately. Primers help paints adhere to surfaces more easily. They also prevent stain bleeds through paint.
Step Five: Paint the ceiling
It would be best to paint the ceiling before painting the walls and trims. Attach an extension pole to your roller or use the ladder. Let the first coat of paint cover the entire ceiling and dry up before you add a second coat.
Step Six: Paint the walls
• It's time to use your rollers to paint the walls. Get the paint on the roller by rolling it onto the painting tray. Then remove excess paint using the tray's angled platform.
• Use a zigzag or W pattern to paint from bottom to top.
• Maintain a swift and smooth roller motion.
• The wall brush should come in handy for spaces that are hard to reach. Remember to get the perimeter of each wall painted.
• Reload the roller with paint if it stops sounding wet and squelchy. Let the first coat dry thoroughly. Assess the painting job. Then add a second and even a third coat to get your desired look.
• Remember to wrap rollers and brushes in plastic or cling wraps during breaks so they don't get dry.
Step Seven: Paint the trims
• You have to remove the earlier applied painter's tape. Do it carefully so there's no residue on the trim.
• Then paint the trims and edges. This includes frames of doors and windows and spaces around light fixtures.
• Mistakes shouldn't scare you. You can quickly remove paint from unwanted areas immediately after painting.
• Again, let the first coat dry thoroughly before applying a second.
Step Eight: Do the cleanup
Almost time to pat yourself on the back. With the painting finished you can wrap up by doing a general cleaning. Remove your painting materials, clean brushes and rollers, and remove the drop cloth. Then return the moved furniture in the condo and reinstall fixtures.
Some Paint Color Ideas
Wondering where to get painting ideas to paint your condo? You may need clarification on color palette choices when choosing wall colors. A professional color consultation can help you out here.
There are different types of paint for various applications. For instance, wall paint is a different paint from trim paint. Likewise, there are multiple considerations for interior paints and exterior paints.
• The type of paint you buy for your bathroom should be the type that doesn't absorb moisture. This can help reduce mold buildup in the bathroom.
• You should also use the dimensions of your condo to know the right amount of paint to buy.
• If you're a condo property owner, you can apply flat paint sheens on walls to make future touchups less visible.
• Eggshells and glossy sheens are more difficult to touch up perfectly. Flat paints are easier to scuff.
• You may go for neutral wall paint colors depending on your needs. You may also wish to avoid vibrant accent walls or dark colors based on their aesthetic impact.
Condo Painting Tips
• Exterior painting projects during the spring and fall could pose some weather challenges.
• You could use matte and flat finishes for interior walls and ceilings. They are good at covering up imperfections. However, they can get dirty more quickly and can be hard to clean.
• The preparation part of painting a condo can be up to 90%. A good painting job can take up to six hours or more. This is why you should plan your painting project well.
• If you're painting several rooms, you can time your painting activity so the rooms can dry properly between coats.
• Even if you only renovate condo buildings, you will likely need some exterior paintwork. You can even use the opportunity to get a painting company to do a complete painting of your exterior walls.
• Check the reputation of paint contractors before hiring them.
Should You Paint A Condo Yourself?
It is likely cheaper to paint your condo than hire a professional painter. This is an advantage if you're solely considering the cost of painting your condo building. However, you may not benefit from a professional painter's experience to do a high-quality job.
For example, ceiling painting can be tricky, and you can end up with patchy and uneven results. This is why hiring a painting company is likely preferable to painting your condo yourself. Besides, they know how to simplify the messy process of condo painting.
Moreover, you can depend on a professional painting company to handle condo painting projects and home repair needs. This can include the following:
• Move-in or move-out repaints
• Color matching
• Trim painting, wall painting, and staircase painting
• Removal of popcorn ceilings
• Patching of holes
How to Check the Reputation of Condo Painters
You can check if a condo painter has good quality online reviews. You wouldn't want a paint contractor who tends to be tardy or misses deadlines. You may first check out Google reviews, local neighborhood Facebook group referrals, and authoritative websites such as Yelp and HomeAdvisor.
Likewise, you can confirm if the painter shares in-progress painting project photos in their job site photos. Similarly, many stock photos on their online sites indicate the company may not be real.
Get Help from a Professional Painting Company
So now, with these condo painting tips, paint color ideas, and a DIY guide on condo painting, you know whether you can paint your condo. Indeed, the satisfaction you get when your painting job is beautifully done is fantastic.
You can feel rewarded and be happy with the return on your investment. This is all the more reason why you should hire a professional condo painting company to handle your painting project.
