I’ve been in the residential and commercial painting industry for 14 years and have noticed I get asked the same questions over and over. So here are some common questions we have gotten throughout the years as well as our answers to them:

How do you paint a straight line? I know many DIY’s who have tried to paint straight lines by using painters tape and are then surprised to find upon completion that their lines have many areas that aren’t straight. This is not necessarily caused by the tape itself not being straight (which most of the times it is) but instead that the tape doesn’t lay flush with the wall. So how do you prevent this?

The trick is called tape caulking or paint caulking. What you do is use a clear or white caulking (whichever matches the color behind the tape best) and put a fine line right where the tape and wall meet. You let this dry and what happens is it will create a seal where the tape meets the wall. Once dry, then you go ahead and apply the paint color. When you rip the tape off, you get a straight line. You can also substitute paint with caulking for the same effect.

This concept can also be used to create squares, checker patterns, and stripes on walls.

How many gallons will I need to paint my room? On average, a gallon of paint will cover 300 sq./ft., however there are exceptions. The color of the paint matters. For example, red requires the most amount of coats (sometimes 4 or more) and will obviously require more paint. Also, 9 ft. walls will cost less then a two story wall with 20 ft. ceilings. The other factor to consider is the quality of paint you use. Usually premium paint will cover better then a basic one.

However on average, a standard bedroom will require 2 gallons of paint.

What is the difference between spraying on paint and rolling? Spraying is typically done when a large area needs to be covered and/or to save time. Exterior house painting will most likely be sprayed because there are large areas to cover and no other items to damage with excess paint. Interiors can really be done with either process. It just depends on what’s in the house, how many colors are going up, and the amount of space that needs to be covered.

How come some paint is $10/gallon when others are as high as $35/gallon? Price is based on quality of solids and percentage of acrylic in the paint. The higher the solids and more acrylic based the better the paint. The better the paint, the better the coverage and longevity.

What can I do so I don’t have to use so many coats when painting the color red? Some paint suppliers supply paint with a red tint base. This means before the colors are mixed, you actually start with the color red. This will help keep the number of coats down. Another option is to use a medium gray paint color first and then paint red over it. This usually limits the number of red coats to two instead of many more.

How many coats are typical for the exterior and interior of the house? For exteriors, typically one or two coats (sprayed) are sufficient. If you are trying to cover a darker color with a lighter one, obviously additional coats will be needed.

I’ve heard that you should paint the exterior of your house during certain weather conditions. Is this true? Most exterior paints will recommend you paint above 50 degrees but there is typically no too high number. So the time period in which you should paint your house depends on where you live and the climate. We are painters in Phoenix, AZ so there aren’t many days that we can’t paint an exterior. As I mentioned before this can changed depending on where you are.

Obviously you don’t want to paint when it’s raining or excessively windy, no matter where you’re located.

What are the benefits of power washing your house before an exterior paint job? It will remove dirt, debris, and chalking areas before the paint which will help the new paint adhere to the surfaces better and prevent pealing and early wear. Typical layers that will get chalking are all metal surfaces and areas on top of stucco pop-outs.

What info do most painters require to get an accurate quote? For exterior paint, a painter typically needs square footage, how many stories, how many garages, amount of colors to be painted, and length since last paint job. Some additional information once the painter sees the property may be needed, but those are the major items.

For interior paint jobs, a painter needs square footage, how many room(s) to be painted, height of ceilings, whether it’s just walls, ceilings, base boards, current colors on the wall and amount of colors to be painted. Again, the painter may have additional questions when they see the property. The best quotes are always given in person because the painter can see the actual space and any potential problem areas.