A lot of times, many homeowners are so excited and psyched about being able to purchase the house paint colors they like that they often forget some very essential things that should be done before the actual paint is slapped on. This oversight often leads to disappointment later on, when the paint dries and reveals a painted surface that is less then satisfactory, leaving the homeowner with the option of leaving the ugly imperfection as it is, or stripping away the paint and fixing the imperfection underneath. Both scenarios are equally frustrating and tedious, so why not nip the problem at the bud?

It is of the utmost importance that the surface to be painted is thoroughly checked for imperfections before the paint is applied. In cases of imperfections, there are several ways to deal with them, and make sure a surface that is smooth and even enough for a coat of paint is achieved.

Houses that have seen years of living in and scores of families are bound to bear the marks of habitation. These marks include scuffs, cracks, nail holes, and gaps in the walls. This is unavoidable, as wear and tear is a natural consequence of being inhabited. The best way to deal with this is to patch up what can be patched up or replace sections that cannot be patched up. Removing these imperfections is absolutely essential to achieving an even and smooth surface to paint on without having those unsightly bumps and indentations after the paint has dried. A good way to deal with the smaller and more manageable imperfections, indentations and holes is by using putty to fill them in. Putty makes for a malleable filling agent that sets well, easy to shape, and is a good medium to paint over. After the holes and imperfections have been filled in, the surface must be absolutely even, so the patched surface must be sanded over until it is even with the rest of the wall.

Surprisingly enough, a lot of people tend to overlook other sources of imperfections on the surface while painting over it. Holes, gaps, and indentations are not the only sources of imperfection on a surface. Each and every house is bound to have additional occupants in it other than the family. Insects and rodents have been known to make their homes inside houses, and as such, they also tend to leave their mark of inhabiting the house, leaving cobwebs and droppings and other detritus that we often look over when we paint over a surface in the house. These small things that get painted over also leave imperfections in paint coat, as small as they are. Even something as trivial as clumped dust or dirt will lead to an imperfection when painted over, so be sure to brush away and thoroughly clean the surface to be painted over to be sure there won’t be lumps later on when the paint dries.

It goes without saying that there are things on the wall or other surfaces that you don’t want to paint over, such as curtain rods, switch plates, picture hooks, protruding nails, and hung picture frames. Remove these from the wall or surface before starting to paint, or if they cannot be removed, simply cover them with newspaper and tape the edges to make sure paint does not seep into the edges.

Living in a house will familiarize you with the very annoying phenomenon known as the stain. Stains can come from anywhere, spilled food that didn’t get cleaned thoroughly, crayons from when the kids had a go at the wall, even moisture seeping in from somewhere between the walls. Paint over this and you are bound to see some nasty discoloration going on in that particular spot.

Lastly, unless you plan to color the entire room from ceiling to walls to floor in the same color, be sure to cover firmly areas you do not want to be colored in the same paint as the one you are painting with. It’s not up to the wall paint color to discern where it should and shouldn’t go. Cover areas you don’t want to drip paint on with layers of newspaper, and tape the edge of the newspaper firmly, so as to ensure nothing seeps over.

Many do-it-yourselfers have asked which particular type of paint is essentially better for their painting project: oil-based or latex? House paint colors available in stores are generally broken down into these two categories, so more often than not, a choice boils down to any of the two. While there may scores of reasons to pick one over the other, here is an intrinsic look at both types of paints, and their particular peculiarities.

Surface adaptability

Oil-based paint can often be used on almost all types of surfaces, with the possible exception of galvanized metal. Also, a sealer or pre-treatment may be required if an oil-based paint is to be applied on surfaces like stucco, new concrete and other masonry. Latex, on the other hand, works quite well with galvanized metal, vinyl and aluminum siding, brick, concrete, stucco and wood.

Cleaning

Paint will always require clean-up, to prevent the settling of stains on the surface, and to generally make it look like the way it look as fresh as when it was first applied. Oil-based paint requires solvents such as paint thinner or turpentine for cleaning, unlike Latex paints, which will require only water for clean-up.

Adhesion

One of the primary considerations in picking out paint is how long can it stick to the wall and remain as good looking as the day it was applied. In this aspect, both oil-based and latex paints have been formulated to stay on where it was applied for a very long time. Oil-based paints have a tendency to adhere better on heavily chalked surfaces, while latex paints adhere better to most substrates, although this type exhibits better elasticity than oil based-paint, making it less prone to cracking.

Application

Depending on your expertise, actually applying the paint may be anywhere from being a pleasurable activity to a downright chore. With this in mind, considering the ease of application of a paint type may be a primary consideration for some. Oil-based paint is formulated to be thicker in consistency, creating a “drag” effect when being applied, although this fact is offset by allowing it to go on heavier, and thus resulting in better one-coat hiding. Latex paint can be applied more evenly and smoothly, producing significantly less brush drag.

Resistance to “habitation”

Mildew is one of the most common problems in most households, since it has a tendency to settle even on painted surfaces, clinging onto the paint itself and sometimes even feeding off on the paint, allowing it to spread even further. Some oil-based paints have components of vegetable oil in it, which has nutrients that allow mildew to grow faster, although some oil-based paints contain chemicals that inhibit mildew growth. Latex paint, not having the oily compounds that promote mildew growth, is less appealing to mildew.

Resistance to Fading

Paints have different formulations, allowing it to retain color longer, despite exposure and weathering. Oil-based paints, having some organic compounds in them, are more prone to fading and chalking when exposed directly to sunlight, while latex paint can stand up better to direct exposure to sunlight and retain colors longer.

These are just some points for comparison, and while one particular paint often has a perk over the other, and vice versa, the end decision should also involve considering the actual area of application, what conditions the area is exposed to, and if the interior paint color or exterior paint color combination you picked is quite suited to this area.

As daunting as painting your own house may sound, there really is nothing to it. All that’s needed is the proper know-how, the right tools, attention to detail, and a good eye, and you’re all set to take a whack at a project that everyone seems to be so into these days. As with every undertaking, the first step in applying interior paint color combinations is s to familiarize yourself with the process, equipment, and materials involved.

What are you painting on?

No two surfaces will ever be alike, even within the same house. This could be because of uneven cementing, different materials, amount of ambient moisture, and whether or not the surface had already been painted on or not. In case you’re painting on a previously painted surface, be sure to scrape away flaky, loose, or chipped paint. In case of holes or indentations on the surface, fill it in with spackling paste and be sure it’s already set and dry before you paint on it. Once dry, sand it out to even it and smooth it, then clear away the residue from the sanding, and then you can paint on it.

In case the surface is one that has not been painted on yet, it may need to be primed before applying the paint coat. In this instance, it would be best to use a base coat of primer for a smoother finish.

Certain stains on the surface have been known to “bleed” into the new layer of paint, marking it or making the color uneven in some areas, resulting in marks, streaks, or ugly discolorations. Make sure the surface to be painted is free of any stains that may mix in or affect the paint coat, such as crayons or other coloring agents.

What paint appliers are you using?

Some say an artists is only as good as his tools. While many may argue this, it may be true is some cases. Some people already have the odds stacked against them because of inexperience, so using the proper tools will be a great help in avoiding a disaster in the project. Try not to scrimp and save too much on paint brushes and rollers, as the cheap ones may give out the same results: cheap looking walls that look like they were done by the lowest bidder to the project. Rollers and paint brushes of good quality are the best because they allow you to apply an even coat of paint without leaving bristles or fuzz on the wall, or leave those ugly brush marks you only get to see once the paint is dry and you have no alternative but to paint over it again.

Where do you start painting?

It’s a common joke, but oftentimes some of people get so caught up in what they are doing that they fail to notice that they are painting themselves in to a corner, or into a place that makes it difficult for them to move out of and not ruin the area they already painted. With this I mind, be sure to plot a designated walk area, which you will paint last, and allow you access to outside of the area being painted.

Use newspaper to cover the fixtures you cannot move outside of the area to be painted, and be sure to use masking tape to bind the newspaper to where it’s supposed to stay, and also use the tape to cover certain surfaces, such as hardware or woodwork. Pick out masking tape with low tack adhesive properties for easier removal, to save yourself the trouble of ruining the surfaces being taped.

These are just a few pointers in acquainting yourself with the necessary things to think about and prepare before you go painting you house with whatever house paint color you pick.

Time and again, people have always asked the question “what color should i paint my living space?” The answer to this is as varied as the color choices that are available in the market. Sometimes, however, it all boils down to two questions: how do you feel about your living space or how do you want to feel about your living space. Psychologists have determined that colors have a subtle yet significant effect on human behavior, particularly moods. This, clearly, should be a consideration in picking out paint colors to be used in the living space.

Psychologists have narrowed down the effects of colors on the human psyche into two groups, known as the cool colors and the warm colors.

Cool colors are those colors often associated with the color blue, hence all the hues related to the blue portion of the spectrum. These colors are associated with feelings of calmness, melancholy, sadness, and sometimes indifference. Prominent colors in the cool color group are blue, green, and purple.

Warm colors, on the other hand, elicit a stronger and broader spectrum of emotions, such as warmth, comfort, hostility, and even anger. The warms colors are usually red, orange, and yellow.

The effect of colors on the moods of people is something that can be traced to ancient times. Known as the esoteric art of chromotherapy, and practiced by the ancient cultures in China and Egypt, it was used as an alternative treatment to certain disorders. Certain colors would be sued to stimulate a reaction in the body that would promote healing, or help the body adjust.

Of the known colors being used in chromotherapy, several colors are still being used in color-related treatments today, including blue, used for it’s supposed soothing effect to combat pain, yellow, believed to stimulate nerves in the body, as well as purifying it, indigo, said to help resolve problems of the skin, orange, believed to be connected to raising energy levels of the body and treating problems with the lungs, and red, associated with blood, is used primarily to stimulate circulation, as well as the mind and body.

While the premise of colors affecting a person’s mood and behavior appears to be ludicrous, it has been observed that in subtle ways, colors almost always affect people. This why certain establishments stick to one particular color or a distinctive combination of colors. Other than being linked to their corporate colors, these colors have been psychologically analyzed to affect the behavior of consumers towards their brand or their industry and service. Many may not realize it, but a good deal of how they look and treat a particular brand or service is also largely governed by the dominant colors associated with it.

Having said all of these, the answer to the color of choice remains the same: how do you feel about your living space or how how do you want to feel about your living space. A suggestion would be to try out the colors that most appeal to you in your actual living space. Paint a portion and see how it makes you feel. To maximize this trial, get as much paint colors as you can. Pick a brand that offers many paint color matches to allow a broader selection to choose from. Once you have the paint colors you need, see how each color affects you when you are exposed to it everyday, and from this, you will know what color is best for your living space.