How to: Interior Painting

   With the increased amounts of free time, you may be feeling the DIY itch. Many people have been affected by the urge to do something constructive around their home. If you're looking for a creative twist for your next home project, we've compiled a step by step guide to painting any interior. If you find yourself in over your head, MDF always offers free consultations to help achieve your paint dreams. 

   MDF has a saying: Prep work matters. It is the most important part of any project, and it paves the way for a successful paint job. Prep work can be an umbrella term for many things, so we'll break it down; The first step is to visualize what colors and areas you want to paint. Do you want bold or subtle colors? Are you painting the trim, an accent wall, or the whole room? If you're dipping a toe in the painting pool for the first time, trying an accent wall or the trim in one room and see how confident you feel. After picking colors and locations, the real work begins.

• MDF always starts interior paint jobs by covering floors and furniture. You'll want to group your belongings away from any areas you're painting before covering for the best results. Remove any outlets and heating vent covers. 
• Inspect the walls for any imperfections that need repairing. Mix up a spackle compound to fill in anything. After these repairs dry, sand down until it blends with the existing wall. Wipe walls down after any repairs are completed.
• Apply painters tape to mask off areas you don't want the paint, such as windows, doors, moldings, and other trim. Adding the tape in small sections that overlap is the best practice. If you're doing an accent wall, tape off the inside edge of that wall.
• Apply the primer by starting with an outline of the room. In the painting business, we call this technique cutting in. The best practice is to outline each section of the room, then fill in the room with primer. It may seem like an unnecessary step, but primer will help seal against mold and change colors. Lightly sanding the primer after it's dry will give you smoother walls for painting.
•  Paint the walls with the same technique you utilized with the primer application. Paint by sections of the room, starting with the outlines first. If the color isn't as saturated as you would like after the first coat, add another. 

  MDF is always available for estimates for interior and exterior painting. We're taking on virtual appointments and using every precaution while working. If this DIY project doesn't quite come out the way you intended, call us!