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The truth is, the only way to actually paint like a pro is to take your time, do the job right, and improve your techniques as you go.
Here are a few tips homeowners can learn to paint like a pro.
Before you begin
1. Get a bigger, better swatch. You can never really tell how the color will look on your walls from a tiny color chip.
2. How much paint? Measure your room and decide how big of an area you need to cover. Rule of thumb: 1 gallon covers about 400 square feet. Also, go for the good, premium paint!
3. Thoroughly clean the area. Put plastic up around doorways and over furniture.
4. Buy the best brush you can find. The bristles should be tapered. A good brush will cost you $12-$15.
Painting your walls
1. Pros roll the areas where they have painted with a brush (along the wall's perimeter) before the wet edges dry. It's best to team up and have one person "cutting in" and another rolling the walls right behind him/her.
2. Wrap painter's tape (sticky side out) around your hand and pat down new paint rollers to catch any stray fibers. No one likes fuzz embedded in their new paint.
3. Never dip the roller so far in the paint that the roller arm gets wet. This will cause major drips.
4. Always begin each paint day by straining your paint into a clean bucket. Even if you sealed the paint can tight the day before. You do not want dry pieces of paint on the walls.
5. Dip your brush only halfway into the paint bucket. This help you not overload your brush with paint. Tap the brush against both sides of your bucket to remove any excess.
I'm sure there are millions of other tips and tricks to perfecting a DIY paint job. These are just a few that I have learned over the years. What are some of your secrets to conquering a professional-looking paint job?