DIY Diagnosis: Painting a Room

Brie Dyas — 2011-06-07T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: DIY Glossary, Essential Skills, Know-How, Living Spaces

A surprisingly diverse number of problems can happen between loading up a paint brush or roller and painting a room. And when a problem comes up, it's time for DIY Diagnosis.

Evan Wilder, Flickr

The arrival of a new season always triggers a need to change up the wall colors in my home. And when I want a change, I want one now. But when it comes to painting a room, it's easy to get swept up in getting the job done instead of getting the job done right. Here's a handy list of common problems that can come up, why they did and how you can stop 'em.

- A dark hue looks faded. This happens when you paint over a light color with darker one. To prevent this from happening, apply a gray-tinted primer coat in between. This will stop the lighter hue from bleeding through the bolder one, and will create a neutral base that'll let bold hues look their best.
- A random shiny spot appears a week after painting. When a flat paint is applied to a high-traffic area, a glossy spot can appear where hands (or a sponge) frequently comes in contact with the painted surface, rubbing off the matte finish. So, when it comes to high-traffic areas where you know you'll have to do some cleaning, go for a semi-gloss.
- Bubbles, everywhere. Or worse, foaming. Those tell-tale air bubbles that come up on the wall often start in the paint bucket. How do they get there? By mixing the paint a little too vigorously or shaking the bucket. Gently stirring the paint instead ensures that the pigments are evenly distributed without leading to bubbling.
- Cracks, almost like the ones you see when mud dries. A deep crack can happen when paint is applied with a heavy hand. It's often not your fault, really: A roller with a long nap used on a flat surface can end up applying thick layers of paint. If your wall is uniformly flat, stick to a roller with a 1/4"-3/8" nap.
- Brush marks all over the place. If brush marks appear as soon as you sweep over an area, chances are good that you're painting in a particularly warm spot (due to high temperature or direct sunlight). So, take a break and pick up your brush later.

Ready to get started? Boost your confidence with these refreshers...
Calculate How Much Paint You Need for a Room
No-Fail Tips for Selecting Paint
Top Tips for Interior Painting Projects
Painting Tips for Home Staging
Interior Paint Colors That Help Sell Your Home

And if you're thinking about cutting costs by choosing a cheaper formula, think again. Here's an argument for choosing quality over cost.

Selecting Paint to Buy

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DIY definitions: What is a DIY'er?

Ryan Carter — 2007-07-25T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: DIY Definitions, DIY Glossary

I know some of our readers are right now thinking, "what in the known world is a DIYer?". Well, in short, it is anyone who is a do-it-yourself-er, meaning you find ways to do thing yourself instead of paying for it or being creative when no traditional solution exists. If you have ever built a bookcase, put in your own wood floor, remodeled a bathroom, raised plants, or built your own house, you are a DIYer.

You might wonder at the term DIY'er in our context, not just those who do home improvement and woodworking, but also anyone who knits, crafts, does scrapbooks, or science experiments in the backyard with (or without) the kids, tries to boost their PC's wireless signal or build a summer air-conditioning unit for your home without conventional means.

DIY'ers like you can be found in the wild today, often constructing a rock-wall for cheap landscaping, fixing a garden hose with duct-tape, and hunting their own food in the jungle (okay, not that last one so much). Everywhere you look these DIY'ers are busy hacking life and making things better (sometimes worse). DIY Life is here to help you find your DIY self, and become a bit more handy, learn a new trick or two, and in general have a better life that you can make with your own two hands. This is what we mean when we use the term DIY'er, in case you were wondering.

In the coming days, we here at DIY Life hope to give you an inside look at the essence of being a DIY'er and what it truly means to have a DIY Life, so stay tuned. Oh and if the picture is fuzzy, please feel free to whack your computer a bit, because after all, you built it yourself, didn't you?

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