When it comes to decorating your home it can be tempting to try and save yourself some money, after all, why would you pay premium prices for paint when you can get a giant tin for a lot less. In this blog, we’ll take you through some of the false money-saving tips that will actually end up costing you more.
1. Picking cheap paint
This is probably the biggest false economy of the lot. A big tin of cheap paint really is not the bargain that you think it is. These paints are cheap for a reason, namely, they tend to be very thin which results in a poor quality of finish and the need to use multiple coats in order to get an acceptable finish. A professional painter will never use paint from the big DIY chains as they don’t have the same coverage, consistency or level of finish as trade paints.
2. Buying a cheap roller or paintbrush
We know, you’ve only got one room to paint so why not just pick the cheapest brush and roller set you can find? Well, if you want a professional finish then this is definitely not an approach you should take. Cheap paintbrushes will often leave an inconsistent and streaky finish while cheap roller sleeves can leave an uneven finish. Trade quality brushes are designed to deliver consistent results and feature much better materials compared to cheap sets.
3. Getting friends to help
Need a large area painting and tempted to enlist the help of your friends? Unless they happen to be a professional decorator then we’d recommend against this. From cutting in to laying off paint, everyone will have their own technique and do things differently and the result is rarely a good quality finish. And, while having your friends help may seem like you are saving money by the time you add in the cost of a few drinks and a takeaway, how much money are you actually saving?
4. Plastic drop cloths
Protecting your furniture, carpets and flooring is important, but plastic drop cloths are not the solution. Not only are they slippery underfoot but any paint spillages will simply pool on plastic making it much easier for these to be tracked through the rest of your home on your shoes. There’s a reason why the professionals use cloth drop cloths, they offer great protection with paint spills being absorbed by the cloth instead of your expensive carpets.
5. Not buying enough paint
Yes, the paint tin claims coverage of 12 meters square so that should be plenty for your needs, but in real life, these coverage figures are rarely accurate. Also, for most shop-bought paint you’ll need far more coats of paint then you first realised. Make sure you have enough paint before you start each job as you really don’t want to run out halfway across a wall.
6. Not mixing paint together
So, you’ve got 3 tins of the same coloured paint for your walls and assume each tin will be the same. Well, the reality is that the colour can vary by each different batch of paint and could lead to a poor quality finish. Professional painters always mix multiple tins of paint together in order to ensure a perfect colour match and consistent result.
7. Not using a professional painter
Once you’ve added up the cost of good quality paint brushes, roller sleeves, drop cloths, paint and preparation you’ll realise just how cost-effective it can be hiring a professional painter or decorator. Not only will they be able to complete the job much quicker, but the quality of finish is much higher than most DIY enthusiasts could ever hope to achieve.