1. How much natural light do you have

A very important point to consider when painting the inside of your home is the amount of natural light the rooms get. If your rooms are lit up by a lot of natural light, you do not have to worry about paint colours that much. Most paints will look great under natural light. However if your room is lacking natural light, take note of the type of the types of lights used. Incandescents will illuminate a yellow glow, which is suitable for light colours. Halogens are similar to natural white light. And Fluorescents can make your paint look dull. Overall, if you are painting rooms with darker paint, it is much better if that room gets a lot of natural light. If there is little natural light, a light paint will look better.

2. Consider the sheen of the paint

Along with the colour, you will also need to choose the sheen of the paint. There are 5 different types of sheen to choose from. They are: flat, low sheen, satin, semi gloss and gloss. Glossy finishes are reflective, however they do show imperfections in the wall more than non-glossy finishes. Flat and low sheen finishes are less reflective, but will damage easier. However many people prefer the more “matte” look that is non-reflective and hides imperfections in the wall. Glossy pain is much more durable. Professionals and DIYers like to use glossy paint for high traffic areas, trims, doors and cabinetry. For ceilings, flat paint is popular, and for walls low sheen is popular.

3. Do not paint with water-based paint on top of oil based paint.

If your walls are already painted, make sure you do not paint on top of oil based paint with water based paint. Water based paint will easily peel and will not adhere to the oil based paint underneath it. Water based paint does not bond well with oil based paint. However, there are certain primers that allow you to paint with water based paint on top of oil based. Oil based paint is able to be used on top of water based.

 4. Use high quality paint brushes and rollers

There are many paint brushes and rollers on offer. One of the main differences between a high quality paint brush and roller and a low quality one is the amount of paint the brush and roller can hold. The more paint the brush or roller can hold, the easier and faster the application of the paint will be. High quality brushes paint in a much more smooth and even way. Brushes with a taper are generally higher quality. You can identify a tapered brush by seeing if the bristles in the centre of the brush are slightly longer than the bristles towards the edge of the brush. Tapered paint brushed applies paint evenly, avoiding any clumping and streaking.

5. Clean prior to painting

Cleaning is much more important than people think. When not cleaning the walls properly, paint will not adhere to the surface as well as it should be. Paint and dirt / dust are worst enemies. Cleaning your walls is very similar and will allow your paint to last much longer without need to sand back and re-coat. To wash your walls, ensure that everything is hanging on your walls is taken off and all furniture is taken away from the wall so you are able to access every part of the wall. A sugar soap and water solution is a very popular way to clean your walls as it lifts dirts and stains off the wall easily. You can also choose to dust the walls first using a cloth or vacuum cleaner.