Why It's Usually Best To Hire Professionals To Paint An Old Home
Painting is not terribly difficult, and most homeowners can do a decent job — as long as the walls are smooth, even, and otherwise ready to accept paint. But what if you have an older home with imperfect walls? Then, you really are better off calling in the professional painters. Here's why.
Professionals have the gear and know-how to protect themselves from toxins in the old paint.
In older homes, there is sometimes lead paint. If the lead paint is chipped off the walls, or if some of it needs to be scraped off before the home can be repainted, then there is some risk of the painter being exposed to the lead paint and developing lead poisoning. Lead poisoning is a serious matter; it can lead to headaches, memory loss, and digestive upset. Professional painters have the suits, goggles, gloves, and respirators to protect themselves from lead and other toxins in old paint, and just as importantly, they know how to tell whether they need to take these precautions in various areas of your home.
Professionals will use the right primer.
Before you paint any wall, you need to prime the wall. Primer ensures the paint goes on smoothly, and it also ensures even adhesion between the paint and the wall surface. However, choosing the right primer for an older wall is not always easy. You need to know what kind of paint was previously used on the wall, what the wall is made from, and what kind of look the homeowner wants. A professional painter is used to doing this analysis and making these decisions, so they are much more likely to choose the right primer to get excellent results.
Professionals know how to cover imperfections in old walls.
Old walls are rarely perfect. They may have some bumps and bulges in some areas and uneven texture in others. Some of this may need to be corrected by a drywall professional before the painter comes in, but it's actually pretty amazing how much a good painter can hide. They can choose a paint finish that camouflages some imperfections, and they can also add some texture to the paint in specific areas to mask more extensive issues.
If you have an older home, don't attempt a DIY paint job. Professionals can handle the task more safely, they can choose the right primer, and they can mask the imperfections in your walls Contact interior painting contractors to learn more.
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