Taking on my first paint job was definitely a harrowing adventure.  It was during the summer of 1996 when my father, who had been painting summers for 20+ years prior, asked me to join the crew.  I was about 14-years-old, needed some cash to buy a computer game and thought, hey, this will be an in-and-out job.

Not so much, as it turned out.  I “painted” around three houses that summer before I told my father I’d had enough. As a first-timer, I definitely showed it.

For most first-timers like me, painting the house can sometimes be a trial by fire.  Being a novice house painter can show itself by being under-prepared and skipping integral steps.  Rather than mirror my disastrous painting skills; here are three mistakes that every beginner must avoid when painting.

1.  Less Isn’t More:  Skimming on supplies is one thing. Applying one coat of paint instead of two is in a completely different ballpark (especially if it’s an outdoor job).  Putting merely one coat of paint to a home is akin to buying pre-faded jeans and then adding bleach to them for more fade.  Don’t let the first coat’s shiny gloss confuse you.  However bold the color may appear, it will slowly transform into a lighter hue a day or so later.  That’s why it’s important to add a second coat, not just because it will settle into the color you wanted from the beginning, but also, a second coat adds an even more solid base to the side of the house, wall, ceiling or wherever you’re painting.  Also, you must, MUST apply a primer before putting on the first coat, so your walls have even more of a defensive mold.

2.  Not Being Overly Protective:  I’ve seen rookie mistakes from previous paint jobs just while searching for a home: light switch casings with paint blemishes on the corners, dried paint along the corners of wooden floorboards, previous paint shades not covered up present coats, and/or patches of grass or flowerbeds bombarded by paint droppings.  The list of errors goes on.

These are mistakes that force you into correcting tedious mistakes, whether it’s having to replace individual, tainted floorboards or having to landscape.  So make it easier on yourself beforehand by taking a bit more time to cover up floors with tarps, use more blue painter’s tape around window sills and wooden frames, used paint pails rather than dip brushes in-and-out of a full paint can and so on.

3.  Impatient Painting:  Trying to paint a room like you’re on a game show with a timer is no way to go.  Instances such as using a spray gun for every area of the wall or siding, because you brushed off prep work like edging and cornering strokes with a hand brush, will end in disaster. Or you don’t use a roller in diagonal formations and instead go up-and-down from left to right, leading to bolder lines of the roller showing up or certain color patches appearing bolder than others.  Instead, take a deep breath, focus and paint like you’re creating a work of art.  Edge the corners of your home with such detail that even the tiniest of missed spots would be accounted for.  There’s a reason painting can take up a lot of your time…because it should.

And in the end, whether your focus is simply on a couple areas of the home or you’re aspiring to become a full-time painting contractor, making the first job count is paramount to making your home stand out as much as possible.