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ZEPHYRA's avatar

Do you do your own house painting or do you get the experts to do so?

Asked by ZEPHYRA (21750points) February 3rd, 2019

How are your painting skills, do you manage well?

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21 Answers

canidmajor's avatar

I always have, my skills used to be pretty good, but I still do my own because I tend to do it better than the guys one hires.

janbb's avatar

I was spoiled for many years; my Ex always did it. I never really learned how to do it properly so now I have to pay someone.

Dutchess_III's avatar

I do interior painting myself.
It’s not hard. The trickiest part is to be really careful not to get it on the ceiling or on the trim. I’ve found that the best way is to simply use a small, good quality brush and go very, very, very slowly. And you slowly keep broadening that line with a bigger and bigger brush until you can use a roller.

JeSuisRickSpringfield's avatar

I painted houses for a few summers after college (interiors and exteriors), so I learned enough to do it on my own. I’m sure it’s not quite as good as someone who does it professionally, but the price can’t be beat!

Brian1946's avatar

For me, it’s the latter.

I’ve reanimated the corpse of Michelangelo, and it does all my painting.

The neighbors call my house the Sistine Eyesore! ;-)

elbanditoroso's avatar

Experts. I used to do my own house painting, but I’m too old for this shit nowadays.

Inspired_2write's avatar

I learned by myself, there is so much information on how to do on you tube etc
I always painted, wallpapered over the years and learned to use painters tape to cover all baseboards and ceiling area that touches the area as it makes for clean lines. I used to frame the area using a smaller brush of paint then used rollers for the rest. Turned out great!

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Dutchess_III's avatar

Some one told me to take a flat head screwdriver and run it along the ceiling where it meets the wall. It scores it, leaves a groove that your brush should just slip right into.
The biggest trick I learned was when we were delivering this guy’s mower to him. His wife was in the house painting around the trim on a door. I was watching her carefully and it was amazing. No tape. I asked how she was doing it. She showed me how she just pushed this small bead of paint just ahead of her brush. It took a while to get the hang of it, but I finally did. It’s tedious, but it beats the frustration of pulling off tape and finding all the places the tape failed.

Dutchess_III's avatar

I literally use the green brush out of this set of kids water color brushes for my first run along the ceiling and around the trim. After two coats of that, I go to the red one. After two coats of that I got to a regular angled paint brush. After two coats of that I go with the roller. I love that part! The roller goes so FAST!

chyna's avatar

I do my own painting. I’m pretty good at it.

rockfan's avatar

I’m pretty good at it, but I remember my parents hired a French artist to paint our house, and he mixed gold into the paint without telling us beforehand.

JLeslie's avatar

I hate painting. I do it myself at times. I prefer to hire someone to do it. The professionals are incredible. The ones I’ve hired anyway. If it’s just one or two rooms I tend to do it myself.

gondwanalon's avatar

I want my house to be pained correctly. That’s why I do it myself. This includes doing all the cleaning and prep work and using the absolute best paint available and multiple coats. It’s not rocket science. It doesn’t take a lot of skill, just a lot of hard work.

I don’t trust “professional” painters.

kritiper's avatar

I do almost all of my house painting and repair. My dad taught me how to paint, home improvement shows did the rest.

burtreynoldsinjeopardy's avatar

Why pay for something you can do yourself? Painting is not difficult.

LuckyGuy's avatar

I know I should do it myself but I don’t. I hire friends to do it. They seem to do it much faster and better than I would – and they don’t make a mess.
No matter how careful I’d try to be I’m guaranteed a disaster.
I’d carefully put down drop cloths and start opening the paint and a blob would fly onto the wall. I’d find a rag and try to wipe it off. I’d forgetfully put the rag down on the couch and leave a paint splotch the size of a butt cheek. I’d get some solvent to clean the couch and my stove would ignite the vapors resulting in the total destruction of my home and the woods nearby.
It is much safer to have a friend do it.

ARE_you_kidding_me's avatar

I have always done it myself. I usually do everything though, plumbing, electrical, roofing repair, drywall, flooring etc… If I hire someone it’s because I don’t know what I’m doing but usually if I get to see it once then I’m good after that.

LuckyGuy's avatar

@ARE_you_kidding_me I’m an engineer so that means I’m willing to try most anything, including electrical and furnace work included.
However, my experience has shown that painting is best passed on to someone with steadier hands, surer strokes, and the best equipment.

When we returned from overseas our furniture was still in transit. We hired a contracter to paint the house in 4 days – so the floors could be refinished as well.
The first day a lone painter walked in the door with a can of paint and a couple of brushes. I thought I had made a big hiring mistake. His job was to prepare and “cut in” before the other crew members arrived. I asked, “Don’t you need drop cloth or rags in case you make a mistake or drip?” He said “I don’t make mistakes or drips and if there are any, I can clean it off with my finger. You’ll see. At the end of this job my hands will still be clean.”
They were!
He started at one end of the house and by late afternoon was about halfway in when the other crew showed up with more guys than I could count. They were hauling air gun sprayers, brushes, drop cloths, paint cans, etc.
In 3 days it was done. It looked great – and there was no mess! Incredible!
Had I attempted that job myself I’d still be working on the first bathroom.
It was definitely worth the money.

mightym's avatar

Painting is super easy and you save money but doing the painting yourself.

Dutchess_III's avatar

^^^ It’s the trimming that’s the tricky part. That and simply being careful not to get it on the baseboards and stuff.

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