One of the nice things about most paint jobs is if something goes wrong fixing mistakes is easy with a little know how. The following is some of the more common mistakes people make and how to fix them.
Paint splatters
Paint can splatter just about anywhere. That is why you will see a professional painter spend time to mask areas off and work on a drop cloth. Sometimes that isn’t enough. If you have paint splattered on to glass (window) the easiest way to fix this is to use the edge of a razor blade to shave the paint off and then glean the glass with a window cleaner.
Drips and runs
Drips and runs usually occur from an overloaded brush or roller frame. It’s an easy fix. Let the paint completely dry and then shave as much of the paint as you can with a razor blade. Sand the area smooth. Sometimes the area may need a little spackle or drywall mud. Let dry. Sand and prime/paint.
Paint on the ceiling
If this occurs while painting your walls then wipe as much as you can with a rag while the paint is wet. If this happens on an unpainted drywall ceiling then wipe the spot then let it dry, you can scrape a bit of the drywall compound away with any of the remaining paint spot. If the ceiling is unpainted it may blend in.
If this happens on a smooth painted ceiling, wipe the spot with a damp rag before it dries.
If what you are dealing with is a bad cut line between the wall and ceiling (the wall paint has creeped up onto the ceiling) then depending on how much you are dealing with you may be able to scrape it clean on an unpainted ceiling and have it blend in. If it is a painted ceiling and you are lucky enough to have the ceiling paint or know what it is you can do a reverse cut around the ceiling to clean up the lines.
Uneven roll on the walls
If the wall finish seems uneven or there are lap marks, pole sand the wall down. Pay special attention to any lap marks or “fatties”, tape off the trim, cut and re-roll. Keep a wet edge and roll out a nice even finish.
Hopefully the next time you tackle painting a room these tips will help with fixing mistakes you may have.
