Um, that water stain needs special treatment.
I told her not to do high gloss on old walls. A lot of homeowners ask for high-gloss paint, thinking it’s the most washable finish, but it’s far from forgiving. “A higher sheen shows off a wall’s imperfections, especially when you factor in natural light,” says Ben Golde, founder and CEO of Classic Quality Painting in Charleston, SC. So while it might look great on wood cabinetry, furniture, and trim, high-gloss paint will bring out all the bumps, nicks, and uneven plaster on walls that you might not otherwise see. The good news: There are plenty of washable-finish options between flat and gloss, including eggshell and semigloss.
Even after you’ve fixed the source of the leak and the water stains have dried, the stains need to be treated with care. That means using the right primer to seal them so they won’t show through the new paint. “It’s always good for me to know about water damage ahead of time so I can bring the kind of primer I need,” says Robert Hubley. If the damage was extensive and your contractor had to replace drywall, tell your painter that, too. New drywall requires a coat of special primer to give your paint cling power.
She can’t possibly think that’s enough paint.
It’s not my fault she doesn’t like the color!
Coming up short doesn’t just slow down the job—it also means the color in a new can might not match what you’ve already bought. “Most companies have good quality control, but there’s always a human element [the guy mixing the paint] and a robotic element [the paint-mixing machine],” says Jeff Hester. Buying paint all at once helps cut down on color variance. With so many reliable paint calculators around, you don’t need to guess how much to buy. Most major paint brands have their own calculator, as do stores like Lowe’s and The Home Depot. The one from the Paint Quality Institute (paintquality.com) even accounts for the type of paint and the surface you’re covering.
Tiny chips from the paint aisle can help a little, but if your color research stops there, you’ll likely be disappointed. “Paper paint chips are usually too small to get a good sense of the final color,” says Kevin Nolan, president of Nolan Painting in Philadelphia, PA. “Plus, the colors are printed on paper, which looks a little different from how actual paint looks on a wall.” Best bet: Make your own big chips by coating pieces of large white cardstock with sample paints. Tape them to the wall, and compare them throughout the day as the light changes.
