There is no doubt that painting your interior walls is one of the best ways to improve and change the look of your rooms. There are certain techniques you can use to dramatically improve the look of the paint and the way your rooms look. Here are eight great tips you should know before you paint your walls:

1.) Each paint finish has its advantage

When you are painting a wall, consider its imperfections, lighting and how the room is used. Flat paint will hid any imperfections much better than a high gloss paint. High gloss paint is more durable and is easier to clean and reflect light more. An eggshell gloss is a great middle-of-the-road option for most rooms.

2.) Samples save time

Using a small sample of paint will save you time and money as we do not really know how a color will look on your wall. Do not waste your money on a 'test' gallon of paint when you can buy a sample for a few bucks.

3.) Fear of color promotes white walls

Different colors can add depth, comfort and texture to a room. When you use the right colors, you can dramatically change the look of a room. If you do not explore different colors you will learn to plain white walls.

4.) There is more that goes into buying paint than square footage

When you are figuring out how much paint you need to buy, square footage is the first number you need to calculate. Then surface you are painting, whether you are using primer or not and the number of coats should be factored in.

5.) Prepping should not be skipped

When you are painting a room, you need to spend half your project hours on the actual prep work. Spend your time using the right materials and fill holes, cracks and other wall imperfections. Wipe any dust or debris from your walls, base-boards and door frames.

6.) Trim with a brush before your roll

You always want to trim with a brush before you begin to roll out a wall so you wont brush paint strokes over your rolled paint. When you roll over your painted trim work, the roll will flatten out any brush strokes as well.

7.) Avoid stretching and overextending

One of the best tools you can get for painting is an extension poll for your roller to help save time and overextending yourself. You will spend less time moving ladders and your body will thank you. The benefits of using extension polls outweigh the cost.

8.) Do not underestimate time

The worst thing you can do is rush a painting job. Make sure you set the proper time to complete your job correctly. Let the primer and paint dry in between so you can see the areas that need more attention and let the final paint dry 24 hours before you start moving your furniture.

Article originally published at Source by John Stackson