One of the first and most important questions to tackle when approaching an interior painting project is the number of coats you will need. The amount of paint you need to complete the project will be dictated by the number of coats you apply.
How Much Paint?
Several variables are at play when it comes to coats of paint that make it difficult to estimate exactly how much paint you will need, but here are some guidelines to follow:
- Painting the same (or a very similar color) on an interior wall. Freshening your wall color is a simple and easy way to paint a room in your home. After properly washing the surface you will likely only need one coat of paint. Use a good brush or roller to evenly coat the wall. Once the paint dries, you should have an evenly colored surface that looks as good as new.
- Painting a new color on an interior wall. The short answer to this question is, probably more than one. Of course, it depends on the original color that is being covered up and the new color you are using. Painting a dark or bold cover over a lighter color will likely only require two coats. Painting light over dark is a different story. Achieving a smooth, even color in this scenario could require up to six coats of paint.
- Using a primer. You can bypass all the coats required for painting light over dark by using a primer. Primers are an affordable and easy way to mask the existing color of your wall, and they create a surface that your new paint will readily take to.
Painting Over Drywall
Painting over new walls or repaired areas of drywall requires a good primer. New drywall and the spackle used to smooth its seams is absorbent. Painting without a primer will require several coats, which can be time consuming and expensive. A primer will provide a paintable surface that will require one or two coats at the most.
Paint Quality
Paint quality is another important factor to consider. Cheap paint has lower performing ingredients and won’t perform as well as a high-quality paint. Ask yourself if you’d rather buy a more expensive paint that will require a few coats or cheaper paint that will require more coats and may never exhibit the finish you would get from high-quality paint.
Call Us Today For Your Painting Project Estimate
We are your Denver house painters. Zenith Painting & Coatings has painted thousands of homes and business throughout Denver and surrounding Colorado communities, but we treat each and every job as an individual one. Our professional painters use the right tools and the best products available to ensure that we not only make it look great, but we get it done right the first time.
Call us today at (800) 381-4601 or fill out our contact form below for your free estimate and project scope.