Dark Side of the Room: Here Is How to Effectively Paint Over Dark Walls
Dark colors look great when you first paint them on — they’re eye-catching, striking, and definitely make a statement. Like with any paint color, people choose a dark paint color because they either fall in love with it, it matches a room’s decor, or it’s trendy. However, taste, decor, and trends change, and when this happens, it’s time to change it. But when it comes to dark paint, people are a bit more hesitant, and many don’t take action due to one thought: to paint over dark walls with a light paint color is difficult. Painting over any dark color is tough, but painting over red walls is one of the most significant challenges. Because of this, always think twice before choosing red in the first place, and if you can’t resist, know that enlisting the help of a color consultant is the best way to take care of it.
Yes, we’ve all tried painting over a dark color at one time or another, only to find it still peeking through the new color. This is incredibly frustrating, and it probably leaves you wondering: What’s the secret to how to cover dark paint colors? The paint color experts at Nolan Painting are here with the painting process that will help you effectively cover your dark paint!
Always Start With a Thorough Prep
When it comes to painting, most people want a shortcut, and while this is never advised, taking a shortcut with a dark paint color (like not preppeing properly) will only force you to have to repaint sooner. That’s why when it comes to covering dark paint colors, it’s important to do the hard work first. Here’s what that includes:
- Getting walls as clean as possible
- Scrape away peeling paint
- Smooth out any rough areas
Getting your dark-colored walls to look as pristine as possible before you start the process of covering them up will help to ensure that your new (lightly colored!) paint job for years to come.
Choose the Best Primer for Paint Over Dark Walls
You’ve probably heard of paint primer before, but you may either have skipped it in the past or haven’t needed to use it, and that’s okay for painting over light walls, but priming is a MUST for covering dark paint colors. Because primers serve as an undercoat that increases durability and promotes better adhesion, using one on your dark walls will make covering them much easier. When it comes to figuring out which is the best primer is for dark your walls, it is important to the type of paint you are going to use for your topcoat — this will determine if you need to use an oil based or water based primer. If you would like additional help choosing the best primer is for dark walls, visit the hardware store or paint store and get some expert guidance. Residential painting professionals should always be experts at how to paint over dark colors.
Apply Your Primer — At Least Twice
– Tinting your primers a grey color can help reduce the amount of coats you need to add.
How many coats of primer you will need may vary, but you’ll most likely need at least two coats of primer — maybe three for the darkest of walls. If you don’t put enough primer on your walls, it won’t matter if you’ve found the best paint to cover dark walls — it still won’t look good! To avoid putting coat after coat of primer on, tint your primer with a gray color! This will help you reduce the amount of coats of primer you will need to apply to your walls.
Opt For a High-Quality Paint For Best Results
Similar to how people want to find shortcuts when it comes to painting, they also want to find ways to save money. Although using cheaper paint may save you money right now, it’s important to know that it will cost you more in the long run! This is because you’ll need to buy more of it to effectively cover the dark paint color. Painting your walls with a cheaper product also means that you’ll have to apply many more coats, so you won’t just waste your money — you’ll also be wasting your time!
Let the Pros Handle It
At Nolan Painting, we’re your interior painting experts and go-to guide for covering dark paint. Since 1979, we’ve been serving home and business owners throughout the Main Line area, Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware, Chester and Philadelphia counties. We can answer questions and provide outstanding service when you need help painting over dark colors. Make sure your home looks its best when you choose the best to paint over dark walls — Nolan Painting is always glad to help.
Contact us today for more information about the best paint to cover dark walls.