FINISHING UP
The ceiling and walls are completed and they look great. The time has come to finish paint the woodwork windows, doors, and trim. We will use the same painting techniques as we used while priming the woodwork. Just pay a little closer attention to the fullness of the paint and the straightness of the lines. Do not try to save time and trouble by painting the edges of the window and door moldings with the wall paint. Not only does it make the trim look two dimensional, it is a flashing red sign that reads:
"JACKLEG PAINT JOB!!".
We have come too far for that, so take the time to do it right.
So there it is … Frankenstein has been painted.
He looks so good I may have to change his name.........Naaah.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT PAINT AND COLOR
I stated before and it is worth repeating, cheap paint is no bargain. A good quality paint will save labor by requiring fewer coats and will provide a far more durable and professional looking finish. Invest in a good quality paint, you will not regret it.
The sheen (shine) of the paint is also important, not so much in the terms of quality, but in the terms of durability and difficulty of application. Paint is generally available in five sheens, they are; gloss, semigloss, satin, eggshell, and flat or matte. It is true that as a rule the higher the sheen the greater the durability. Since all quality interior paint is very durable, the durability as related to the sheen should not be the deciding factor. When choosing a paint sheen, bear in mind that the higher the sheen the more it will show imperfections and flaws, including mistakes that are made in application. For these reasons the standard has become; semigloss on windows, doors, and trim and flat or matte on ceilings and walls. If you want a more washable wall finish I would recommend the eggshell sheen. If not applied expertly to near perfect walls, gloss and semiglosses can result in unsightly walls and one unhappy home owner. Stick with the standard, at least for now.
Careful consideration should also be given to the color of the paint. Light colors tend to hide flaws and are more forgiving of application mistakes. A monochromatic color scheme is by far the easiest to work with. Let me explain….
A monochromatic color scheme is simply using the same color paint or shades of the same color paint in combination. For example; antique white walls and a darker shade of antique white for the trim. The shades are achieved by adding black or white tint to the original color. You are probably wondering how the color scheme relates to the difficulty of the job.
The answer lies with the edges of the trim. The straightness of the paint lines at the edges of the window, door, baseboard and crown moldings (where they meet the wall) become much more obvious with contrasting colors. The more the contrast, the more obvious the crooks and wiggles in the lines. The lines become much less critical with a monochromatic color scheme.
If you decide to use a contrasting color scheme, here is a way to make those lines easier to tame.
Paint the crown molding, windows and doors before you paint the walls. Be sure to lap a little of the trim paint onto the walls when painting the edges of the moldings.
Do not paint the baseboard and chairrail at this time. Now paint the walls. true up the trim lines as you "cut in" with the wall paint. Most people find it much easier to paint straight lines using this method when dealing with contrasting colors. Next paint the chairrail and baseboard to finish up the job.
Note: If you choose a deep color for your walls, like dark red, dark green or dark blue, prime the walls with a tinted medium gray colored primer. This will greatly reduce the number of coats to achieve fullness. Two finish coats over the gray primer should do it.
