If you have just painted a wall, you might not be thinking about ways to keep the wall looking new. However, it’s important to know how to keep your paint job looking fresh even if you’ve only just finished painting. Taking care of a paint job will make it last much longer, and will save you a lot of work in the end.

Invest in Quality Paint

While you might not want to spend too much money on buying paint, know that getting the least expensive option isn’t always the best. Less expensive paints might be more susceptible to chipping and fading over time. This can be especially problematic if you are painting a room that gets either a lot of sunlight or is used a lot.

By investing in quality paint, you will likely be saving yourself some money. A high-quality paint is more likely to last for a long time. 

Also, look into what paint is best for the specific room that you are painting. For example, if you are going to paint a bathroom, you should try to use a paint that has a glossier coat, such as an eggshell rather than a completely matte polish.

Keep Extra Paint

After you are finished painting a room, do not throw your extra paint away! You can keep old paint for a while, and if there are any minor scrapes or marks that appear on the wall, it will be easy to grab a brush and quickly touch up the paint job.

If you are painting a large area, it’s a good idea to invest in an extra bucket of paint or two. That way, you will always have some fresh paint that you can break out if needed. Since paint is mixed in the store, there’s no other guarantee that you will be able to get the same exact color twice (especially if you don’t remember what the exact paint color was).

Don’t Skip Prep Work

It might be tempting to just start painting a wall, but there are a few steps that need to be taken first if you want to ensure that your paint job will last.

The first thing that you should do before you start painting is make sure that the wall is clean. Wipe down the wall, even if you don’t think that it looks dirty. Chances are that there is some dust and dirt buildup on the wall. This is normal, and happens over time to every wall in a home. Clean with water, or if necessary, a non-abrasive soap. Wait for the wall to be completely dry before you start painting. If you don’t prep the wall properly before painting, it will mean that the fresh paint will not stick to the wall like it is supposed to.

Before you start to paint, check to make sure that you have the correct brushes. The method of applying paint does make a difference, and brushes will change based on what you are painting.