7 Common DIY Painting Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Painting is a gateway DIY for fledgling home improvement recruits—after all, you’ve probably wielded some version of a paintbrush since preschool and armed yourself with a roller at some point in college. Because interior painting seems easy, we take it for granted and make painting mistakes that can make rooms go from suave to sloppy with a stroke of a roller. In fact, painting a room is a balance of skill, perseverance and attention to detail. “If you’re planning to spend time and energy embarking on a DIY painting project, it’s important to take your time and research best practices before diving in,” says Leslie Murphy, owner and creative director at Murphy Maude Interiors, in Memphis. “Simple tweaks ensure your project comes out flawlessly. On the flip side, simple mistakes can do the exact opposite.”

That’s why mastering DIY painting will pay off, literally. According to Fixr, a guide platform with a focus on remodeling, the average cost for a professional interior paint and priming job ranges between $990 and $1,320. The size and condition of the room sways the price pendulum, of course: a lavish 300-square-foot living room can skew toward $1,200, while a guest bathroom facelift is likely around $120. Professionals will also charge extra for wall repairs, trim, and baseboards, as well as cleanup. Seasonality can drive up the price tag, especially in the spring, when cleaning fever is out of hibernation and amps the demand for pro painters. All these extras can add a few hundred dollars to the original quote.

Below are common DIY painting mistakes, and pro solutions on how to fix them. 

Mistake #1: Forgetting to wash your walls

Dirty walls may be the reason you want to paint in the first place. “You always need to start with a clean slate, especially in the kitchen where there’s presumably more grease,” Murphy says. “People tend to skip this step, but I find it’s imperative to the process as paint won’t properly stick to a dirty surface.” The oil in the grease is likely to start peeling, in some cases, almost immediately. Let the botched surface dry completely, then use a paint scraper to remove anything that isn’t smooth. Spot prime and repaint the area.

Mistake #2: Skipping spackle or wood filler on trim

Painting requires some reconnaissance when it comes to wall and trim blemishes. Ignoring holes or beat up trim is a bit like dressing up when you’re hungover—the intention is there, but you can see through the ruse. Mickey Thompson, technical manager of ECOS Paints, recommends you apply a pea-sized amount of spackling compound with a flexible putty knife to “patch the peepers.” Once dry, sand lightly and touch up with paint. You may have to paint a larger area, since walls can soak up paint differently depending on porosity. For trim, sand the nicks out, and use a wood filler for deep notches. Allow to dry, sand to smooth, and touch up again.

Mistake #3: Skimping on primer

Yes, painting a room twice is annoying, but using a primer is what procures the color you chose with fewer coats of paint. Certain paint colors, especially bright yellows, greens, reds, and oranges, need a separate primer to look vivid, Thompson notes. A paint job with “bleed through” (when the old color is showing, especially when you’re going from dark to light) is an easy enough fix. Apply one or two more coats of paint until it looks uniform. Should you decide to spot prime, say a pesky corner, ensure the final result blends with the rest of the wall. In the end, the shortcut will have you do the same amount of painting. Next time, start with a fast-drying formula like Clare primer. “It’s super thick so one coat usually does the trick,” Murphy says.

Mistake #4: Painting a second coat before the first one dries

No one likes watching paint dry, but for this DIY, patience is a virtue. Rushing to apply a second coat before the first one dries completely can pick up the first coat of paint, thinning it out. “It’ll result in uneven coloring, streaks, or even peeling,” Murphy says. “I recommend waiting two to four hours before applying a second coat, even longer for an oil-based paint.” Think you can outsmart science with a heavy hand hoping to skip a second coat altogether? Don’t. You’ll risk giving your surface “wrinkly skin.” To cure a rushed paint job, wait for the paint to harden, then sandpaper it to rub it down. Clean the area with a soapy sponge and clean water, allow it to dry, and reapply.

Mistake #5: Painting over a stain

To make a water or chemical stain permanently disappear, spot prime with a kill-stain primer or a pigmented shellac, says Thompson, who suggests a water-based primer, such as ECOS Paints Stain Blocking Primer. “Sometimes it’s just not possible to spot treat an area without it being visible, in which case repainting corner-to-corner is necessary,” he says. If the stain is on a smaller surface, like paneling or kitchen cabinets, you’ll have to prime the entire area.

Mistake #6: Waiting too long to peel off painter’s tape

Prying painting tape can be as bad as a bikini wax. Yanking too hard will have you screaming as you pull off a layer of paint. Use a razor to cut along the perimeter where the tape meets the trim or wall. For a clean edge, slowly pull the tape away.

Mistake #7: The color is too dark

Ending up with a color that’s darker than expected is a common novice paint mistake. Paint typically shows up darker IRL than on a paint chip–especially in a room with minimal natural light. Adding lamps, but not overhead lights, can make a big difference. To further offset the dark hue, add decorative accessories with reflective surfaces to bounce off the light, says Denver-based Nadia Watts of Nadia Watts Interior Design, who recommends a brass tray, a large glass bowl, or a gold side table, for instance.

However, sometimes a dark color can’t be salvaged by lightening the interiors with furnishings and accessories. In that case, you’ll want to repaint. “Go at least 50% lighter on the color that was too dark,” Watts advises. “But be sure you like the color family you begin with.”