You’ve finally gotten the free time you need to paint that spare room in your house. Your brushes, rollers, and Benjamin Moore interior paint are ready to go. It’s time to get started, right? Not quite yet. The paint experts at 21st Century Paints are here to help ensure your DIY paint job gets done right the first time - including preventing paint streaks.

Types of Streaks

Even the paint pros at 21st Century Paints had to learn the hard way a few times when we were starting out. There are three common types of paint streaks; knowing which sort you have is crucial to remedying the situation.

• Raised edge roller marks: These occur when you have too much paint on your roller combined with excessive pressure. The paint gets squeezed to the sides, leaving those unsavory marks.
• Brush marks: The brush technique is a tricky thing to master. That’s why we suggest using a roller for broad stretches of walls and reserving the brushes for corners and other details.
• Uneven clumps or drips: This is the catch-all for any blemish that does not result from the other possible causes.

What Causes Paint Streaks?

In order to avoid the problem of paint streaks, it’s important to know what causes them in the first place. Inconsistent coverage is a primary culprit when it comes to subpar paint jobs. You should try to get the same amount of paint on your brush or roller each time you reload. Many DIY painters begin to lose interest or get tired about halfway through the project. If you start strong and notice the quality declining as you progress, you may have fallen into this common painter’s trap.

The amount of paint you begin with is just as essential as consistent coverage. Many first-timers think it’s helpful to put a lot of paint on the wall and then spread it around. Unfortunately, that’s not how interior paint works. Always allow any excess paint to drip off your brush or roller before bringing it to the wall.

Improperly prepped walls are another avenue direct to streaky paint. Perfect technique and quality paint won’t get you far if you’re painting an uneven or unprepared surface. Check your walls for any dents, holes, or scratches, and use drywall or spackle to take care of them. Once your walls are smooth as butter, give them a thorough scrubbing. You want the paint to adhere to the walls, not dust particles and fingerprints.

Prevention is the Best Medicine

Painting is actually more involved than you might believe:

• Before you begin, take some time to “brush up” on your technique. This includes using the right amount of pressure. You may want to practice on a piece of drywall to understand how much is too much.
• You want to paint in the same direction to help create a more uniform finish and avoid those pesky brush marks.
• Two coats are usually the sweet spot for coverage, but each coat must be completely dry before you add the next. Err on the side of caution when it comes to dry time.
• Last but certainly not least is having proper lighting in the area you’re painting. If your workspace is too dim or unevenly illuminated, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise when you see the final result under better light.

Stop the Streak with 21st Century Paint

As the area’s most experienced Benjamin Moore dealer, 21st Century Paints has the know-how you need to get professional results on your next DIY painting project. We carry a wide range of specialty products and can help you navigate the waters of commercial and industrial painting. When you have questions, we have answers. Give us a call or send us a message online. Our store is in Holland, OH, and we’re proud to serve Holland, Toledo, Bowling Green, Findlay, Sandusky, OH & Monroe, MI.