Know Thy Surface

Think all surfaces are created equal? Hardly! Read on to see why not.

Knowing what kind of surface you're working with is a lifesaver. Well, a house-lifesaver. For those who haven't painted before, or who don't paint often, it can seem simple. Get a brush, get a roller, and go to town on those walls and ceilings. What's so hard? Truth is, from veneer to straight wood, your surface type can have a massive effect on the quality of your job.

Let's take something like veneer. Sleek and smooth, it doesn't absorb much at all. A little bit of paint goes a very, very long way here. Imagine if you weren't aware of that, taking a brush or roller loaded with paint to it—you well might have rivers of paint cascading toward your floor and baseboards!

Now look at wood. A little while ago, our team was working on renovating a log cabin, and we were to make the wood white. Regardless of your color preference, know that the wood absorbed a ton! Wood is porous and fluctuates in size, so getting a coat right requires a good bit more than veneer.

There's a plethora of surfaces beyond these. Metal. Drywall. Brick. And no matter what you're painting, it's crucial to keep in mind the need to research each surface beforehand. As Sun Tzu says in The Art of War, "Know thy enemy."

We aren't fighting wars like that, but every paint job is a battle of some degree. Know thy surface.