Pro Finish, DIY Price. How to Achieve Flawless Results When Decorating

Achieving a professional-looking paint finish often seems daunting without hiring experts, but Tikkurila is here to show homeowners how to elevate their decorating skills. Discover practical, expert-backed advice to transform your home with a flawless, durable finish, all while staying within your budget.

Ask the Pro

Mark Taylor

Mark Taylor, our Technical Advisor at Tikkurila UK, offers over three decades of expertise in paint application. He's here to share his top tips for achieving a professional finish on a DIY budget, helping you elevate your home projects to a flawless standard.

Wall Prep

The Problem 

Rushing wall preparation means skipping vital cleaning, filling, and sanding. This leaves unstable surfaces, risking poor paint adhesion, visible flaws, and early paint failure.

Solution  

Before any decorating project you need to ensure you have a clean, dry, and stable surface. By doing this you will ensure that all contaminants have been removed from the walls and your finish will be better. This is a great way to cut down the odds of issues down the road from poor adhesion such as flakey, or bubbly paint. 

Curing vs Drying Times

Problem

Getting the second coat on when the paint is touch dry, not cured. Applying a second coat before the paint cures can lead to poor adhesion, bubbling, peeling, or an uneven finish.

Solution

All paints have drying and curing times you need to adhere to. This information is easy to find and will be available on the tin, or from the seller on a product data sheet. Look this information up in advance so you’ll be able to plan in advance. 



When a paint cures it has reached its maximum hardness and fully bonded to the surface. This is when you’ll want to put that second coat on. 

Get The Right Tools for the Job

Problem

Many homeowners buy cheap paint brushes and rollers assuming they are saving on the job, however, this is likely at the cost of the finish. Cheap brushes tend to be made from low-quality natural or coarse synthetic materials and can soak up paint leaving streaky lines and lead to a poor finish. 

Solution

Spending a little more on paint brushes with nylon/polyester bristles is an easy way to avoid this. They only cost a couple of pounds more and if you clean them properly after use they’ll last for a long time and help you achieve a better finish.

By focusing on these fundamental aspects of surface preparation, investing in quality tools, and respecting crucial drying and curing times, homeowners can confidently achieve a professional, durable paint finish. This expert-backed advice empowers anyone to transform their space with results that look expertly done, without the professional price tag.