What painting mistakes do NB homeowners make most often when doing DIY painting?

The most common DIY painting mistakes in New Brunswick homes almost always come down to skipping preparation, misunderstanding the role of humidity and temperature, or choosing the wrong product for the surface. These are not beginner mistakes exclusively — experienced DIYers make them too, and they show up within months as peeling, streaking, or uneven finish.

Skipping or rushing prep work is the single most costly mistake. A fresh coat of paint applied over dirty walls, glossy old paint, or a surface with minor peeling will fail faster than the original paint. In NB homes — particularly older clapboard houses and older-stock interiors in Moncton, Fredericton, and Saint John — surfaces have often had multiple coats applied over the decades. Glossy surfaces need sanding or a bonding primer before new paint. Walls need to be washed with a TSP substitute or quality degreaser to remove cooking grease, soap film, or nicotine residue before painting. Filling nail holes, caulking gaps around trim, and spot-priming bare spots are not optional steps.

Ignoring humidity conditions is a distinctly NB problem. Many homeowners paint on warm summer days when they finally have time, without realizing the humidity inside their home is 70%. Paint applied in high humidity takes far longer to dry than the label suggests, and applying a second coat before the first is truly cured causes lifting, streaking, and a finish that never fully hardens. Use a dehumidifier or run fans to manage interior humidity during summer painting, and always add extra drying time between coats on humid days.

Choosing the wrong sheen is extremely common. Flat paint in a kitchen or bathroom looks great for about three months until the first time you try to wipe it down — then it scrubs away. Semi-gloss is the standard for bathrooms, kitchens, and trim for exactly this reason. On the other side, using semi-gloss on walls in a living room highlights every drywall imperfection and feels institutional. Match the sheen to the space: flat for ceilings, eggshell or satin for living areas and bedrooms, semi-gloss for wet areas and trim.

Using cheap rollers and brushes consistently produces poor results. A roller cover leaves fibres in the paint, creates uneven texture, and cannot hold enough paint to produce a consistent coat. A quality Purdy or Wooster brush with synthetic bristles (for latex paint) costs 5-25 and makes cutting in around trim dramatically easier and cleaner. Your tools are just as important as your paint.

Painting in too-thick coats in an effort to get done faster. Heavy coats drip, sag, and take far longer to dry than two thin, even coats. Thin, even coats — two of them — are always the right approach.

For any project involving a pre-1978 home with suspected lead paint on trim or doors, DIY is not appropriate — consult a professional with lead-safe work practices.

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