A check wall is a playful way to add a pop of personality to your space. However, what may seem like a fun DIY project on paper can turn into a nightmare before your eyes. This project takes time, effort and, most importantly, patience. That’s why we’ve created this guide of dos and don’ts for your check wall project. Follow along to learn about what undertaking a check wall painting project really looks like.
DO choose contrasting shades. A check wall looks best when the pattern is clear. Once you make your choice, test the colour samples in your space with different lighting. This gives you an opportunity to visualise your colour combination and confirm you’re happy with the colour choice.
DON’T forget to tape around the border of the wall. Protect your walls and floor from unwanted paint. For extra protection, don’t press the tape completely down. Keep it fanned out to catch paint and protect from over-rolling.
DO paint the lighter base colour over the whole wall first. This way you’re only taping the checks for the contrasting darker colour. You’ll save time, but more importantly, you’ll need this coat to bleed seal later (which is the secret to clean lines every time).
DON’T guess your measurements. It may seem obvious, but accurately measuring your wall can be the difference between you becoming a DIY hero or villain. We suggest measuring, measuring again and even measuring a third time before you start applying your check pattern to the wall. When measuring, make sure you write on the tape with pencil, not the wall. If you happen to get any pencil on the wall, use an eraser to remove it before applying paint.
DO get more tape than you think you need. Masking tape is essential when it comes to bringing your check wall to life. However, you don’t want to be left running back to your local Inspirations Paint store for more tape when you realise you didn’t grab enough to do the job. You should also use a wide masking tape. This will help protect from over-rolling.
DON’T paint the wrong square. We’re not saying we don’t trust you, but in the heat of painting, mistakes can happen. To avoid this, mark the squares that you won’t be painting with masking tape.
DO bleed seal your check pattern. This is key to creating clean lines on your wall. Press down firmly on the tape edges and over them with the lighter base colour. Allow this coat to dry completely before you apply your darker colour.
DON’T paint all your coloured checks at once. It might be more time consuming, but only paint half your coloured checks first. This makes taping clean straight lines much easier, meaning the end result is much better.
DO have patience. A great check wall is time consuming. Don’t try and rush ahead. Wait for each coat to fully dry before reapplying or retaping. If you don’t, you run the risk of ruining your beautiful new paint job.
For more expert tips and tricks, head to your local Inspirations Paint store.