Now is the ideal time to tackle home improvement projects, including repainting, sealing and staining interior and exterior areas of the home. Whether touching up the exterior, repainting kitchen cabinets or adding a fresh hue in the living room, these tips from Benjamin Moore can help you get started and provide you with the know-how to tackle any painting project with confidence, from start to finish.

1. Don’t skip the prep work.

One of the most important tips for painting is proper preparation. No matter the surface being painted, the first step is to clean the surface, sand and fix small imperfections. Washing and sanding is recommended because paint sticks better to a clean, non-glossy surface.

When sanding, use a fine grade sandpaper and sand the surface from top to bottom. After completing these steps, use spackle to smooth out questionable surfaces. For professional, wow-worthy results, be sure to remove wall plates and tape off light switches and electrical outlets before painting.

2. Paint like a pro.

Investing in quality tools can ensure a project goes smoothly and generates an impressive finished product — rather than turn into a beastly job with underwhelming results. Use the recommended roller or brush for the type of paint the project requires.

If planning to undertake a spray application, follow the directions that come with the sprayer and practice in an inconspicuous area before tackling the main job. Most premium paints today flow on very easy, so when rolling, let the roller do the work. There is no reason to put a lot of pressure on the roller or overwork the paint. Apply a nice even coat and move on — two coats total.

If overwhelmed with the options or what a project might require, ask for advice from your local paint retailer. Every job can have some unique aspects that an experienced associate can help navigate.

Pro tip: When using latex paint, wet your brush bristles with water and shake the brush dry before you dip it in the paint. The brush will hold more paint and deliver better results.

3. How to pick the right color for your project.

Knowing where to begin in the color selection process is not unusual. Help hone in on the perfect color by breaking the process into just a few simple steps.

Color inspiration is all around — a favorite fabric, a specific hue in the kitchen countertop, a color drawn from a piece of art on the wall, or even a page torn out of a magazine. The inspiration stage is very helpful in narrowing down the seemingly never-ending range of color choices.

Once color options have been refined to a few color families (i.e. reds, greens, blues or neutrals), visit a local paint retailer to explore the color family in a sample display or fan deck. Within each color family, there is a wide range of colors, so instincts are important — chances are a few colors will immediately jump out and stand apart from the rest.

Next, pull chips of the two to three leading colors and purchase pint samples to bring home and understand how it looks in a specific setting. It’s important to bring paint home to test on a wall, as the light in the store will be different from the light at home.