Interior Painting: Tips & Tricks

Do you find yourself dreading endless hours of moving furniture, painting walls, and cleaning up? A little paint can do magic to your home, especially if you’re itching to make a change to your decor. With these tips and tricks, painting can be a painless task.

Quality

This is one project where you don’t want to cut costs on materials. When evaluating paint and cost, there are several factors to keep in mind. First, even if you get high quality paint eventually it will fade from light exposure. If you choose to go with a lighter color palette, this will reduce the amount of fade over time. Second, if you’re choosing between paint with and without primer, go for the one with the primer. It will have better coverage and will reduce your costs for the project. Before making your multiple gallon purchase, get some sample sizes to test on the walls at home. The color will change depending on the time of day and the amount of light the room gets, so test swatches are crucial. In addition, go ahead and invest in high quality rollers and brushes to complete your project.

Finish

Basic rules of thumb for paint type are flat or matte for the ceiling, eggshell for the walls, and semi gloss for the trim. The final decision on shine is up to you, but keep in mind that the shinier the paint, the more noticeable the imperfections. Future touch ups are also a little easier with a flatter paint.

Quantity

Another good rule of thumb involves calculating your costs. In general, a gallon of paint covers about 350 square feet. If you get the dimensions of your space, you can either calculate about how many gallons you would need, or you can ask a professional’s opinion at the paint store.

Prep

First, clear and clean your room. Put the large furniture in the center and cover it with tarps or drop cloths. Wipe down any dusty surfaces. Next, use high quality painter’s tape along the trim, windows, and door frames. Be sure to remove all your outlets, light switches, and vent covers so that you avoid getting paint on them. Tape the outlets to protect against paint potentially spilled on them; it’s helpful to tape the screws onto the outlets that they belong to for easy reinstallation. Finally, protect your floors with tarps or drop cloths. Don’t worry about finding a drop cloth large enough to cover your entire floor. You can move the drop cloth as you move around the room, but be sure to watch where you step on and off of the drop cloth.

Painting

It’s best to start at the top and work your way to the bottom. If you’re painting the ceiling, start there first. You may want to rent or buy a paint sprayer to use on the ceiling; otherwise, you can follow the same process you do on the walls. Use a paint brush to cut around the edges that the roller cannot reach. With the roller, paint using the W technique rather than up and down. Start at the corner of a wall and roll in a W pattern, then fill it in without lifting the roller. Continue this in sections until you’ve covered the whole wall. Go back and repeat the process for the second coat. Two coats should be enough to cover completely, but if the color you’re covering is especially dark you may need more. Be sure to remove the tape from the wall about 30 minutes after you finish painting the space. Leaving the tape on for prolonged periods of time will allow the paint to cure. This means that when you go to take it off you may take some of the paint with it. The last thing you’ll need to do is clean your brushes, rollers and trays. Mild dish soap is all you need to remove latex paint, and it’s best to clean your supplies immediately after using them.

Three Rules to Remember

There are three rules to keep in mind while tackling your painting project. First, be patient. Don’t rush through cleaning or prep work because it will lead to a less professional looking wall. Second, be honest about your skill level. Avoid making mistakes just because you didn’t ask for help. Lastly, spend a little extra to get the right tools. Using subpar equipment will downgrade the quality of the finished look.

Hopefully, these tips and tricks will make the task of painting seem less daunting! However, if you’re not sure you’re up to tackling the project yourself, call a local professional. Either way, enjoy your freshly painted walls!