Painting your home’s interior can transform its look and feel, but achieving professional-quality results requires more than just a brush and some paint. Our expert tips will guide you through the process so your paint job looks great and stands the test of time.
Preparing for Painting Your Space
Proper preparation is key to achieving a professional-quality paint job. Take these steps before picking up a brush or roller.
Choosing the Right Paint and Colors
Selecting the right paint and colors is more than picking your favorite shade. Consider the room’s purpose, lighting, and existing decor. Paint 2-by-2-foot wall swatches in different parts of the room to better understand how the color will look. This method, recommended by painting professionals, allows you to see how the color interacts with your furniture and flooring in different light conditions throughout the day.
Calculating Paint Quantity
Calculating how much paint you need prevents mid-project store runs. Follow these steps to find how much paint you should buy:
- Measure the height and length of the walls.
- Add up all the lengths, then multiply that by the height to get the square footage of the walls.
- Double this number for two coats of paint.
- Divide by 400 square feet, which is about how much one gallon of paint covers, to find how many gallons to buy. This estimate will give you some extra paint because it doesn’t account for doors or windows.
Cleaning and Prepping Surfaces
Thorough cleaning is essential, especially in kitchens and bathrooms where grease and residue accumulate. “If you don’t clean that off, you could be painting a greased cookie sheet,” says Doug Wold, owner of Queen Anne Painting. “It ain’t gonna stick.” Use a degreaser on tough areas and household cleanser elsewhere, then rinse thoroughly. After cleaning, lightly sand surfaces to ensure better paint adhesion.
Beyond cleaning, repair any surface imperfections. Fill nail holes and cracks with a patching compound, then sand smooth. Inspect for mildew and treat as needed. Priming is essential, especially on new drywall, stained areas, or different-colored patches.
Essential Tools for Painting Trim and Walls
Having the right tools can make or break your painting project. Investing in the right equipment saves you time and frustration in the long run.
Selecting Quality Brushes and Rollers
Choose brushes with flagged bristles—tapered, split, and arranged in multiple lengths to form a slim tip. Synthetic bristles, especially a mix of nylon and polyester, work best for latex paints. “People think nothing of spending $10 to go to a movie. But they put themselves through torture trying to paint with cheap equipment,” says John Hone, owner of Hone Painting and Restoration. Invest in good brushes, which typically cost $12 to $15 each.
Consider various roller sizes beyond the standard 9-inch. Small foam rollers work well for door panels and wainscoting, while 14-inch or 18-inch rollers cover large areas quickly. Mario Guertin, president of Painting in Partnership, notes, “Manufacturers make larger rollers, and there are people buying them. But only the educated ones.”
Must-Have Painting Accessories
Beyond brushes and rollers, these accessories can improve your painting experience:
- A sturdy ladder for reaching high areas safely
- Drop cloths to protect floors and furniture
- Foam sanding sponges for corners and rounded trim
- Silicon carbide sandpaper for smoother, longer-lasting sanding
- Painter’s tape to protect areas that shouldn’t be painted
- Paint trays and liners for easy cleanup
Mastering the Art of Painter’s Tape
Painter’s tape is valuable for achieving clean lines and protecting surfaces. However, using painter’s tape effectively requires some skill and knowledge.
Proper Tape Application Techniques
Press the painter’s tape firmly along the edges to prevent paint seepage. Run a putty knife along the tape’s edge for textured walls to seal it. Remove the tape while the paint is still wet to avoid peeling off dried paint with the tape.
Creating Perfect Stripes and Edges
For crisp stripes, apply tape, then seal the edges with a thin layer of the base color. This prevents bleeding under the tape. After this sealing coat dries, use your stripe color. Remove the tape carefully at a 45-degree angle while the paint is still slightly wet for the cleanest lines.
To create geometric designs, plan your pattern and use a laser level to ensure straight lines. Before applying tape, measure and mark key points on the wall with a pencil.
Painting Trim: Techniques and Best Practices
Trim painting requires precision and patience. The right techniques make a difference in the final appearance of your room.
Should You Paint the Trim or Walls First?
Many DIYers debate whether to paint trim or walls first. Rich O’Neil of Masterworks Painting advises, “Paint all the woodwork first—the first and second coats—then move onto the walls. If you toggle back and forth, your cutlines won’t be as sharp. When you do the woodwork, you can ride the trim paint onto the walls a little, then cut over it in one go.”
Tips for Painting Baseboards with Carpet
Painting baseboards with carpet requires extra care. Use a paint shield or carpet shield to protect the carpet while painting. Alternatively, you can try to remove the carpet’s tack strip and pull it back slightly for better access. If you’re uncomfortable with these methods, consider removing the baseboards, painting them separately, and reinstalling them.
Achieving a Smooth Finish on Trim
For a smooth finish on trim, use a high-quality sash brush or a foam roller. Apply the paint in long, even strokes. Avoid overloading your brush or roller, and sand between coats for the best results. For added durability, consider using a water-based enamel paint.
Wall Painting Strategies for Flawless Results
Achieving smooth, even wall coverage is key to a professional-looking paint job. These strategies help you avoid common pitfalls.
Cutting In
Cutting in—painting along edges where the walls meet ceilings, windows, or door frames—requires a steady hand and the right technique. Load your brush by dipping it no more than halfway into the paint, then tapping off excess. Start a few inches from the edge and work your way in, using light pressure for precise control.
Rolling Walls for Even Coverage
When rolling walls, maintain a wet edge to avoid lap marks. Roll in a W or M pattern, then fill in the gaps. For the smoothest finish, finish each section with long, vertical strokes from bottom to top. This technique, called “laying off,” helps distribute the paint evenly.
Dealing with Textured Surfaces
Textured walls are more difficult to paint. Use a thicker nap roller cover to ensure the paint gets into all the crevices. When cutting in on textured surfaces, painting expert Bruce Schneider advises to “vibrate your hand a little to get bristle tips into uneven surfaces.”
Avoiding Common Painting Pitfalls
Even experienced painters can encounter issues. Here are some common problems and tips for avoiding them.
Preventing Drips and Splatters
Don’t overload your brush or roller to prevent drips. When using a roller, dip it in paint and roll it on the tray’s ridges to distribute the paint evenly. For brushwork, tap off excess paint before applying. If the paint drips, smooth it quickly with your brush while the paint is still wet.
Eliminating Brush and Roller Marks
Brush marks often result from using too little paint or overworking an area. Load your brush properly and use long, smooth strokes. For roller marks, ensure you use the right nap length for your wall texture and maintain consistent pressure as you roll.
Dealing with Uneven Surfaces
For uneven surfaces, consider using a paint conditioner to help the paint flow smoothly. Paint conditioners slow the drying process, giving you more time to work and resulting in fewer brush or roller marks.
Professional Secrets for a Polished Finish
Professional painters have tricks that elevate their work from good to great. Incorporating these techniques can give your paint job that extra polish.
Layering Paint for Depth and Durability
Multiple thin coats of paint often yield better results than one thick coat. This approach allows each layer to dry properly, resulting in a more durable finish. It also helps achieve more even coverage, especially with darker or brighter colors.
Achieving Crisp Lines Between Colors
For crisp lines between different colors, use painter’s tape as a guide rather than completely relying on it. Paint expert John Hone suggests, “With older houses, flat surfaces can be so uneven you can’t be sure you are getting a crisp line if you paint over tape. So just use it as a guide.” Cut in up to the edge of the tape, but don’t cross over it.
Using the Right Primer
Using the right primer is essential for a professional finish. Primers help paint adhere better and provide a uniform surface. Choose a primer that’s appropriate for your surface—stain-blocking primers for stained areas, bonding primers for glossy surfaces, and drywall primers for new drywall.
Cleanup and Maintenance
Proper cleanup and maintenance preserve your tools and ensure a long-lasting paint job.
Proper Brush and Roller Care
Clean brushes and rollers immediately after use with warm, soapy water for latex paints or appropriate solvents for oil-based paints. For brushes, use a brush comb to remove paint from the core and reshape the bristles. Store brushes in their original packaging or hanging to maintain their shape.
Removing Paint from Unwanted Surfaces
If you accidentally get paint where it doesn’t belong, act quickly. For wet paint on carpet, keep the area damp and blot (don’t scrub) to remove as much as possible. For water-based paints, use a wet cloth on hard surfaces or the appropriate solvent for oil-based paints.
Long-Term Maintenance Tips
Label each can of leftover paint with the room and date, and store in a cool and dry place. Clean your walls annually with a mild detergent and water to remove dust and grime. Touch up any nicks or scratches to keep your paint job looking fresh.
