A primer is essential if you want to go from dark walls to light or white walls. Here’s how to prepare a room for interior house painting. Now that you know the proper steps on how to paint a room, get the supplies you need such as paint roller covers, paint trays and more. If you’re doing a large job, mix several gallons into one 5-gallon bucket. If you do it first, you're still fresh, so you're less likely to make mistakes. Tip: Choose the right painter's tape or masking tape adhesion level for the job. This guide will explain how to paint a room, reviewing how to paint walls and the ceiling as well as providing tips for achieving a professional look. Oversaturating your roller can result in unsightly drips in the top coat. Apply the primer using long, smooth strokes, then smooth it out by brushing it in multiple directions. Try not to leave any bare patches, as this type of inconsistency can affect the final color of the paint. It is better for covering light fixtures, cabinets and furniture. Primers are designed to help seal the wall and prevent mold. I'm painting over a similar color but it's in bad condition You need to fill holes, spackle and sand, maybe even cut a new piece of drywall in to the existing wall. Properly painting a room starts with prep work. Prime Your Walls How to Paint a Room: 10 Steps to Painting Walls Like a DIY Pro 1. The next step in painting a room is to use painter's tape to mask off your moldings, windows and doors. For non-textured surfaces, mask it off where it meets the edge of the wall. ", Step 2: For more exact color-matching, try tinting your primer by stirring in a small amount of the paint you’ll be using for your top coat. But with the arrival of COVID-19, the stakes are higher than ever. Then, apply a primer to help the paint stick as well as cut down on the number of coats you’ll have to apply. Spread Drop Cloths It will take a lot of coats to paint it white before painting it green. Expert Interview. Fill any holes and cracks with suitable filler, perhaps using flexible filler for cracks. You can pick up painter’s tape from any home improvement store, as well as most major supermarkets and pharmacies. Dip a large sponge into the soapy water and … Wear old clothes and a hat while painting. Follow the exact same process and techniques used when priming your walls. Overlap your lines and work slowly to avoid paint spatter. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. To prepare for repainting: Wash the wall to remove any grease. Use a light touch—you just want to clean the wall off, not totally soak it. References Wait 2-3 hours for the paint to dry before applying another coat. Tightly seal the remaining paint in cans. But before you do, it will be helpful to be aware of a few painting fundamentals that can save you valuable time and effort. Don’t forget to remove the painter’s tape once you’re satisfied with the look of the wall. If you're planning on having an accent wall, mask off the inside edge of that wall from the rest of the room. Wipe the surfaces clean with a damp towel or sponge and allow them to dry. A single gallon is usually enough to cover about 400 square feet of wall space. Products shown as available are normally stocked but inventory levels cannot be guaranteed, For screen reader problems with this website, please call 1-800-430-3376 or text 38698 (standard carrier rates apply to texts), EPA's renovation, repair and painting program, Step 1: This will help the paint adhere to the wall. Start by removing all the furniture and fixtures you can, including all HVAC registers or outlet covers. You should also wait a couple hours between each individual coat of paint to make sure the underlying coat has had time to set up properly. You should do this any time you leave your paint sitting for an extended period of time. Follow these six tips the next time you … How to Prepare for Painting The key to great results. This may result in a slight difference in sheen because the two coats won’t blend. Use sandpaper or a sanding block to dull any uneven surfaces, wipe away dust with a damp cloth and let dry thoroughly. How to Repaint Textured Drywall. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. What should I do for the best results if I want to paint a purple wall green? A small amount of diluted TSP (trisodium phosphate) will be useful for removing stuck-on dirt and grime from walls in dirtier areas like the kitchen or basement. A extended roller handle can help you reach the upper sections of the wall nearest to the ceiling. Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. When prepping a wall for painting we generally recommend a softer sandpaper to avoid damaging the wall. Overlap areas already painted. Use a roller to prime the ceiling with a coat of latex paint primer, especially if your ceiling has stains. Carefully inspect surfaces for cracks, holes, dents or other imperfections. Behr: "If you need to remove any oil, grease or wax stains, apply a mild detergent with a sponge onto a lightly water-dampened surface, rinse with clean water and allow it to dry." Every dollar contributed enables us to keep providing high-quality how-to help to people like you. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Last Updated: February 10, 2021 Relocate smaller pieces of furniture and cover larger ones with drop cloths. Simply place your unloaded roller at the top left corner of your wall. Thoroughly clean paint brushes and rollers with warm soapy water. Primer paint should cover any colors on the wall. ", Step 4: To learn how to clean your wall before painting, keep reading! Snap a picture of an item you like, and we'll show you similar products. These smoothing strokes even the coat and help to cover up lines and tracks. Your best bet … Watch your step on stools and ladders. But there are still preparations that you have to make. If you're painting walls, you might also want to consider. A new coat of paint can brighten up a small room or bring warmth to large spaces. Use a small piece of very fine 220-grit sandpaper or a sanding sponge to smooth the repaired areas flush with the surface. Lightly lift the roller off the wall to avoid leaving end marks and to seamlessly blend different areas. However, your border areas will probably dry before you overlap them. Start in a corner and roll in overlapping rows. Ensure the handle … "This article is very informative. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. Preparing. It's a good idea to start by cutting in around the edges because this is the most difficult part of painting. Starting from one of the upper corners and working your way down will give you a much easier time, especially as you near the end of the project. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Minor wall flaws are often hard to spot—until the afternoon sun hits them and makes them embarrassingly obvious. You can begin applying primer as soon as the caulk or putty is dry to the touch. Before applying the paint with rollers, use a, The best way to paint a ceiling is to use a. When cutting in, you can try to do the entire room at one time. Need help identifying paint supplies? Paint can be virtually impossible to get out of upholstered fabrics, so it's a good idea to safeguard your furniture even if you think it's a safe distance away from the wall. ", Step 5: But this project can quickly turn into a nightmare if you're not careful. Before you start painting your wall, remove outlet covers and light switches as well cover adjacent surfaces with painter's tape. bucket half full of warm water and add a squirt of a mild, nonabrasive soap or TSP substitute according to its directions. Apply your painter’s tape in short, overlapping strips, pressing down firmly along the edge. Primer is especially useful when painting a lighter color over a darker color. Laying-off your wall means giving it a smooth consistent finish and hiding those streaky brush strokes. Frequently remix your paint using a mixing stick or a paint mixing tool. Knowing how to paint a room is the key to a successful painting … Some are perfect for textured surfaces, while others are intended for more delicate areas like a freshly painted wall, finished hardwood or wallpaper. Remove all accessories from the wall. Get the long-lasting results you want with the right primer and room preparation techniques. How can I protect my floors when painting the walls? © 2000-2020 Home Depot Product Authority, LLC. Apply primer before painting the walls. ", Step 6: For a textured ceiling, use a roller with 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch nap. All Rights Reserved. Schedule your project for a weekend or off day so you’ll have plenty of time to work unhurried. Should I fill it first or do the cleaning process first? Instead of cleaning the paintbrush every break, you can. Paper is the most economical but can tear easily on floors. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. This will make creating a straight paint edge much easier. Yes, you don't have to worry about that. Remove drop cloths and put furniture back in place. Tip: Wipe any drips or spatters immediately with a damp rag. You want to make sure that the surface you're starting with is as flat and smooth as possible. Pro2ProTip: When the roller makes a peeling sound on the wall, it’s too dry and should be reloaded. You should paint the wall white first and then do green. Do I always have to use primer when I'm painting? The secret to repainting textured drywall is in your tools. Our living room was painted black and blood red. % of people told us that this article helped them. Sand the Primer Painting interior walls is the easiest way to freshen up your place. Then go back in with a roller to … Whenever you start an interior house painting project, make sure you are working in a properly ventilated space. Always overlap areas of wet primer. Continue until the section is done. Find products fast with image search in The Home Depot App. Many brands offer paint and primer in one. ", "Very good easy to follow guide, a good read.". Multiply the length of the room by the width in feet to find out exactly how much paint you’ll need for big interior projects. To cut down on sloshing and splattering, pour the paint into a larger bucket before you begin mixing. Remove excess spackling with the putty knife. Then use overlapping vertical strokes … Wipe the wall clean with a damp towel or sponge and allow it to dry. These materials are usually too thin to stop wet paint from soaking through. Barry also holds his MBA from John F. Kennedy University. Keeping your work area ventilated by opening a window or running an overhead fan or air conditioner will help the primer dry faster. Tip: See our guide on choosing a paint color to find the perfect color palette for your room. Use caulk or a lightweight spackling compound with a putty knife to fill and repair any holes or imperfections. There are 29 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. There’s no need to cover the entire floor. If you cannot paint the entire wall at once, you can take a break in between sections of wall. To learn how to clean your wall before painting, keep reading! ", Step 7: Pass up flimsy floor coverings like newsprint or bedsheets. ", Dri-Eaz Hepa Air Scrubber with Filters Rental, Hiretech Orbital Deck & Floor Sander Rental, Buy ELITE X-Large Flex-Head MM Combination Ratcheting Wrench Set (4-Piece), Shop Clopay Residential Garage Doors, Openers & Accessories, Buy 25.6 cu. Working top to bottom, roll back and forth across the wall in a series of V- or W-shape strokes until the section is... Before reloading your roller and moving to the next section, roll over the … Cover the floors with drop cloths to protect them from paint drips and splatters. Thanks! However, extra coats may be useful for walls with coarse textures or when painting over a darker shade. wash the wall to remove any grease. Dispose of the used painter’s tape. With over ten years of experience, Barry specializes in a variety of carpentry projects. If left on too long, small pieces of the tape can tear and leave residue when being removed. Then hold a trouble light next to the wall … Once you’ve used half a gallon of paint, refill that can with paint from a different can and mix together. Let it dry completely. Browsing through fan decks and paint chips can be overwhelming. http://www.homedepot.com/c/painting_techniques_for_interior_walls_HT_PG_PA, http://www.bhg.com/decorating/paint/how-tos/how-to-ready-a-room/, https://www.lowes.com/projects/paint-stain-and-wallpaper/prep-for-paint/project, https://www.houselogic.com/remodel/painting-lighting/using-a-drop-cloth/, http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/interior-projects/how-to/g151/13-painting-secrets-the-pros-wont-tell-you/, https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/home-improvement/painting/paint-wall, http://www.bhg.com/decorating/paint/how-tos/how-to-prep-paint/, https://www.familyhandyman.com/painting/painting-how-to-choose-and-use-primers/view-all, http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/interior-projects/how-to/a3926/4286872/, https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/how-to-choose-right-colors-your-rooms, https://www.lowes.com/projects/paint-stain-and-wallpaper/paint-a-room/project, http://www.diyadvice.com/diy/painting/paint/techniques/, https://www.bobvila.com/articles/what-to-do-with-old-paint/, https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-paint-room, http://www.behr.com/consumer/how-to/interior/how-to-paint-a-wall, http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/interior-projects/how-to/g110/interior-painting-tips-how-to-paint-your-walls-like-a-pro/, https://www.familyhandyman.com/painting/techniques/paint-roller-techniques-and-tips/view-all, https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/4536977/list/from-the-pros-how-to-paint-interior-walls, http://www.soundpaintingsolutions.com/how-many-coats-paint/, https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-long-does-it-take-paint-to-dry/, Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. How much time should there be between patching, priming and painting? If you're painting a large section of an unpainted wall, though, it's best to prime it first. Then turn back and bring the … You'll achieve a smoother, more seamless look by blending the wet paint you’ve brushed on with wet paint you’re rolling. Any accents that you’re unable to remove can be covered with painter’s tape later on. Dip the brush in paint, tap off excess, and cut in about 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) from the edge of the wall. Painting. Wrap Up and Clean Up Painting 2-3” outward from the trim will allow you to easily go over the rest using a roller. Sand the wall over the repaired areas to make it smooth and even with the surrounding wall before applying the primer. PPG: "Wipe walls clean of dust and dirt." However, if you're painting a large section of wall that's never been painted, prime it first. Benjamin Moore: "Most walls can be washed using a sponge and warm water.For surfaces that have exposure to oil or grime, like kitchen walls… There is no point in giving your walls a... 2. He is skilled at constructing decks, railings, fences, gates, and various pieces of furniture. If you're repainting a wall that's been painted before, primer and paint in one works fine. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/9e\/Paint-a-Wall-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Paint-a-Wall-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/9e\/Paint-a-Wall-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/aid769535-v4-728px-Paint-a-Wall-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"