Paint like a professional with these interior painting tips from prep to clean up.
Prep work often is the most difficult part of a paint job, but it’s not that hard. First remove all furniture from the room or at least move it away from walls and cover with a drop cloth. You’ll also need to remove wall hangings, window coverings, outlet and switch plates, and if you’re painting doors and windows, remove the doorknobs and window latches. Using painters tape, cover outlets, switches, trim and other surfaces that will not be painted. It’s a good idea to tape plastic over windows and doors to protect them from paint splatter. Cover the floor with plastic or drop cloths and tape down to prevent it from slipping.
photo credit: massdistraction
Next wipe down the walls with a damp sponge or rag, removing any pencil, ink or food stains that might bleed through the new paint or cause it to streak. Use drywall compound to fill in any nail holes or other imperfections. Let it dry for several hours and then sand it to a smooth finish using fine sandpaper. Dust the walls off and vacuum up any dust.
If you are painting the ceiling, begin there. Always paint a room from ceiling to walls to trim, top to bottom. Use a brush to make a 2 inch wide border around all the edges of the ceiling or wall that you are painting. Then fill in the middle using a roller. There are roller extension poles to help you paint the ceiling without a ladder. Always remove excess paint from the roller pad after dipping it in the tray by rolling it around on the top part of the tray.
Always work from top to bottom, painting a 3-4 foot section at a time. Use vertical ‘V’ shaped strokes then spreading the paint evenly, without pressing down too hard. Blend areas together as you work your way across the wall or ceiling. If you are painting trim and baseboards, wait until the walls have dried, then tape off adjacent areas with masking tape. Use a brush and paint with the grain of the wood.
After removing tape and drop cloths, you will probably need to vacuum or sweep up debris. Allow the paint to cure for a day or so before putting furniture against walls or replacing wall hangings. To dispose of empty paint cans, leave the lid off and allow paint inside the can to dry completely, then throw away with your regular garbage. Keep partially used cans of interior paint for touch ups.
