PAINTING INTERIOR WALLS

Scroll down to see a step-by-step overview of this project.

TOOLS:

  1. Putty knife
  2. Towels/rags
  3. Sponge
  4. Floor duster
  5. Brushes
  6. Rollers
  7. Extension pole
  8. 5-gallon bucket
  9. Paint tray
  10. Paint grid
  11. Latex paint respirator
  12. Ladder (if necessary)
  13. Safety glasses

 

MATERIALS YOU’LL NEED:

  1. Spackling compound
  2. Wall repair materials
  3. 220-grit sandpaper/sanding sponge
  4. Painter’s tape
  5. Drop cloth
  6. Primer
  7. High-quality latex paint

 

STEP 1: Prep Your Walls

Taking time to perform a thorough surface prep and painting in an orderly, systematic way is the key to getting professional-looking results when doing any paint project.

Carefully inspect walls for surface imperfections before priming or painting. Use a lightweight spackling compound and putty knife to fill and repair any holes or imperfections. Then remove the excess with the putty knife and allow area to dry completely.

Once dry, use a small piece of very fine 220-grit sandpaper or a sanding sponge to smooth the repaired areas flush with the surface and wipe the walls clean before continuing.

 

STEP 2: Mask the Room with Painter's Tape

Painter’s tape is used to help you achieve clean, professional-looking results and protects areas you don’t intend to paint. If your ceiling is non-textured, you’ll want to mask off the ceiling where it meets the edge of the wall. Apply your tape in short, overlapping strips, pressing down firmly along the edge. For rooms that have textured ceilings, you should use a screwdriver along the edges to create a small, unnoticeable texture-free surface.

If you don’t take the time to apply painter’s tape properly, you can experience bleed-through.

 

STEP 3: Spread Drop Cloths and Move Furniture

Before doing any priming or painting, you’ll want to protect your floors with a drop cloth. There are three basic kinds: 

  1. Canvas drop cloths are very durable, absorbent, and great for re-use.
  2. Plastic is cheaper but less absorbent and spills won’t dry as quickly.
  3. Paper is the most economical but can tear easily.

 

STEP 4: ‘Cut In’ the Room

The final step of your paint prep is cutting in, or outlining, the room. It involves using a paintbrush to create 2- to 3-inch bands around the edges of the walls where they meet ceilings, baseboards, other walls, door and window frames, and hinges.

You can either choose to cut in the room all at once or one wall at a time depending on how fast you want to complete the job. To achieve a smoother, more seamless look try cut in and paint one wall at a time.

 

STEP 5: Prime Your Walls

Primers are specially designed to adhere to different types of surfaces and receive your top coat of paint. You can also use a paint and primer in one to save time and money. Primers can also be tinted at your local Home Depot store to closely match the color of your paint. This is another way to save money, as you will need less coats of paint.

When applying your primer, start by painting in 3 foot by 3-foot sections. Roll in one section at a time, moving from top to bottom and from one side of the wall to the other.

With a fully loaded roller, work top to bottom, rolling back and forth across the wall in a series of V- or W-shape strokes until the section is covered. Always overlap areas of wet primer, which is a technique that helps prevent streaking and having to paint extra coats.


STEP 6: Sand and Clean to Prepare for Painting

After the primer is completely dry, lightly sand away bumps, ridges and other surface imperfections using very fine-grit sandpaper. Wipe the wall clean with a damp towel or sponge and allow it to dry.

 

STEP 7: Paint the Walls

Before starting, make sure to re-mix your paint using a mixing stick or paint-mixing tool and do this anytime you leave your paint sitting out for extended periods of time.

First, use a good-quality paintbrush and cut in the room again with the paint. A foolproof way of achieving clean and even paint edges is to avoid loading the brush with too much paint.

Begin painting by brushing onto the wall first and not the tape. Brush back and forth until most of the paint has been applied. Overlap strokes when you are running out of paint so the excess won’t seep under your painter’s tape.  

To apply your top coat of paint, follow the exact same process when priming your walls. 

With a fully loaded roller, work top to bottom, rolling back and forth across the wall in a series of V- or W-shape strokes until the section is covered. You want your roller fully covered with paint, but not to the point that it’s dripping. As you overlap areas already painted, lightly lift the roller off the wall to avoid leaving end marks and to help blend different areas into one seamless surface.

 

STEP 8: Remove Painter’s Tape

There are two ways you can remove painter’s tape: just before the paint dries completely if you’re concerned about tape getting stuck to paint or waiting until completely dry.

If left on too long, small pieces of the tape could tear and get left behind. This can be easily fixed with a utility knife and your lightweight spackling compound.