Lesson 4: Techniques and Tips
Now that you have the basic tools gathered together for your project, what do you do with them? Learn the proper way to paint and to hang wallpaper, of course!
Let's Paint!
Preparing Your Surfaces
For specific tips on painting different kinds of surfaces such as drywall, existing paint, old wallpaper, etc., visit The Paint Quality Institute.
First remove all furniture, artwork, plants, floor coverings, outlet and switch covers, and nails from the room. Any furniture that cannot be removed should be moved to the center of the room. The room will look much bigger (but don't be intimidated!)
Now wash the walls with a diluted all-purpose cleaner. Kitchen walls should be degreased with a diluted liquid dishwashing soap. Rinse the walls thoroughly, as paint won't adhere to either dirt or soap! Remember to clean the trim and windows as well.
Picking Your Paint
You'll find descriptions of the different kinds of paint finishes in the Glossary, including flat, eggshell or matte, satin, semi-gloss, and gloss. Refer to the Paint Calculator tool in the previous lesson to determine how much you should purchase. Flat paint hides dents and defects as it absorbs the most light hitting its surface, but is difficult to clean. It's not usually used in high traffic areas or in kitchens and baths. Semi-gloss is commonly used for trim and molding as it easily cleans up fingerprints, but can also be used in higher traffic areas for walls. Gloss paint is very shiny and reflects the most light. It is nice for accent trim, windows and doors.
Top quality paint will cover more smoothly, in fewer coats. It will wear longer and clean up more easily. Expect to pay between $20 and $30 dollars for the best paint. In rooms where you may be re-painting fairly often, such as a child's room, you may prefer a less expensive, all-purpose brand to keep your cost down.
Applying the Paint
Make sure you're rested and ready to go!
Using the painter's tape, cover all baseboard, window and door frame, and molding edges. Be sure to press firmly to prevent paint from oozing under the tape. There is a paper painter's tape available with a few inches of attached plastic, which is excellent for baseboards. Don't use masking tape - it's not meant to keep paint away from edges and is sometimes hard to remove.
You can either paint the trim and molding first, or walls first, as even professionals have their personal preferences. If you're going to be painting the ceiling, I recommend doing that first, then the walls, and trim at the end. Trim and moldings should be painted with the narrow brush; next, "cut in" around these areas with the angled brush. Pouring some paint into a smaller container that is easier to hold in one hand will make your work go faster. Don't load your brush more than half full, as it will be harder to clean if you do.
Slip your brushes into plastic baggies until you're ready to clean up at the end of the day.
Pour enough paint into the roller pan to fill the well. Load your roller adequately but not too full, and begin with a W-shaped series of strokes in the middle of the wall. Fill that in with more strokes, continuing across the wall until you meet the "cut in" edge at sides, top and bottom.
If you have a partner helping you, one can do the cutting in and the other can do the large areas, so you'll always have a "wet edge" going until the wall is completed. Finish up your roller stroke by pulling the roller toward you, to avoid the look of a "hard edge" when it dries.
Remember that paint dries darker than it looks when wet. If you're not liking the color as you paint, wait 24 hours to decide because it won't look the same at all!
