How to Paint Your Walls Like a Professional
Painting your walls can make a major change to the look of your space. Whether you’re going for a warm white, a soft pastel, or a rich earth tone, we have tips to make your walls shine.
Paint is an inexpensive way to completely change up the feel of your room. It can make or break a design and
The Products:
Paintbrush: A high-quality 2-inch angled brush for cutting in
Roller: Use a 3/8in nap for smooth to lightly textured walls. Use a 1/2in nap for heavily textured walls. I like using an 18-inch long roller because I paint a lot and it covers more surface area and cuts down on time. If you’re planning on painting multiple rooms, I would highly recommend it, otherwise, a regular 12-inch roller will work great.
Secondary Containers: Always transfer your paint from the can into another container for painting. This can be the roller tin or a small paint bucket.
Drop Cloths/Plastic Sheeting: Always lay down coverings on everything you don’t want to be painted. Paint will splatter & it will shock you where it ends up!
Painter’s Tape: A must for getting those straight lines on baseboards, moldings, & ceilings
Damp Rag: Always keep a damp rag or paper towel handy. Paint will come off if wiped up immediately, so having a damp rag ready to go is great for cleaning up mistakes.
The Prep Work:
Prep work is some of the most important work you can do to ensure a smooth, professional-like finish to your walls.
Prep your walls by cleaning off any dirt and dust with a quick wipe-down. Take out any nails and fill any holes using spackle. Unscrew any outlet or light switch plates. Using a sanding block, run a 120-grit sandpaper lightly over the entire surface of the wall. Giving everything a quick sand will knock off any protrusions, level out any previous painting mistakes (like drips or globs), and give a smoother finish. Wipe everything down once again with a damp cloth to collect the sanding dust.
Prep your area by taping off and covering anything you don’t want to be painted. Be sure to press the tape into the surface firmly, especially if it’s a textured surface. Try using a credit card or the back of a spoon to press the tape into your textured wall. Lay down a drop cloth on the floor and change into clothes that you don’t mind ruining.
Prep your tools by unwrapping and inspecting the brushes and rollers. A brand new roller usually has lint and loose fibers. I like to wrap new rollers in painter’s tape and then unwrap them to release all the loose fibers.
The Painting:
Before even opening your can of paint, be sure to read the instructions. Different types of paint and different brands have specific dry times.
Should you use a primer before painting? Short answer is: it depends. Primer is necessary in two applications: The first is when you’re dealing with any kind of damage to your walls. If you have any stains or discoloration due to smoke, water damage, or mildew, a primer will seal the wall and not allow any of those stains to seep through. Priming can also be an important step if you’re painting a lighter color on top of a darker/brighter color. Primer is thicker and cheaper than paint, so instead of using many coats to try and cover up a dark color, try using a coat or two of primer under your paint. I like to tint my primer to the color I’m using. Just ask the worker at the paint desk and they’ll be able to tint your primer which leads to a more even color in your final product.
Open your can of paint and start stirring. There are a lot of components to paint and stirring allows all the components to mix evenly. Once everything is completely homogenous, mix for another 30 seconds to a minute. Pour the paint into a secondary container. Painting directly out of the can lead to contamination as you’re constantly putting a potentially dusty brush back into the can.
Start by painting the edges, corners, molding, and around any electrical boxes. This process is called “cutting in”. Dip your brush in the paint about 1/3 – 1/2 the length of the bristles. Never dip the brush up to the metal band! Wipe the excess off on the sides of the container. Holding the brush near the bristle end, gently grip the paintbrush and use the long end of the bristles to create a straight edge. Cutting in can be tricky, so don’t get frustrated if your line isn’t straight. Use tape and your damp cloth to clean up mistakes and help guide you. Be sure to widen your line to about 4-6 inches. This will help give you some wiggle room as you’re rolling.
Time to roll. Dip your roller in to the pan and roll it against the pan’s grooves, repeating this process several times until the fibers are completely saturated with paint. Be sure to roll it against the grooves in the pan to get off any excess. This will help prevent splatters and drips. Using gentle pressure, guide the roller in “W” motions across the wall, making sure to overlap with where you cut in.
Always do two coats. Working one wall at a time, do a second coat of cutting in, followed up with a second coat of rolling.
The Clean Up:
You’re finally done painting your walls and they look beautiful! But, to keep your tools nice, it’s time to clean up well.
Clean your paint can by taking a damp cloth and wiping around the edge and in the lip at the top. You’ll want to avoid build up of dry paint in the grooves of the paint can. This will cause the lid to not seal shut. When resealing the can, I like to use a rubber mallet. This ensures the lid is on tightly, without damaging it (like how a metal hammer would cause bending and dents). To ensure that the lid is on tightly, it will sit level with the top of the can. The metal of a paint can will rust if it is not properly sealed.
Clean your brushes and rollers. Run your brushes under warm water in the sink. This will help get out most of the paint. Because we didn’t submerge our brushes up to the metal band, the paint will have stayed within the bristles. Inevitably, some paint will have dried onto the bristles during your project. Take the hard side of a dish sponge to gently work out any dried paint. Be sure to only move the sponge in the downward direction of the bristles – never back and forth or upward toward the handle. For the rollers, run them under warm water and use your hands to move the fibers around so the water gets into each part. Run water down the center hole to ensure no paint got in there to potentially dry. Be sure that the water runs completely clear. I like to hang my brushes to dry, with the handle near the top and the bristles at the bottom. This helps prevent any rusting of the metal band.
Painting your walls is a great way to infuse character into your room! Let us know if you have any questions on the painting process and reach out if you’re looking for a Color Consultation!
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