1. Clean Before You Cover
Dusting and vacuuming before painting a room can be an important first step. Although a marathon cleaning session, like washing the walls to remove smoke film, may not be necessary, tackle dusty ceiling fixtures and grimy baseboards before you grab a paintbrush so that dust and pet hair do not become dislodged and float right onto wet paint.
When cleaning in preparation for painting, it’s a good idea to start at the top and work down. That way dust will fall onto lower objects where it can be dusted and vacuumed away as the last step in the process.
2. Prep Like You Mean It
Ask a professional painter about prep work, and he’s likely to tell you it’s the single most important aspect of painting. Filling nail holes and gouges and smoothing out rough patches helps create the canvas for a new paint job. That canvas looks best when paint is applied cleanly and evenly, too. This can be hard to manage in some areas, like at the intersection of a wall and ceiling, even when using an angled brush. Painter’s tape will help produce clean, painted edges and protect adjacent surfaces from dribbles.
Putting down drop cloths is another important paint prep chore. If you have some painting experience and a sure hand, your floors and furnishings may not need the extra protection, but in the event of a spill, you’ll be glad you have it. Available in plastic and also canvas varieties that can be washed and reused, drop cloths take some of the stress out of painting day.
3. Think Safety First
You may not think of painting as a dangerous activity, but tools like paint sprayers and ladders, and paints that off gas volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have the potential to cause problems if not handled safely:
Ladders – A trek up the family ladder to paint the living room ceiling will probably be uneventful, but don’t underestimate the potential dangers. Overreaching is the single biggest cause of ladder accidents, so maintain your center of gravity within the ladder’s side rails at all times. Avoid stretching to the side; instead, reposition the ladder. Always place your step ladder on a stable surface, deploy the locking spreader bar completely and avoid standing on the top two rungs. Never place a ladder adjacent to an unlocked door.
Respirators – Using a respirator can help protect you from paint fumes, aerosolized paint, dust, and particulate matter. Read the directions on the product you plan to use to determine if you’ll need a respirator, and, if so, what style of respirator will work best.
Good ventilation – Painting requires good ventilation. This usually means opening the windows, but what about windowless rooms, closets and long hallways? In situations where good air flow is unavailable, position a fan to help introduce clean air and vent fume laden air from your work area.
Eye protection – Although not always necessary when painting, paint prep procedures like sanding produce airborne particulates that can cause eye irritation and injury. If eye protection is called for, wearing eyeglasses isn’t enough. When applicable, wear eye goggles. Good eye gear is a tight fit to the forehead, nose and temple areas, often with the aid of a rubber gasket.
4. Choose The Paint
For general indoor painting jobs, there are two basic types of paint: oil (solvent) based and water (latex) based. Of the two, latex paint is by far the most popular for DIY painting projects because it cleans up easily with soap and water. Oil based paint requires the use of special cleaning solvents like paint thinner or turpentine.
Solvent based paint – Oil based paint is a durable choice, popular for high traffic areas or areas that are cleaned often, like kitchens, bathrooms and mudrooms. It is more difficult to apply than latex paint, takes longer to dry and produces more off gassing during and after curing.
Latex paint – Water based paint is easy to apply, produces little odor, resists fading and can be used on lots of materials, including: drywall, wood, stucco, concrete, brick and aluminum. Around 75 percent of the indoor and outdoor paint used today is water based.
Paints also have reflective qualities when dry. This is often described as a paint’s “sheen.” Highly reflective paints are usually the most dense and durable, but other choices from least to most reflective are flat, matte, velvet, satin, eggshell, semi-gloss and ultra-high gloss. Although these terms are somewhat standard in the painting industry, the vocabulary may vary somewhat from manufacturer to manufacturer.
The sheen of a particular paint can have big implications for your walls. Nonreflective paints (flat, matte) help conceal imperfections like cracks and drywall patches, but they also tend to absorb ambient light, which can sometimes make a wall look drab and uninteresting. High gloss paints (glossy and ultra-high gloss) are easy to clean, but they also highlight flaws like nail holes and uneven surfaces. Because they’re so reflective, they help maximize the natural light coming through windows and can look clean and bright in the right room.
5. Get Primed
Not all surfaces are paint ready. Bare wood, some metals and many plastics require the addition of a surface treatment that will help paint adhere better. This type of initial coating is called a “primer.” Although traditional primers are used as the base layer of a painting project, some newer paints on the market contain primer built right into their formulas. Paint-and-primer products are typically more expensive than paint alone, and may be only slightly more expensive than paint and primer sold separately. They’re big time savers, but aren’t available with all paints.
6. Know Your Tools
Quality paint brushes don’t lose bristles, something that can happen pretty easily when using cheap brushes. Picking bristles out of wet paint is no fun, so this is one instance where quality matters. Choosing the right roller cover is important, too. Some covers are thick and fluffy for a reason. They hold a lot of paint, making it easier to get good coverage on heavily textured ceilings and walls.
You might also want to invest in a painter’s 5-in-1 tool–the Swiss army knife of the painting trade. It can open a paint can, pull a nail out of the wall, scrape paint, excavate cracks, apply putty and even function as a makeshift hammer in a pinch. From quick drying spackle to sure grip trays to long handled rollers, the right tools will save time, reduce the risk of spills and help keep your sunny disposition intact. Most painting tools are also reusable, so consider it an investment in future painting triumphs.
7. Plan Your Strategy
Even if you consider yourself an experienced painter, it pays to read the directions on all the products and tools you plan to use. Beyond providing important safety information, this will help you strategize your approach to the project. It works something like this: You know it will take four hours for your paint to dry, and two coats will be necessary to cover your daughter’s magenta and lime bedroom. A quick computation will tell you how many hours the job is likely to take and whether or not you can complete it in an afternoon. Other strategic details include: measuring, testing spraying equipment, checking safety gear and taking stock of consumable items like rags and sponge brushes.
8. Work In Manageable Sections
Paint manufacturers provide instructions and tips for using their products, including application suggestions. Many recommend painting one wall at a time in manageable three or four foot segments, slightly overlapping one segment as you begin the next. This helps produce more consistent results by reducing the chance of missed spots. It also makes it harder for you to accidentally drag your brush or roller through a section of paint that’s already begun to set. Both of these flubs can be difficult to repair.
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