Styles come and go. Your renovation work will last for years to come, but the finer details of decor will be up for a redo much sooner. The good news is, it only takes a fresh coat of paint to change the look and feel of a room in a matter of days. Considering how lengthy a reno or remodeling is, that’s a walk in the park. You could hire out for this job, but if you’re wanting a change without spending a bunch of money, then taking on the task yourself is both within your skill set and going to save some cash. Before you get going, let us give you the tips of the pros to guide you to glory.
There’s A Time For This
The thing about painting is that preparation is key. You’ll want to be able to move quickly while you work – especially depending on the size of your room – so that the paint dries just enough between coats to ensure a nice even finish. Choosing when to paint is just as important. In all honesty, you can paint on any given weekend you’ve got free. But the best time to paint is over a nice dry, not-too-humid weekend. Colder, wet weather increases the amount of dry time you need between coats. So while it isn’t impossible to paint when the weather outside is frightful it’s just oh so delightful to do it when conditions are sunnier.
The Right Tools
If this isn’t your first rodeo, you may already have the basics like brushes and rollers. If this is your first ride on the merry-go-round, you’ll need to get the right tools for the job. To do the job right, you’ll need the right tools:
Brush(es)
Roller(s)
Handle(s)
Paint Tray
Paint Tray Liner
Drop Cloths
Tape
And of course, primer and paint.
Luckily for you, paint with primer is now a popular thing. If you’re converting extremely dark walls, you may still need a separate primer, but most often the combo works just fine. All this adds up, so it’s good to note that while your tray, liner, cloths, and handles don’t need to be top notch, things like brushes and rollers usually last longer the higher priced they are. You don’t need to break the bank with the highest priced option, but quality brushes will endure. Same with tape. If it’s cheap and too thin, it will leak. A solid set of tape is worth it. Even though paint is the most expensive item on the list, you want to invest in a top quality paint. It is the feature of this Home DIY, after all.
The last thing to know about tools is which brush or roller to choose. When painting interior walls, you want an angled brush to paint in corners and around trim and edges. For your roller, it’s all about the nap. The nap is the thickness of the roller head. These correspond to the wall’s texture. Smooth, flat walls need only a thin nap. Heavily textured walls or popcorn ceiling need a thicker, fluffy nap.
Preparation Is Key
Like we said, you’ll want to choose a weekend. Extended weekends are great because you can usually rest on the last day, but you can easily paint a room over a regular one, and here’s how:
First, you’ll want to prep the room by removing everything from the room. That means hangings off the wall, furniture moved to the center of this room and covered with a drop cloth, or into a different room entirely with all the wall hanging accessories.
Next, remove all switchplates for outlets and lights. Keep your screws in a cup so you don’t lose them!
If the walls are especially dusty, give them a quick cleaning.
Finally, tape all your baseboards, trim, and ceiling edges.
Complete all of this prep work the night before your weekend starts. Then, all that’s left is getting some rest so you’ll be off to the races bright and early the next day!
A Method To The Madness
The best method for painting your walls is to start with your brush, tackling the edges and trim. From there, you fill in with your roller, painting in the shape of an ‘N’. This pattern ensures an even coat is applied that is blended and doesn’t produce lines. If your room is exceptionally small, you could paint edges and trim all at once, and then fill in. If it’s a larger room, however, you’ll want to go a wall at a time so that the trim and edges don’t dry out too much before they’re filled in.
Wait at least an hour between applications. If the paint is too wet, it’ll stick to the brush and leave an uneven finish. It should be just dry to the touch, but not tacky. This whole process will take most of the day.
Let the paint set overnight and restore the chaos first thing Sunday morning. You’ll have the rest of the day to relax and enjoy your new room.