How to Paint a Room

Prep work is the first and most important step when painting a room. Follow these steps when preparing a room for interior house painting:

• Remove all furniture and fixtures including lights, blinds, HVAC registers and outlet covers.
• Carefully inspect surfaces for cracks, holes, dents or other imperfections.
• Use a putty knife and lightweight spackling compound to fill and repair holes and cover imperfections.
• Remove excess spackling with the putty knife. Allow to dry following manufacturer's instructions before painting.
• Use a small piece of fine 220-grit sandpaper or a sanding sponge to smooth the repaired areas flush with the surface.
  Some surfaces might require a specific sandpaper, so be sure to read manufacturer's guidelines before sanding.
• Wipe surfaces clean with a damp towel or sponge and let dry.
• Wear old clothes and a hat while painting.
• Whenever you start an interior house painting project, always work in a properly ventilated space. If paint fumes are strong, wear a respirator mask.

Safety Tip: When painting interior walls, make sure to follow EPA guidelines if the existing paint contains lead.

You can start anywhere when you paint a room. However, using an orderly process can save time and effort. Painting a room in the correct order will also reduce drips and runs. A good rule of thumb is to always start with the ceiling, next the walls and end by painting baseboards, windows and door trim.

Tip: Maintain efficiency by getting enough paint. A gallon of paint can roughly cover between 250 and 300 square feet of wall space. Determine exactly how much you need with our paint project calculator.

The next step in prepping and painting interior walls is to use painter's tape to mask off trim, windows and doors.

• Press painter's tape firmly in place to prevent paint from seeping underneath or bleeding through.
• For non-textured surfaces, apply painter's tape at the edge of the wall. Apply painter’s tape in short, overlapping strips for more control and best coverage.
• If you have a textured ceiling and are painting only the walls, run a screwdriver along the edge of the ceiling to create a small, unnoticeable, texture-free surface for the painter's tape to adhere to. This makes it easier to create a straight paint edge.
• If you're painting an accent wall, mask off the inside edge of the wall from the rest of the room.

Choose the right painter's tape or masking tape adhesion level for the job. Some are perfect for textured surfaces while others are intended for more delicate areas like a freshly painted wall, finished hardwood or wallpaper.

Cover the floors with drop cloths to protect them from paint drips and splatters. Move furniture out of the room or move to the center and cover with drop cloths.

• Canvas drop cloths are both durable and absorbent. They can also be reused.
• Plastic drop cloths are durable and budget-friendly but not absorbent. Spills are more likely to be tracked if stepped on.
• Paper is the most economical type of drop cloth but can tear easily when laid out on floors. Paper is better for covering light fixtures, cabinets and furniture.

Apply primer before painting walls. Primers are designed to help seal the wall and prevent mold. A primer is essential if you are changing from dark paint color to a lighter one. Some primers can be tinted to match the color of the paint. Since primer is more budget-friendly than paint, a tinted primer can provide coverage at a lower cost, saving you money on paint. Many brands also offer paint and primer in one.

• Begin by using a paint brush to brush paint 2 to 3 inches along the edge of the wall, windows and corners of a room. This process is known as "cutting in."
• For best results, work in one small area at a time, cutting in the edges and then rolling or painting the entire wall. This prevents the borders from drying before you finish painting the wall and keeps the sheen uniform.

Next, start painting primer onto the wall in 3-by 3-foot sections.

• Choose the right roller cover for your wall surface and place it onto your paint roller. For smooth ceilings, use a low nap roller. For a textured ceiling, use a roller with 1/2-inch or 3/4-inch nap.
• Pour primer into a paint tray.
• Dip the roller into the paint, making sure it’s completely covered.
• Roll the paint roller over the ridged area of the paint tray a few times to remove excess paint.
• With a fully loaded paint roller, work top to bottom, rolling back and forth across the wall in a series of V- or W-shaped strokes.
• Roll in one section at a time, moving from top to bottom and from one side of the wall to the other. The goal is to achieve an even coverage with no drips.
• Reload the roller and paint the next section, covering only as much as you can finish while the primer is still wet. Overlap areas of wet primer only.

Tip: Do not try to get opaque coverage. If the wall still shows through, you may have to appy a second coat of primer to the wall before painting with your paint color.

Once the primer dries, lightly sand bumps and ridges using fine grit sandpaper folded into quarters.

• When the grit of one section of sandpaper becomes covered with dust, switch to an unused section and continue.
• Wipe the wall clean with a damp towel or sponge and let dry.
• Follow manufacturer's instructions for adding additional coats of paint to the wall.
  Blend sections as you work.

Paint walls one at a time. Blend the wet paint you’ve brushed on with wet paint you’re rolling. Also known as “working to a wet edge," this is one of the best painting tips and techniques for walls.

• Working from top to bottom, roll the paint roller back and forth across the wall in a series of V- or W-shaped strokes until the section is covered.
• Before reloading your roller and moving to the next section, roll over the area you’ve just painted in a smooth, continuous stroke from top to bottom. These smoothing strokes even the coat, catch any drips and help to cover up lines and tracks.
• Overlap areas already painted. Lightly lift the roller off the wall to avoid leaving end marks and to seamlessly blend different areas.
• Frequently remix paint using a mixing stick or a paint mixing tool. Do this any time you leave your paint sitting for an extended period of time.
• Wait 2 to 4 hours for the first coat to dry before applying a second coat.
• Follow the same process and techniques used when priming walls, blending sections as you work.
• To prevent paint from drying on the roller, store your paint roller in a plastic bag between coats. This will keep the paint and brush moist between uses.
• Keep your paint color uniform. Once you’ve used half a gallon of paint, refill that can with paint from a different can and mix together. If you’re doing a large job, mix several gallons into one 5-gallon bucket.

Tip: If you have a large area to paint, consider using a paint sprayer to apply paint quickly and evenly.

When you have completed painting, clean and remove paint on floors and other surfaces. Take time to clean your tools so they're ready for your next painting job.

• Remove painter’s tape right before or right after paint dries completely. If left on too long, small pieces of the tape will tear and leave residue when being removed.
• Use a painter's knife to slice through any painter's tape that is stuck. You might also have to use paint thinner to remove stubborn paint drips.
• Apply a small amount to a cloth and gently rub over the drip. Take care not to rub too hard or it might remove paint on the floor or wall along with the drip.
• Tightly seal remaining paint in cans.
• Clean paint brushes and rollers with warm soapy water.
• Remove drop cloths and move furniture back into place.