How to Paint Walls: Step-by-Step Process

So it’s time to do a complete renovation at home, or maybe you want to freshen up the rooms. A new coat of paint is a sure way to transform the feel of any room at home. A contrasting wall in your room is great for interior design, and it can really make a room feel cosier. Here’s the Fantastic Handyman guide on how to paint walls.

Tools and equipment

Of course, the proper way to start your painting project is to equip yourself with the proper tools. It’s crucial for the final result of how you will paint and what tools you will use. We advise you to get:

The brushes

All experts will agree that investing a bit more in higher quality brushes and paint rollers is always a good choice. Don’t go with a pack of 3 for a dollar to save a bit of cash. Go to your local hardware stores and search for the items that will do the job best.

Sash brushes seem to be the experts choice. This is the brush with angled bristles at the end. And the bristles made of nylon seem to be the popular pick because they are soft and feathers paint well.

The paint

Quality tools are crucial, but the paint you are going to use is the most important aspect. Even with the best tools, you can’t achieve good results if the paint is cheap. Choosing the proper paint is a lengthy process itself, so please check out our guide on household paints.

When choosing the colour and brand, make sure to talk with the consultant in the shop. Tell them which room you will use the paint, the colour, and the price range you are in the market for. Make sure to consult with him on how to mix your paint properly and write that down just in case. If you do it wrong, you can ruin the whole bucket.

Painting a wall step-by-step

Prepare the room

Before you start doing any painting work, make sure to cut all angles, corners around the frame of the door and the electrical outlets. If you wouldn’t remove the electrical outlet cover plates, then make sure to mask them good with tape. It would do the job well, and it will protect it perfectly. Cut the excess tape with a model knife. Use nylon sheets to cover the furniture and floor and masking tape on other walls and the ceiling.

Cut corners

To do things like a professional, you should really take your time and cut the room’s corners properly. With a couple of layers of masking tape, mask the edges where two areas meet. If you have already painted the area you want to mask, wait for a day so the paint has time to dry completely.

Seal holes in the walls

Now that you’ve masked all the places, you don’t want any paint on proceeding by sealing holes in the walls that you might have from hanging pictures, clocks, or mirrors. You can find pre-made fillers in a tube in hardware stores. All you have to do is squeeze a bit into the hole and then even out with a putty knife.

Wait until dry and sand with fine grade paper. Make sure it’s all smooth and even. Don’t forget to wipe off any excess dust from the sanding. Use a damp cloth and gently go through the dusty areas. Now we have a prepared area. Once done, you can proceed with painting.

Mix the paint

Read the instructions if you still aren’t sure how to mix the paint. You’ll either have to use water or paint thinner. This depends on the type of paint. It’s best to ask before buying it. At least you’ll save an extra trip to the hardware store.

Prime your brushes

It’s important to prime your brush first. Priming is when you dip the brush in the paint and smudge on an area with it. That way, you allow the brush to absorb as much paint as possible, and the painting will be smoother.

Paint from top to bottom

To paint the wall correctly, you have to paint in the same direction always. No sideways and no up-down-up movements. That way, you’ll distribute the paint evenly throughout the wall. When the paint dries, it will look even. If you don’t follow this rule, the result will be in patches. Some places will have way too much colour, and others will have the previous colour showing through.

Apply two coats of paint

If that’s your first time doing this kind of job, then you should know that only one coat isn’t going to be enough. It’s more of a layering process. The first coat should always be the base. Leave fixing the imperfections for the second coat.

Takeaways