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Painting your walls is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to make a huge impact on your space.
Unfortunately, that impact can be positive ("wow, the room looks so much bigger") or negative ("why is there a big purple stain on the carpet in your bedroom?"). However, if you take your time and pay attention to what you're doing, painting is a fairly easy skill to pick up (it just takes a little practice... and sometimes some trial and error).
I'm hoping that this instructable will help anyone who's new to painting. Whether you want to set yourself up with some good basic gear to tackle your fixer upper, or you just want to get your dorm room or apartment painted. In a pinch, I'd say you can paint an average sized bedroom (without major drywall/plaster issues for a little less than $50US (including paint, primer, sandpaper brushes, and rollers) and the price can shoot up from there.
Unfortunately, that impact can be positive ("wow, the room looks so much bigger") or negative ("why is there a big purple stain on the carpet in your bedroom?"). However, if you take your time and pay attention to what you're doing, painting is a fairly easy skill to pick up (it just takes a little practice... and sometimes some trial and error).
I'm hoping that this instructable will help anyone who's new to painting. Whether you want to set yourself up with some good basic gear to tackle your fixer upper, or you just want to get your dorm room or apartment painted. In a pinch, I'd say you can paint an average sized bedroom (without major drywall/plaster issues for a little less than $50US (including paint, primer, sandpaper brushes, and rollers) and the price can shoot up from there.
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Signing UpStep 1Figure out what you're doing.
First of all, you need to figure out what kind of paint you have on the walls. If you use a little denatured alcohol on the paint, it will tend to have a noticeable effect on latex paints and it won't really do anything to oil-based paints. You often also tell by feel, latex paint will tend to have a slightly rubbery give to it, oil will be smooth. However, figuring this out by feel usually requires a fair bit of practice so if you have any doubts, go with the chemistry approach.
Why is this so important?
Well, you want to know what kind of paint you have so you can either put the same thing on top of it, or so you use a primer that will let you switch to a different type of paint. This is most often done in going from oil to latex paints. Latex paints are preferred for general wall painting because they can be cleaned up with water and are therefore much easier to work with, but they really don't like sticking to oil paints (at least not without some help from specialty primers).
Once you know what you have on your walls, you can go to the store and talk to the folks there to find out what they recommend for your situation. One thing I would add though is that you shouldn't feel like you need to buy the most expensive paint out there. I usually go for "one coat" store brands. You might need to use more than one coat, but they do tend to go on better than your average paints. More expensive paints do have somewhat better qualities for painting with them and in some situations do last better once painted, but IMO they aren't that much better. If you're painting something that you may want to repaint soon-ish (e.g. dorm room) you might want to seriously consider saving some money there. That's a personal and financial preference though. However, if you can, you should try to buy yourself some good quality brushes, rollers, etc... If you take good care of them they can last you many many years and they really do make a difference in painting. However, a perfectly reasonable alternative is to buy something very cheap and plan on throwing it away after one or two uses (very cheap brushes tend to do things like starting to lose bristles as you paint which is a pain).
Also, depending on how much you plan to paint (e.g. 1 room vs the whole house/apartment), buying the primer in larger quantities (e.g. 5 gallons) can be a good cost savings (this applies to paint too if you're going with one color for the whole house). You probably don't want to tint it if you plan on using it with multiple colors, but I've haven't really seen a major need for it. Tinting can make things a little easier, but I personally like having a lot of primer on hand so I can really make sure I prep my walls as well as possible rather than worrying about running out of primer in a specific tint (so one 5-gallon can of white primer was my choice for painting 5 rooms in my house in various colors and I still have a decent bit left).
As far as paint goes, there are quite a few options, but three of the more common ones are:
Flat - It's your standard issue paint in areas that don't see a lot of moisture or prolonged dampness. However, it does have a tendency to get dirty easier than other alternatives.
Satin - Is my preferred paint for areas that don't see a lot of moisture. Unlike flat paint, satin has a slight (hence satiny) sheen to it and it looks good without looking outright shiny like semi-gloss. This also means it tends to resist dirt and grime better than flat paint.
Semi-Gloss - This is what you should use in your kitchens and baths. It's got a good bit of shine to it and it tends to handle moisture and humidity better than satin or flat so it's easier to keep clean (you can wipe it down as needed). If you have kids, this is also an option in areas that see a lot of hand-to-wall contact like a hallway or a playroom.
Once you know what kind of paint you want and you've settled on a brand, you can go ahead and choose a color. Some people might say that you should pick your color before the brand, but in my experience and given the color selection for even the least expensive paints, you're better off keeping you budget in mind and then working within what you can afford.
I'm not even going to try and suggest how you go about picking a specific color, but if you're very picky about shades and slight differences in colors, don't rely on a the small paint chips you find at the store. Buy a small sample can (or cans if you want to try multiple shades/colors) and paint it onto something fairly large (a piece of canvas or piece of plywood or sheetrock, whatever is convenient for you.. oh and don't forget to prime it too). Then put it in your room and see how it looks at various times of day and see how it looks against your furniture etc... Make sure you really like it before you proceed. This step isn't absolutely crucial, but it's certainly one to consider before you jump in and start painting.
Also keep in mind that the actual colors and their lightness or darkness can significantly impact your mood. Do a little research into how colors affect mood, and consider how you and your other household members feel about the colors you're considering (some people are more affected than others). The last thing you want is to make a space unpleasant to be in by choosing a color that is not conducive to the room's activity (e.g. concentrating in an office, relaxing and resting in a bedroom, etc...).
Why is this so important?
Well, you want to know what kind of paint you have so you can either put the same thing on top of it, or so you use a primer that will let you switch to a different type of paint. This is most often done in going from oil to latex paints. Latex paints are preferred for general wall painting because they can be cleaned up with water and are therefore much easier to work with, but they really don't like sticking to oil paints (at least not without some help from specialty primers).
Once you know what you have on your walls, you can go to the store and talk to the folks there to find out what they recommend for your situation. One thing I would add though is that you shouldn't feel like you need to buy the most expensive paint out there. I usually go for "one coat" store brands. You might need to use more than one coat, but they do tend to go on better than your average paints. More expensive paints do have somewhat better qualities for painting with them and in some situations do last better once painted, but IMO they aren't that much better. If you're painting something that you may want to repaint soon-ish (e.g. dorm room) you might want to seriously consider saving some money there. That's a personal and financial preference though. However, if you can, you should try to buy yourself some good quality brushes, rollers, etc... If you take good care of them they can last you many many years and they really do make a difference in painting. However, a perfectly reasonable alternative is to buy something very cheap and plan on throwing it away after one or two uses (very cheap brushes tend to do things like starting to lose bristles as you paint which is a pain).
Also, depending on how much you plan to paint (e.g. 1 room vs the whole house/apartment), buying the primer in larger quantities (e.g. 5 gallons) can be a good cost savings (this applies to paint too if you're going with one color for the whole house). You probably don't want to tint it if you plan on using it with multiple colors, but I've haven't really seen a major need for it. Tinting can make things a little easier, but I personally like having a lot of primer on hand so I can really make sure I prep my walls as well as possible rather than worrying about running out of primer in a specific tint (so one 5-gallon can of white primer was my choice for painting 5 rooms in my house in various colors and I still have a decent bit left).
As far as paint goes, there are quite a few options, but three of the more common ones are:
Flat - It's your standard issue paint in areas that don't see a lot of moisture or prolonged dampness. However, it does have a tendency to get dirty easier than other alternatives.
Satin - Is my preferred paint for areas that don't see a lot of moisture. Unlike flat paint, satin has a slight (hence satiny) sheen to it and it looks good without looking outright shiny like semi-gloss. This also means it tends to resist dirt and grime better than flat paint.
Semi-Gloss - This is what you should use in your kitchens and baths. It's got a good bit of shine to it and it tends to handle moisture and humidity better than satin or flat so it's easier to keep clean (you can wipe it down as needed). If you have kids, this is also an option in areas that see a lot of hand-to-wall contact like a hallway or a playroom.
Once you know what kind of paint you want and you've settled on a brand, you can go ahead and choose a color. Some people might say that you should pick your color before the brand, but in my experience and given the color selection for even the least expensive paints, you're better off keeping you budget in mind and then working within what you can afford.
I'm not even going to try and suggest how you go about picking a specific color, but if you're very picky about shades and slight differences in colors, don't rely on a the small paint chips you find at the store. Buy a small sample can (or cans if you want to try multiple shades/colors) and paint it onto something fairly large (a piece of canvas or piece of plywood or sheetrock, whatever is convenient for you.. oh and don't forget to prime it too). Then put it in your room and see how it looks at various times of day and see how it looks against your furniture etc... Make sure you really like it before you proceed. This step isn't absolutely crucial, but it's certainly one to consider before you jump in and start painting.
Also keep in mind that the actual colors and their lightness or darkness can significantly impact your mood. Do a little research into how colors affect mood, and consider how you and your other household members feel about the colors you're considering (some people are more affected than others). The last thing you want is to make a space unpleasant to be in by choosing a color that is not conducive to the room's activity (e.g. concentrating in an office, relaxing and resting in a bedroom, etc...).
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1) Paint selection. If painting all of the walls one particular color, pick out your favorite color. Then go at least one shade lighter. Consider a second. A brighter room looks larger and the color is usually more than noticeable. Buy quality paint.
2) Use a handle on the paint roller. Snag the handle from the broom. Place the paint tray on the floor, directly in front of you, about 4" from the wall. Practice first - the trick is to get only a little bit of paint on the roller, then roll it out a few times in the tray. Buy quality paint - it tends to be less runny/thin and will not drip nearly as easily. Pause when lifting the roller up from the tray. You can twirl the roller, but that is usually unnecessary. Start at the top and roll straight down, then back up to the top, forming a very large N. Personally, I work left to right, so it would be horizontally flipped N. Roll the entire wall vertically - you will get a much nicer product than using a ladder, etc, etc, etc. And you'll be no more likely to dump the paint than standing on a ladder with a paint tray 4' off the floor, going up, down, etc, etc, etc. PRACTICE is the keyword here. I was a little clumsy at first but I would never go back to painting without a handle....unless it is in cramped hallway or bathroom where I can't stand back from the wall without banging the handle into the wall behind me...
btw..with the handle, I stand about 3 - 4 foot away from the wall, about 2' away from the paint tray. Don't overfill the paint tray (you won't slosh it all over the place) and you can just slide the tray across the floor with your opposite foot - especially on wooden floors or non-shaggy carpets.
3) if you do drip anything, relax. Immediately and carefully set down your roller in your paint tray (near the top so it doesn't "dip" into the paint at the bottom. Grab a ~3 bucket of water (should be kept handy anyway) with a sponge or washcloth. Sponge up the excess and wash it out in the sink. Then wet the carpet were the paint was, then sponge (pushing it down into the carpet) to get it out. Wring out, wash in the bucket, apply more water, sponge, wash, apply. Repeat 3-5 times until it all comes out. Just don't drop your paint bucket or paint tray...that stinks. I've gotten up lots of little accidents up without any issue. Mostly because I probably should have not fallen behind on my sleeping ;-).
4) Paint buckets and paint trays demonstrate potential. Keep them as low as possible when they have ANY paint in them. Keep both opened and unopened paint buckets on the floor. They will never fall if they are on the floor to begin with. A (former) employee never observed this simple rule of potential energy...I lost at least 1 or 2 carpets (costing me about $1500-$2000) and a few spirit levels before....=(
I have used this technique to paint many many rooms in our office building.
I miss the old place, but I'm definitely looking forward to getting to paint the rooms in my new spooky old house :-)
Thanks for the painting tips. More paint tips at http://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Paint-Roller
Here are some additional tips to consider also.
Dropcloths: If using old sheets, go for a double or triple thickness layer. Any less and drops will seep through to the carpet below. Throw-away plastic ones are good for covering furniture, but are a real trip-hazard underfoot, so avoid them there.
Clothing: Grab a few sets of baggy shirts and pants at a thrift store. They are so cheap you can wipe your hands on them, then toss.
Handles: Putting even a short handle on a roller makes it MUCH easier to use and easier to bend over for loading with paint from the tray.
Cardboard: Put the tray / bucket on piece of corrugated cardboard. You can throw rollers and brushes on it and slide it around easily when moving to a new area.
Power Rollers: For a big multi-room job in a single color, investing in a power roller is a time saver. They are pump and hose units that inject paint through the inside of special perforated rollers. Roller covers cost more and cleanup takes 30 min. to flush the hose, but you get it back in speed.
Dip the Brush: If using fast drying latex, it helps to dip the brush in water first to wet the ferrule near the handle. Work out most of the moisture from the tip bristles before starting. This keeps a blob from drying to quickly where the bristles attach.
I don't quite have your painting pedigree, I'm only a 2nd generation general contractor with most of my life spent around buildings in all stages of construction from surveying a property all the way out to performing maintenance on them for years after they've been lived in (my folks own rental properties, some are older than I am and I designed and built others). Nowadays I make a living working for one of the bigger home builders in the country, so I'd like to think I know a little bit about homes in general and painting in particular.
I'm not entirely sure why you thought I put too much emphasis on wall prep. If you look, the basic level of wall prep is caulk what needs to be caulked, do a little sanding and cleaning of walls, and you're good to go. IMO there's a good bit of planning that should go into this sort of project (especially for someone new) and I tried to touch on some of the more significant issues that might come up for an decent cross section of people (e.g. someone working on a fixer upper, someone painting a new addition, someone just painting a room in a dorm), but actual prep isn't necessarily that involved (but it can be so it seemed worthwhile to warn people about it so they can be on the look out and not get unpleasantly surprised).
Stores - I've had good and bad experiences with paint stores and good and bad experiences with home improvement stores so I'd kind of leave it up to folks to go somewhere and talk to someone who deals with paint and perhaps try different places. I did think it was worth warning them that they don't have to spend lots of money to get a good result from painting. I wouldn't go so far as to recommend any one large chain of stores.
IMO paying attention to detail and being careful with what you're doing will more than make up for any differences in brushes or paint (i.e. a sloppy person with a great brush will do a much worse job than a careful person with a cheap brush). So I disagree that paint quality is that big of an issue. It is AN issue and something people should consider in deciding what to buy, but again, results vary a lot by how much attention you put into the work you're doing. You did make a good point about using interior paint although you can use exterior paint indoors, generally what you want to avoid is using interior paint for exterior uses.
Latex vs oil paint: As I said earlier, this instructable was meant for people who don't have a lot of experience and are looking to learn about painting. So, for that audience, latex is the better choice. The ease of use and clean up is far and away superior to oil's and that counts for a lot for someone who doesn't necessarily have access to all the equipment or materials that a professional painting contractor does. Also oil based paints and products related to their use (e.g. thinner) also tend to have noticeably stronger smells that can really bother people who aren't as used to them as professional painters and volatility of the chemicals in oil paint also means that ventilation is often a much more critical issue when using oil vs latex.
I considered mentioning the dark/bright color issues wrt repainting, but depending on the primer you use though it's not always that difficult to cover up. I've repainted a lot of walls (tenants are great about painting and not repainting sometimes) and I don't think I've ever had to use 5 or more coats for any color (I don't remember if we've had red, but I know we've had black).
Brushes & Rollers: All along I've been trying to make the point that there is no need to buy anything terribly expensive. Since there was an interest in what qualified as good I put that up, but my personal take on most things (painting included) is that budget should determine what people buy. If they can afford a top of the line brush or roller, that's great. If they can't then at least they can look at what goes into a premium brush (like the heel, how it feels, how it's constructed, what it's made of) and buy something in the middle and they can decide which of the features matter most to them.
Prep is tricky. I really wanted to focus on some of the more common, bigger issues that might come up because, from my own experience, they're the kinds of things that I would want to know before I start a project. Not necessarily to stop anyone from doing something, but just so they go in prepared and they knew if their project might be more involved and take more time than they originally hoped.
Stores: In my experience, home improvement stores do a decent job of not overselling people who come in looking for help. They're not perfect and their service does tend to vary store-by-store, but on the whole it seems like the folks that work there have a decent understanding of the basics in their departments. Specialty stores (OTOH) seem to have more "experts" who seem to upsell or oversell more often than the other stores. They're great if you have an unusual situation (e.g. I went there when I needed supplies to spray on black lacquer onto some cabinets where I wanted the wood grain to still be visible) but they can be overkill for a budget minded consumer.
Paint quality: We may have to agree to disagree on this point. I understand the point you're making about longevity, but in my experience, cheaper paints last just fine under "normal" circumstances, especially in interior applications. However, as I've said before, a person's budget should inform their decision. For instance, someone living in a home they plan to stay in for years, but one where they don't intend to paint more than once, could choose to go with cheap tools and premium paint. By the same token, someone who thinks they may move often, or who may decide to change paint colors frequently could decide to invest in better tools and cheaper paint, knowing that they don't need it to last more than a year or two. There's not just one way to approach these projects and I'm hoping that anyone reading this instructable and the comments will take into account what's written here and their own situations and come up with a solution that works best for them.
You're right, it's not that hard to do a decent-to-good paint job, it's all about being careful and not trying to rush through the work. WRT the fiasco the previous owner's inflicted on my walls, I keep wondering how someone leaves a paint job looking that bad without feeling pretty crummy about it?