Things You'll Need:
- Joint compound
- Sandpaper
- Painter's tape
- Paint
- Rollers and/or brushes
- Plastic bag
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Step 1
Prepare the room you are painting by first removing all decorations hanging on the walls and removing as much furniture from the room as possible. Place pieces of furniture that can not be removed in the center of the room and cover with a drop cloth or plastic. Fill any holes made in the wall with joint compound. Once that has dried and been sanded, clean the walls.
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Step 2
Choose between a brush and a roller. If painting by brush, you will use less paint. Painting with a roller, like the professionals do, normally results in using a third more paint but takes much less time.
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Step 3
Choose your color wisely. Do not base a decision on a small paint chip you have looked at under the store's unnatural lighting. Purchase the smallest size container of paint you can for the colors you are considering. Brush a little color onto each wall and evaluate it for a few days. Colors appear differently in different light, so be sure to observe the color choices at different times of day and under different weather conditions.
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Step 4
Use painter's tape to block off molding, the ceiling or wall areas that you do not want painted. This can be done up to a few days before you paint. Be sure you are applying the tape straight and you press down the edges firmly.
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Step 5
Dress appropriately. Wear old clothes that you don't mind having paint splotches on. Place an old belt or string around your waist with damp rags tucked in them for a handy clean up.
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Step 6
Begin painting the walls forming a "w" on the wall. Have the paint lightened if it is too strong. Once you have made the decision about your color and begin painting, you may find once the entire wall is painted it is too strong. By taking the paint back to the store and having "decorator's white" mixed in, your color will be lightened but the hue will remain the same.
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Step 7
Store unwashed brushes and rollers in the freezer. Rather than washing brushes and rollers out at the end of the day when you know you will need another coat of paint, wrap them in plastic wrap, place them in a bag and put them in the freezer. Within three days, remove the brushes or rollers from the freezer and let them thaw before continuing your paint job.
