What you should do before painting a room

Preparing a room makes a difference

IT is obvious that painting is much easier and quicker when there is nothing in your way. This means emptying out the room, or at least as much as possible. If you are painting your living room, move large furniture pieces to the centre and cover them up with old sheets or drop cloths. It may appear an unnecessary step to wipe the walls down, but it is actually very important.

Whether you can see it or not, on the walls, there is build-up of dirt, dust and oils from your hands. Removing this debris prior to painting will allow the paint to adhere to the walls. You should also fill in any nail holes or cracks, as well as tape off adjacent walls, window trim, and light switch or outlet covers. Use drop cloths, newspapers or a roll of paper or plastic to cover the floor before you begin painting.

Test the paint colour

It is very difficult to determine how a particular colour will look on your walls, and with your lighting.

If you have a colour in mind, it is a good idea to buy a small paint sample first, and do a test before committing to the entire work.

Once you have your paint sample, you will want to find an obscure corner or surface of your home to test how the colour will look inside your home. If you are not comfortable testing the paint sample on your walls, you could cut a small piece of wood or drywall to test the sample colour on.

Let it dry and then hold it up to whatever surface you want to paint. While the paint is drying, observe how the colour looks throughout different periods of the day and at night.

Allow a little colour into your home

The days of beige, off-white and grey are over. Do not be afraid of bringing new colours into your home.

Trying a few different colours will allow you to create a specific feeling in the room.

For instance, dark colours add texture and depth to the space. This is particularly true if the room is very large, with high ceilings.

On the other hand, if you have a small room, such as a guest bath with no natural light, brighter, lighter colours can really open up the space and make it feel much larger. Experiment to see what unique colours work for your home.

Pay attention to the finish you choose

Not only does the colour matter, the finish does as well. High gloss paint finishes are very durable and easier to clean, but the downside is they often highlight imperfections in your walls. Bathrooms tend to need a more scrubbable, glossier sheen. And a glossier paint has a higher resistance to moisture.

Determining how much paint you need

There is nothing more frustrating during a painting project than running out of paint halfway through the project. But you do not want to have too much paint either. There are a few things that will help you determine the right amount of paint. First, you need to know the square footage of your room. Then, think about how many coats of paint you want to have. If you are priming the walls first, one coat might be enough, whereas two coats are often needed if walls are not primed.

Priming saves on paint

This is an important step in the preparation. Primer seals the walls, providing you with a base for the paint to adhere to. After you fill in all the holes and cracks, primer becomes even more important. The primer will prevent flashing or shiny spots on the wall, which occurs when paint is placed directly on spackling. However, primer does not help you skip the step of cleaning the walls.

Brush before rolling

For many, the concept of brushing the corners before or after rolling the walls can be confusing. However, you must remember to brush before rolling. Carefully use a high-quality brush to paint about an inch out from corners, the ceiling and the baseboard. These are areas that a roller cannot reach.

Prepare your roller and paint brushes

Rollers are made from fuzzy material that can put more than just paint on your walls if you are not careful. It is important that you remove any debris, such as loose fibres, from the roller.

Gather the proper supplies

Do not skimp on supplies. Aside from a good quality paint brush, you want to make sure you have all the supplies you need prior to getting started.

Paint can be changed

Do not stress yourself, your paint colour can always be changed. Fortunately, paint is an inexpensive option for sprucing up a room. If you find that you do not like a colour, you can easily paint over it. — mymove.com