Want to remodel a room but lack the big bucks and professional skills required? A fresh coat of paint is the least expensive way to transform your living space: even if you’re new to the brush, you can achieve stunning results. But first you need to create a plan to ensure things go smoothly on painting day.
- Paint a virtual room: Before you head to the paint store, hit the Internet and try out a few of the personal color viewers provided by major paint companies. You can tint and tone virtual bathrooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, kitchens, living rooms, and so on. You can even upload a photo of the room you want to paint and see how it looks with any paint color.
- Head to the home improvement store: Before you buy paint, measure each room so you know how much to buy. A gallon of paint covers about 350 square feet while a gallon of primer covers 200 square feet. Be sure to pick up brushes, rollers, pans, sandpaper, rubber gloves, caulk, drop cloths, and masking tape to get the job done.
- Prepare the surface: The walls must be properly prepared before you open that first gallon of paint, and preparation can take longer than painting. Move furniture out of the room or into the center and cover everything with drop cloths. Inspect the walls for cracking, peeling, flaking, and loose paint. Scrape away loose paint, rough up bare wood surfaces with sandpaper, and caulk up cracks. If you see spotty black, grey, or brown mold, clean it thoroughly with Soft Scrub Mold & Mildew Stain Remover Spray. Make sure surfaces are dry and free of grit before you start.
- Brush and roll: Brushes are not the fastest way to apply paint but they allow a high degree of control. Good quality brushes are worth the investment since they pick up and transfer paint better than cheap brushes. Rollers are the most efficient way to lather on the paint. Fluffier rollers hold more paint and drip less while long rollers leave tracks.
- Plan for safety: Ladders, paints, solvents, and tools need to be handled with care. Painting isn’t usually a dangerous activity, but it is wise to read warning labels before you begin.