Painting Tips
GUIDE FOR PAINTING LIKE A PROFESSIONAL
Are you looking to freshen up your home?
Whether you just bought a house or are preparing to sell, painting your walls can completely transform the space. For professional-looking results, it's essential to use the right techniques. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to achieve the perfect finish.
Choosing the Right Materials
The three most important items you'll need are paint, a roller, and a brush. Using cheap paint with a good roller and brush is better than using expensive paint with poor-quality tools. You can find good brushes at any hardware store—Wooster and Purdy are my favorites. For beginners, a 2 1/2 inch angle sash brush works best. For rollers, I recommend a 3/8 inch microfiber roller, or if you’re comfortable with more paint on the wall, a 1/2 inch microfiber roller. Remember, painting is the easy part—prep work is crucial but often more challenging.
Cyrus is reviewing his work, using a Wooster 4-8ft extension pole, a Wooster handle, and a Purdy 1/2 inch microfiber roller. He is back rolling a new construction house while I am spraying.
Preparation is Key
Before painting your bedroom walls, take the time to properly prepare the space. This ensures the best results and a professional-looking finish. First, protect your baseboards and floors from drips and splatters by taping off the edges with painter's tape. This step is crucial, as many people skip it and end up with noticeable paint on their baseboards, especially with watery paint. If you're buying paint off the shelf, have it mixed at the store, as it may have been sitting for a while. If the paint needs straining, do this before you start to avoid dry paint getting into your roller or brush. This is essential for a perfect finish.
Painters tape to protect the trim.
Before You Paint
Before starting to paint, I recommend lightly sanding the walls with 150-220 grit sandpaper. You can use a piece of sandpaper by hand or a palm/orbital sander for quicker results.
Moving Furniture
When painting, I suggest doing the entire room in one session if possible. This prevents your paint from drying out and affecting your brush, roller, and paint tray. Move your furniture enough so you can access every wall to cut in and roll, ensuring a smoother painting process.
By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to achieving a beautiful, professional-looking paint job in your room.
I use a Wooster 4ft extension pole with a full-circle sanding pad. Typically, I opt for 80 or 120 grit for rough walls, and 150 or 220 grit before applying the final coat.
Patching Holes
After sanding the walls, it's crucial not to skip patching holes. Use spackle, painter's putty, or drywall mud sparingly. Look for old nail holes and areas around door knobs or corners that need attention. Doing this a day ahead ensures everything is dry for easier sanding. Remember to remove outlet covers and wait until the paint is completely dry before replacing them—usually a few hours or the next day.
Thank you for reading these tips! Paying attention to details like thorough sanding, filling nail holes, and avoiding paint drips on baseboards will elevate your painting skills. With these steps, you're on your way to achieving professional results
Here is an example of holes that will need patched, these are most likely from a stapler, when someone covered the window.
Tape covering the edge, outlet covers removed, holes patched and sanded, ready for the first coat!