This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Eli Casas. Find them on Instagram at @elicasasnow. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
As a former paint store color technician, I can not tell you how many ways you can ruin your expensive paint, but these tips will prepare you to succeed. Let’s start with what you will need: all the required materials, the correct type of paint for the job, and the skills to prep the area correctly. Worry not, my DIY friends, because I will provide professional house painting tips, visuals, and links!
Where Do I Start?
Although you may think painting different rooms in your home is the same, it’s not. For example, have you ever noticed that your kitchen or bathroom walls typically have easier-to-wipe features? How about your bedroom or living room? The walls all have a different feel to them. That’s because paints come in various finishes, making all the walls feel slightly different.
You can typically use different finishes in a bedroom, but it depends on numerous factors. For example, consider eggshell or satin in a kid’s room, as they will withstand wiping on the surface. Suppose crayons or other stains will not be a contributing denominator. In that case, you can go with a flat or eggshell, as those are the finishes with a lower sheen, often more aesthetically pleasing for a bedroom.
If you are painting your kitchen, using a satin or semi-gloss sheen is ideal. However, this does not include the kitchen cabinets. If you ask me, that’s a whole other DIY project. Remember, the higher the sheen, the easier it is to wipe the surface.
This brings me to my next point: You always want a higher sheen for a bathroom because of all the exposure to moisture. Choosing the right finish avoids damage to the paint on your walls through prevention.
Choosing your paint will initially feel overwhelming because there are so many brands. My first advice is to factor in your budget at the very beginning. Next, you want to make sure your paint provides high coverage, comes in the size you need, and is compatible with the material of your surface. Lastly, ensure the paint you chose is intended for interior use and comes in the sheens you need.
Therefore, it is crucial to recognize which part of your home you are painting, as that will determine what type of finish, paint, and materials you will need for your project.
P.S. If you are painting your entire home, take it one step at a time.
What Materials Do You Need?
Now that you know which rooms in your home you are painting, let’s review what materials you need to start. You will need painter’s tape, masking paper, a canvas drop cloth, a pack of roller covers, a paint roller frame, a paint extension pole, a paint tray and liners, a spackling compound, a putty knife, sandpaper, an angular trim paint brush, primer, and paint. Aside from your paint materials, you should also have cleaning rags within reach.
What’s Next?
You are probably excited to embark on this DIY journey, but you can not start painting until you have prepped the room. Paint requires an adequate surface to perform best. I can see why, in theory, it might seem logical to apply your new paint over your old one, but please don’t do it! For the best results, cleaning your walls, prepping the area, filling any holes, and priming before you start painting are necessary.
Next, grab your spackling compound and putty knife, fill in any small holes, scrape off any access spackle, and let it dry completely. Check to confirm that the spackle is completely dry; if so, sand down those areas. Next, remove any dust or stains from the walls. After that, you will use painter’s tape to cover any surface areas you are not painting, such as moldings or baseboards. Suppose the room you are painting requires protecting significantly larger surface areas. You can use the painter’s tape and masking paper in that case.
Place your drop cloth on the floor below the first wall, where you will start. You can now begin prepping your paint station! First, you will need your primer, the paint tray and one of the liners, a paint roller cover, the paint roller frame, and the paint roller extension pole. Once you have assembled everything, it’s prime time! Pun intended.
Think of primer as the foundation of your walls—it helps the whole look stick together! There are different primers, such as bonding, multipurpose, and high hide. If you paint over oil paint with water-based paint, you will need a bonding primer. Otherwise, multipurpose or high-hide primers are OK if you paint over water-based paint with another. The high hide is usually used when painting over a darker color with a lighter color for ultimate coverage.
The Fun Part!
Now that you have prepped, you are ready to paint! If you decide to prime your walls, which is typically recommended for the best results, use a different liner and place it on your paint tray. Also, don’t forget to switch out your paint cover roller for a new one! Pour your paint into the tray.
Before we go any further, have you ever outlined something in your coloring book before starting? This concept works well for painting, too! You can use your trim brush to get all the edges and corners first; it helps you stay within the lines. Then, use your roller with the extension pole to paint the wall. You will repeat the same thing for all your walls.
Clean Up
Here are a few last things to leave you with. Congrats on your DIY project! All the disposal things, such as the used painter’s tape, tray liners, and paint cover rollers, can be tossed in the trash once they are all dry. Second, the reusable stuff, such as the paint brush, the paint tray, the extension pole, and the paint roller frame, can all be wiped down and cleaned correctly for future projects. Dispose of any excess paint you no longer want at local paint stores with a recycling program.
Did you enjoy these professional house painting tips? Is there anything else you would like to know? Let us know in the comments below.
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