You can paint the room well. If you’re looking to learn how to paint like a pro, with true perfection and a room that looks great, then you should think as the masters. The quality of your tools and preparation will determine how well you paint a room. To prepare a room to be painted, there are several steps that are necessary. Each one is important. The steps for painting a room are the same for both beginners and professionals. They include cutting the edges and using the roller.
Quality Tools Are Worth Investing In
Painters who are professionals, such as trusted home painters in Auckland, use premium tools and maintain them properly because they depend on these tools for their livelihood. If you follow their method and purchase the right tools, then you can paint your room as fast as a pro.
- The bristles of the Premium brushes won’t shed.
- The premium roller frame (in 9 inches and smaller sizes), will last several projects.
- A roller cover that has a thick nap will absorb and transfer paint to your walls with consistency. Professionals tend to use new roller covers for each coat.
- A locking extension pole helps you to paint higher places without creating a mess.
- The 5-gallon bucket allows you to refill your roller without using a paint tray or liner. The bucket lid allows you to store the paint over a long period of time and prevents paint from being poured back into cans.
- The bucket can be emptied by using a roller screen.
Prepare For The Worst By Preparing Well
Preparing the room is a crucial part of painting as a professional. The following steps are required to prepare the room for painting:
- Remove as many items from the room as possible to create space for the next stage of preparation. The items left in the room will only hinder your work, and can potentially be damaged by paint spills and splatters.
- Move all the furniture to the middle of the room if you are unable to move it. Tape down a large plastic sheet to cover all the furniture.
- Remove all decorative items such as clocks, shelves, artwork and nails from the wall.
- Remove the outlet and switch covers.
- Painter’s Tape can be used to cover uncovered outlets and switches.
- Cover the floor and protect it.
- Remove the trim from the door and windows, or mask it off.
- Clean and repair the walls.
- Prime the walls.
After all your preparation, you will be ready to start painting the walls. Even if you’re a novice, it is possible to paint an entire room in a single day after the prepping.
What You’ll Need
Equipment and Tools
- Flathead screwdriver
- Paint scraper with rounded corners
- Putty knife
- Clean bucket
- Sponges
- Paint edger or angle paintbrush
- 9-inch roller frame
- 9-inch roller cover(s)
- 5-gallon paint bucket
- Bucket screen
- Roller extension pole (optional)
Materials
- Plastic sandwich bags
- Painter’s Tape
- Plastic Sheets
- Drop Cloths
- Sandpaper with fine-grit
- Wall spackle
- TSP
- Primer
- Interior latex paint
How To Paint Like A Pro
1. Removing And Cleaning Switch Plates And Outlet Covers
Switch off all electrical circuits that control outlets and switches within the room. Avoid being electrically shocked while removing screws and plates.
Remove all switch plates and outlet cover covers with a small screwdriver. Place each cover and plate, along with the screws, into a plastic sandwich bag. Place the bags away from paint in a secure place. To avoid accidentally painting over an outlet, place a strip of painter’s tape and then switch the openings on the wall.
2. Cover The Floor And Non-Movable Items
Drop cloths such as plastic tarps and rosin papers can be used to protect the floor from paint.
3. Mask Or Remove The Trim
Painter’s tape can be used to cover the trim around doors and windows. This will protect them from paint, as well as from patching materials. If possible, remove the baseboards. Painter’s tape can be used to protect the baseboards from paint if they cannot be removed.
4. Repair Walls
You’ll want to check the walls before cleaning for gouges, large cracks or holes, as well as scratches and peeling paint. A smooth paint finish can be achieved by patching the wall.
Use fine sandpaper for minor imperfections and shallow scratches. Paint scrapers for walls can be used to remove any peeling paint. Sandpaper can be used to smooth over the edges and feather them. Sand and fill larger blemishes.
5. Cleaning The Walls
After painting, any mistakes that were visible before will still be there. It’s time to clean the walls, and make stains disappear. You can wash the walls using trisodium-phosphate (TSP), a painter’s soap that is inexpensive and effective in removing dirt and surface oils.
Fill the bucket with cool, clean water. Pour in the manufacturer-specified amount of TSP and stir. Then, sponge-clean the walls after soaking a sponge with the TSP solution. Fill the bucket up with clean water, and use a sponge to wash the walls. Allow the walls to air dry.
6. Prime The Walls
Priming walls will cover tough stains, and give them a subtle texture or tooth, which helps the paint adhere better to the wall. Oil based primers work well for interior walls. If your walls are clean and free of stains, you can skip priming by using self primer paint.
Primers come in different formulations. If the TSP does not remove certain stains, you can use an oil-based masking primer. Primer that says it will prevent stains from leaking through the paint should be used. Continue priming the area until the stain is gone.
7. Cutting The Edges
The term “cutting-in” refers to the practice of painting up to and including the edges of surfaces which will not be painted. It is used to fill in spaces where rollers cannot reach. Cutting-in is often preferred by professional painters over painter’s taping because it is more efficient, cheaper, and less wasteful.
Dip an angled paint brush or edger tool lightly into the top layer of paint. Draw the brush gently along the wall, and close to any surfaces that won’t be painted. (For example, trim on door). When using an angled paint brush or edger tool, go slowly. Keep a cloth rag on hand to clean up any paint marks.
8. Prepare Roller With Paint
Dip your roller in the paint bucket. Do not immerse the roller for too long. Overloaded rollers can cause drips and are difficult to remove.
The roller should be coated on all sides. Continue rolling up and down, until you hear the sound of a sticky substance. Repeat this process several times to ensure that the roller is completely coated with paint.
9. Roll The W Shape
Start at one corner and roll the paint down 3 feet, then back up, up, and up to form a “W”. Fill in and overlap the other W shapes on the wall. Roll over the paint edges while they are still wet.
10. Fill In And Complete
Continue to roll out paint blocks using the W-method. Step back and look at your work from a distance. To catch any missed spots, work in bright light. Finish by rotating the roller horizontally or vertically, to smooth out the paint.