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Paint a room like a pro

Prep, cut in, and roll two clean coats on a typical 12 by 12 bedroom. Good prep is most of the job; the painting goes fast.

Time
1 day
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Paint
Steps
9
How to Paint a Room Like a ProAsk This Old House

Before you start

  • Ventilate. Open windows and run a box fan pointed out a window to pull fumes out, and take breaks in fresh air.
  • Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint. Don't sand or scrape old paint until it's been tested.
  • Wear safety glasses when painting the ceiling or working overhead; paint in the eye stings and can injure.
  • Set the ladder on a flat floor, fully open and locked. Don't stand on the top step or the paint shelf.
  • Store rags soaked in oil-based paint or stain flat to dry outdoors; balled-up oily rags can catch fire on their own.

Step by step

  1. 1

    Measure and buy the right amount

    Multiply the room's perimeter by the wall height, then subtract about 20 sq ft per door and 15 per window. A gallon covers roughly 350 to 400 sq ft per coat, and you'll want two coats. A 12 by 12 room with 8 ft walls needs about 2 gallons. Our paint calculator does this math for you.

  2. 2

    Clear and cover the room

    Move furniture to the center and cover it with plastic. Lay drop cloths along the walls. Unscrew switch and outlet cover plates and put the screws in a bag.

  3. 3

    Patch and clean the walls

    Fill nail holes and dings with spackle, let it dry, and sand it flush with a sanding sponge. Wipe the walls down with a damp cloth to remove dust; degrease kitchen and bathroom walls. Let everything dry.

  4. 4

    Prime where it's needed

    Spot-prime every patch, or it will show through as a dull spot. Prime the whole wall if you're covering a dark color, stains, glossy paint, or new drywall.

  5. 5

    Cut in the edges

    Tape the trim if you want insurance. With an angled sash brush, paint a 2 to 3 inch band along the ceiling line, corners, and around trim, doors, and windows. Cut in one wall at a time so the edges are still wet when you roll.

  6. 6

    Roll the walls

    Load the roller evenly in the tray and roll a 3 ft by 3 ft W shape, then fill it in without lifting the roller. Work from top to bottom and keep a wet edge, rolling into the paint you just laid. Don't press hard; let the nap do the work.

  7. 7

    Apply the second coat

    Wait for the recoat time on the can, usually 2 to 4 hours for latex. Desert air dries paint quickly, but give it the full time anyway. Cut in and roll the second coat the same way. Once it's dry to the touch, pull any wall tape slowly at a 45-degree angle, scoring a stuck edge with a utility knife first.

  8. 8

    Paint the trim last

    Once the walls are dry, re-tape the wall edge if you want a crisp line, then paint baseboards, door casings, and window trim with semi-gloss using the sash brush. Semi-gloss stands up to scuffs and wipes clean. Pull that tape when the trim paint is dry to the touch.

  9. 9

    Clean up

    Wash latex brushes and rollers in warm water. Never pour paint down a storm drain; let small amounts of leftover latex dry out before throwing the can away.

Pro tip

Between coats, wrap your roller and brush tightly in a plastic grocery bag instead of washing them. They'll stay wet for hours, and you'll save twenty minutes of cleanup and a lot of wasted paint.

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