Painting a room is one of the most common home DIY tasks. It doesn’t require an in-depth knowledge of decorating techniques; however, knowing a few tricks of the trade will make a successful painting project far more likely. With a good plan of action, the room will soon be freshly painted with minimal fuss or expense.
Professional decorators – such as Scott Anson Painters & Decorators Ltd. – recommend planning your approach to painting by considering how you want the final result to look. Remember: you are not limited to painting all four walls in the same colour. Different hues of one colour – contrasting two colour choices or creating a feature wall – can each make a bold statement in the room. Make sure that the ceiling isn’t neglected either; give it a refresh at the same time as you redecorate the walls.
Browsing through decks of colour spectrum cards can seem daunting when choosing new colours for a room. Try to narrow down the seemingly endless options by deciding on warm or cool colour palettes. Do you prefer neutral shades? Will your choices compliment your existing furniture? Many paint companies now offer online tools where you can upload photos of a room and test out different colours. This is a good idea to get a real feel of how the room will look once it has been redecorated.
Depending on the condition of your walls and your choice of paint, there may be a few variables when it comes to choosing your work tools and materials. However, most projects will require the following:
- Paint
- Sandpaper
- Drop cloths
- Paint roller (with an extension)
- Paint brushes
- Paint trays
- Painter’s tape
- Putty knife
- Rags
Gathering all of these tools and materials together before starting will save time and make the project easier to manage. Most interior walls will not require priming, as interior paints are usually latex-based which allows you to paint straight over the old paint. Exceptions to this include if the previous paint colour was particularly dark or vibrant, if the walls were previously painted with oil-based paint, or if the walls have stains or grease marks.
The issue of how much paint to buy can be contentious; nobody wants to run out, but you don’t want bulky tins of paint left over either. A good rule of thumb is to buy one gallon of paint per 400 square feet.
Finally, don’t be afraid to get started. Painting a room is a rewarding task – and if anything does go wrong, it is relatively easy to fix.