A Basic Guide To Interior Painting

Painting may just be the most common trick in the handyman book. While the process is rather simple, there are a few very important guidelines to follow when working towards a successful painting project.

To begin, a few items are necessary:

-Paint

- Brushes

- Painters Tape

- Roller

- Roller Tray

- Spackle Compound

- Drop Cloth

Before beginning your interior masterpiece, empty the room. Remove all furniture, pictures, lights, outlet covers, etc. Cover whatever you're unable to relocate with drop cloths. You may want to remove any nails from the walls as they are rather difficult to color around.

Next, clean the walls. Color tends to work best on clean surfaces. After the walls are thoroughly cleaned, allow them to dry. Seal any water stains with shellac. Use this method on any additional stains as well. Where mildew is concerned, use a bleach and TSP mixture.

If you are sanding a wall with a gloss or semigloss finish, you will need to degloss to ensure the color adheres to the wall properly. This can be accomplished by lightly sanding the paint with fine sandpaper or using a liquid deglosser to wipe down the wall. While the liquid deglosser works well, you should know that it comes with a very strong odor. The surface will also need to be painted within an hour.

Use vacuum to clean the room thoroughly.

Mask off all areas you will need to be careful around using painter tape.

Once your room it clean it's time to prime! This is typically encouraged even on surfaces which have already been painted. The process of priming seals the surface which will prolong the wet edge of finish coats to help minimize lapmarks. This also helps to ensure uniformity of texture and color.

TIME TO PAINT!

To start, use a trim brush to color a slim strip along the perimeter of the wall and ceiling lines. If you are treating the ceiling, paint it first, always working your way downward. Use the roller to cover the room's width rather than the length. When it's time for the walls, use even strokes as needed. To treat doors, first remove all hardware and use a wedge to hold it open part way. It is recommended that the edge be completed first.

Once the job is completed, you'll have a bit of cleaning to do. Be careful when disposing of any leftover paint as it can prove useful for years afterward and may come in handy if any touchups are needed.