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How to paint a room- Instructions for the average person from beginning to end.

Painting a room is easy if you know how to do it. Here are some easy-to-follow instructions for the average person on how to paint a room.

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I went out of town one weekend to visit my mom and my husband painted the upstairs bathroom brown. My kids call it poo-poo. It’s so ugly. I’m about to repaint it this week so it made me think back to the first time I ever painted and how much I’ve learned since then.

I don’t do many home improvement projects, but one thing I like to do is paint. Painting is inexpensive and makes a huge change in a short amount of time. It’s very satisfying to see results in just a few hours.

Make sure to read the entire article before you start painting. There are some tips and tricks at the end.

hand painting a white room teal with a rolling brush

How to paint a room.

I have painted and repainted every room in my house. Yes, me! I’ve done it all on my own. It’s one of the most inexpensive diy projects you can do!

The first time I painted, I thought it would be easy. Boy, was I wrong. I thought I would just grab a roller and get to work and wasn’t prepared at all. I feel I’m an expert now!

Materials need to paint.

  • Drop cloth- I have an old sheet that I use for small spaces and a canvas cloth for bigger spaces.
  • Old clothes
  • Nail hole filler
  • Sanding sponge
  • Frogtape
  • paint brushes– This one is my very favorite.
  • roller handle and roller covers- Here are some mini ones that are perfect for smaller spaces and behind the toilet.
  • paint tray
  • Paint Tray Liner- This is a huge help if you’re planning to paint a lot. It saves so much time in cleanup. Just pull it out and dump it. No cleaning involved.
  • Old towels or cloths
  • Paint Key– This is used to get your paint can open. You can use a screwdriver if you don’t have a paint key.
  • Paint stirrer- Pick a couple of these wooden stirrers up when you buy your paint, they’re free.
  • Step ladder. This is the one I have and never have to get out the big ladder.

How do I pick my paint color?

Picking the paint color takes way longer than actually painting for me! I want to make sure what I pick will look good since I’m putting in all the work.

Lighter colors go with more furniture and accessories but show dirt and handprints. Darker colors make the room dark and feel smaller.

If you are painting more than one room you can get pamphlets in the paint section that have paint colors that go together to make choosing easier. When I decided to paint every room in my downstairs, I started with these.

I highly recommend getting a sample size jar of paint in the colors you are trying to decide between. The colors look different when they’re on the wall and I have done this with every paint job I’ve done, except one and I’m not happy with that color at all!

The sample jars run less that $5 apiece so I get a couple and paint a large square of each to see which one I like the best. Sometimes I’ve gone back and bought different colors because I didn’t like what I had originally picked out.

You’ll want to get a satin finish to your wall paint. They are easy to clean when they get dirty and if you have kids, they will get dirty.

Painting a room is easy, if you know how do it . Here are some easy to follow instructions for the average person on how to paint a room.

Preparing to paint.

Picking out the paint and preparing your room takes longer than the actual painting! Don’t skip any of the prep!

  • Remove anything hanging on the wall, light switch and electric covers. Don’t forget about curtains!
  • Fill in any dents or nail holes (that you won’t be using) using nail filler and putty knife. Let dry and sand down using sandpaper.
  • If you have any larger holes, you may want to get Tham repaired before painting. My son kicked the wall and made a large hole. I paid a painting guy $75 and he cut the hole out and replaced the drywall. We couldn’t even tell after painting it. It was well worth the money (and I made my son pay for the repair).
  • Pull furniture out from the walls.
  • Lay out drop cloths.
  • Wipe down baseboards to clear any dust.
  • Carefully use painters tape to tape all baseboards, ceilings and molding so they don’t accidentally get paint on them. Once you’re a more experienced painter, you won’t need to do this.

What is the correct order to paint a room?

If you are painting the baseboards and ceiling, you’ll want to complete those areas first. Do the baseboards, then the ceiling. After 24 hours, the baseboards will be dry and you’ll be able to start taping and painting the first coat on your walls.

First, you’ll want to start on one wall- trim the top and bottom on your wall using your paint brush. Having a wedge brush is a huge help because you can really get a smooth line next to the bottom baseboard and ceiling.

Second, you’ll also want to do the corners with the brush. You can’t get into the corners with just a roller.

Last, load up that paint roller and paint walls! Make sure to keep adding paint to your roller.

Once you have completed one wall, move to the next and repeat the steps. Repeat all the steps again if you decide to do a second coat.

How to paint walls without streaks

Using a good roller for big spaces limits streaking. Don’t use so much paint that the roller won’t roll. The paint will glob up and start running. The most important tip is to make a W with the roller when you are painting. Avoid just going up and down.

The same goes when you’re using paint brushes- don’t use too much paint because when you’re doing the trim brush marks may show up.

Prevent streaks by purchasing quality paint. It’s easy to go with a cheaper brand, but I’ve found that Valspar Signature is my favorite and a good price. You can get it at Lowe’s Home Improvement stores.

Tips and Tricks in painting a room.

  • Take your time and don’t rush!
  • Get paint with the primer included.
  • If you are painting a wall that has never been painted (just the builder’s paint), your wall will suck up A LOT of paint. Make sure you buy enough.
  • Even with the paint and primer combo, you’ll probably have to do a second coat.
  • Wet your roller, just a bit, before you paint.
  • Reload your roller with paint often.
  • If you are doing a regular sized room, you can start a second coat when you’re done with the first. Just continue the same direction.
  • Take the tape off only when the paint has dried.

Click over to see this cute door decoration I did, super cheap too!