Paint Like a Pro - Interior Surfaces

source: Architects Home Design

Unlike many of my friends, I enjoy painting - be it a room or dresser or bookcase - I really enjoy it. Not only are you changing the atmosphere and energy level of a room or object, but it's just plain fun in my book.

When painting a room, part of that fun is planning out just what to do with it. Should I paint it one color? Two colors? Three colors?! C'mon, three colors would work...as long as the design is done tastefully!

The ticket to any successful project is planning and painting a room is no exception. A professional-looking paint job is within your grasp!

Follow the tips below and you're sure to impress yourself and your friends! Your walls will look like you hired a pro to do the job.

The three steps of painting like a pro: Planning, Preparing, Painting.

Planning:

• Choose the color.
  This is completely up to you! But, if you're indecisive like me, get a second opinion!
• Choose the right paint finish for the room.
  Check out HomeTime.com's Paints and Primers for a what's what when it comes to paint finishes.

  Here's a quick overview:

  • High-Gloss Paints, often referred to as "enamels," are the shiniest and most reflective paints. They produce the hardest, most water-resistant and most washable surface coating, so they're most often used on wood trim and kitchen, bath and playroom walls. However, surface flaws show most readily.
  • Semi-Gloss Paints, also known as "eggshell," "velvet," or "satin" paints, produce a somewhat shiny surface that's more reflective than a flat paint but less reflective than a high-gloss surface. They resist moisture better than a flat paint, so they're more washable and serve well on walls in hallways, kitchens, baths, and children's bedrooms.
  • Flat Paints leave a "matte" finish, with no gloss, shine or reflectivity. They work best on irregular wall surfaces where you want to hide the imperfections as much as possible. Flat is most typically used on ceilings, living rooms, and dining rooms over drywall surfaces.

• Determine how much paint you'll need.
  Lowe's has a great Paint Calculator you can use.
• Gather the tools you're going to need.
  DoItYourself.com has an exhaustive listing of recommendations for your painting project.

Preparing:

Preparation is key to ensuring your walls come out looking fabulous! A properly prepared wall is one without cracks and imperfections, and is clean and dry.

• Prepare the room.
  Cover floors, remove furniture/draperies/wall hangings, tape trim and wall-plates, etc.
• Clean/Dry/Patch the ceiling and walls.
  Fill any holes and correct any imperfections in the surfaces to be painted.
• Primer the walls.
  Primer allows your new paint to adhere better to the wall, covers the old topcoat so it doesn't bleed through (including stains and smells), and provides for a more overall uniform finish. For more info about primers, check out HomeTime.com's About Primers and Paints.

Painting:

• Paint in the right order.
  Pros follow an order when painting a room, basically top to bottom: first, the ceiling; second, the walls; third, windows and doors; and last, any trim.
• Paint corners and edges first.
  Paint about 2" above the floor molding and 2" below the crown molding.
• Apply paint using the "M" technique.
  Simply paint a large "M" then fill it in by rolling back across it before any part of it dries; do this in 4'x4' blocks, starting a new section again before the last one dries to blend the edges together.

  
  source: Lowe's

• Allow the paint to DRY.
  If you plan a second coat, wait the recommended time it states on the can of paint you purchased (typically 3-4 hours depending on ambient temperature).
• Remove tape after paint is dry.
  Using a sharp utility knife, gently slice through the tape at the corner while pulling the tape at a 45-degree angle.

If you intend to keep your brushes after your painting project, be sure to clean them properly for future use. If you used latex paint, immediately soak them in water, then clean with warm, soapy water, rinse, and hang to dry completely. If you used oil-based paint, follow the instructions above, but soak the brushes in paint thinner first.

Check these out links for more great information:

• Secrets of a Perfect Paint Job - from This Old House
• Interior Painting - from DoItYourself.com
• Interior Painting - from HomeTips.com