Walking into a freshly painted room is a feeling that equates to the cool side of the pillow, but the effort involved in painting can sometimes be off putting.
If you’ve done the easy part and picked the paint, read on for our simple step-by-step guide to painting your home with ease.
Nothing worth having comes easy, so before you start painting your walls, make sure the’re prepared for the task at hand so that you’re left with a finish to be admired. If your walls have been painted before, the good news is that it’s fairly easy to prep them for a fresh coat.
Ensure you’ve filled any holes or cracks, given the wall a light sand with some fine sandpaper to give the wall a texture that will help the paint adhere to the surface and lastly, you should clean the walls with some sugar soap to remove any grease and dirt.
Pro tip - sand gently in a circular motion!
Before you begin painting, you should mask off any areas you don’t want paint, such as skirting boards, dado rails, window sills, switches and door frames.
We recommend FROG Tape, because it can be removed cleanly from most surfaces for up to 21 days and seven days in direct sunlight, meaning there’s no rush after you’ve finished painting!
Applying masking tape will also give your walls some time to dry after you’ve wiped the walls down.
You should also consider applying a dust sheet to your floor to protect it from any splatter or spillages. It’s easier to remove a dust sheet than clean an entire carpet!
We’ve done all the prep work, now let’s get to it...
If you’re applying a lighter colour onto a darker one, you really ought to purchase a primer to give you an appropriate base. We would recommend Crown Trade PX4, which is both very affordable and stain-blocking. It’s an all-purpose primer specifically developed to achieve excellent adhesion - perfect for a big change in colour.
Whether using primer or not, it’s essential to stir the paint before you begin applying to the wall.
Apply the paint to your walls with a roller in a uniform M motion and don’t forget to use a small brush for cutting in the corners and edges.
Pro tip - Allow enough time for primer and paint to dry between coats to give an even finish.
Sometimes, depending on the paint you’ve chosen you may need to add an additional coat of paint, which can often give a richer, deeper and brighter colour - but double check with the paint you’ve chosen whether it’s necessary.
Once you’ve finished painting, you should clean off your brushes and rollers following the instructions on the paint can, as cleaning methods will depend on the type of paint used.
This should give you enough time to allow the paint to dry. Once the paint has dried to touch, you can carefully removed the masking tape and dust sheets and admire your handiwork!
For help on picking colours, explore our range of blogs today!
