How to Paint a Room

Move furniture to the center and cover with drop cloths or plastic sheeting. Remove outlet covers, switch plates, and wall art. Lay drop cloths on the floor, overlapping edges by 6 inches. Tape edges down. Turn off the HVAC to prevent dust circulation and lint falling into fresh paint.

Fill all nail holes, dings, and cracks with spackling compound and a putty knife. Let dry. Sand the entire wall surface with 120-grit sandpaper to knock down any paint drips, bumps, or rough texture. Sand existing gloss paint surfaces to improve adhesion. Wipe walls with a slightly damp microfiber cloth to remove all dust — paint won't adhere well to dusty surfaces.

Apply tape along the ceiling line, baseboards, window trim, and door trim. Press the tape edge down firmly with a putty knife or credit card — a loose tape edge lets paint seep underneath. Remove tape while the final coat is slightly tacky (2-3 hours after applying) rather than waiting until fully dry.

Priming is required when: painting a light color over a dark one, painting over new drywall or patches, or covering stains. One coat of water-based PVA primer is usually sufficient. Skip primer if same-color repainting or if using paint with built-in primer going color-to-color.

Using the 2.5" angled brush, paint a 2-3 inch strip along all edges: ceiling line, corner angles, window frames, and baseboards. Load the brush by dipping 1/3 of the bristle length, tapping (not wiping) off excess inside the bucket. Work in smooth, confident strokes. Keep a damp rag on your wrist for immediate wipe-ups.

Load the roller by running it through the tray paint and rolling out excess on the ridged area until it's evenly saturated (not dripping). Work in 3-foot-wide vertical sections from ceiling to floor. Apply with a W or M pattern, then fill in with parallel strokes without lifting the roller. Keep a wet edge by overlapping slightly into the previous section before it dries.

Let the first coat dry 2-4 hours (check the label — temperature and humidity affect dry time). The room will look patchy after the first coat — this is completely normal. Apply the second coat using the same technique. Two coats of correctly applied paint will always look better than one heavy coat.

Remove painter's tape while the final coat is still slightly tacky. If any paint bled under the tape, touch up with a small artist brush. Let the paint cure for 24 hours before replacing hardware and 7 days before washing walls.