There's no doubt that the painting of a room is a common element when undertaking any re-decorating task. It may sound like a relatively straight forward process, but as many people will learn through practice, it helps to have a few insider hints and tips on how to paint a room correctly to get the job done quickly and create the best possible finish.
So, if you are wondering how to paint a room, here are a few basic steps to follow;
Preparation
Many people make the mistake of rushing into a paint job, without performing the necessary preparations first. This can result in a less than perfect finish and can even mean that an entire room needs re-painting. Obviously, this can be a very time consuming and expensive process. Before you commence with your painting job, you should
complete the following preparation tasks;
Protect your flooring and furniture with large sheets or a plastic drop cloth. Ideally, you should move any furniture and soft furnishings into another room before you begin painting, to prevent damage from paint drips and spills.
Protect your ceiling and/or wall lighting fixtures with plastic sheeting and tape, or ideally, remove them completely. Remove any mirrors, prints, photos, paintings or other wall decorations - and if possible, any fittings (although small fittings can be covered or painted around).
Remove electrical cover plates on your switches and outlets, or cover them in a special masking tape to prevent contact with paint. Turn off your sockets before you begin painting. Also remove any hardware on doors if you are planning to paint them (handles/locks). Tape over any parts that cannot be removed i.e. door hinges.
Always ensure that you wear the correct protective gear for the job - i.e. if you are painting ceilings, it's a good idea to where safety goggles. Disposal gloves can also help to limit the amount of paint coming into contact with your skin. Ideally, open a window while you are painting to disperse paint fumes, and keep it open until the paint is dry.
Once you have prepared your area, it's time to start painting. Generally speaking, the surfaces in a room should be painted in this order:
If you are using primer, prime the ceiling first, followed by the walls, wall trim. When the primer is dry, paint your surfaces in the following order; ceiling, walls, baseboard trim, doors and door trim and finally any windows.
