As we head into a new year, many of us have the idea of fresh starts and new beginnings on our minds. With twelve months ahead of us, the possibilities for change and improvements are endless. Here at Baller we want to help you- and we're starting with your home! Each week we will be posting ideas and tutorials to update your nest and finally finish those projects that have been sitting in your garage for years.
This week we're starting with the most basic of updates- paint. Painting a room usually takes only an afternoon, but it can change the entire look and feel of a space. For first time painters the process can seem daunting, but with careful prep work and a little patience even the most novice of DIYers can tackle this project. Let's start with supplies.
You'll Need:
- Painters Tape
- Paint Tray
- Paint Tray Liner
- Paint Roller
- Roller Cover
- Roller Extender (optional)
- Angled Paintbrush (2 inches works for most jobs)
- Drop Cloths and/ or plastic tarps
- Spackle (or Hole Filler for small nail holes)
- TSP (Trisodium Phosphate)
- Sponge or microfiber cloth
- Sandpaper
- Primer
- Paint (one gallon for every 350 square feet) For paint inspiration click here!
Begin by prepping your space. Remove whatever furniture you can. Move the remaining furniture to the center of the room and cover with a drop cloth. Remove all hardware in the room including electrical switch plates, phone jack covers, curtains, and nails. Cover any exposed flooring with plastic tarps or drop cloths.
You will first need to touch up the walls so that the new coat of paint has a clean and smooth surface to dry on. Cover any small nail holes with nail filler and allow to dry according to instructions. For larger gashes and holes Spackle may be necessary. Start by cleaning the area, and apply the spackling compound with a putty knife at a 45 degree angle. Scrape off excess compound and repeat this process until the area is entirely filled in. Allow to dry for a few hours.Once the blemishes have all been filled in, you will want to run a low-grade sandpaper over your handiwork to make sure all the Spackle and nail filler is flush with the wall.
Next comes the taping and cleaning. This is perhaps the most tedious part of the whole process. At this point you probably just want to see your new color on the walls! But if you are diligent and patient in your prep work you will save yourself a lot of time on the back end. And we've all seen shoddy paint jobs- uneven lines and paint splotches on the trim will detract from the beautiful atmosphere you are trying to create. Begin by cleaning your walls from the bottom up with TSP. Rinse the walls with water and a sponge and allow to dry. Begin taping around the trim with two-foot sections of tape. Pull the tape taut and make sure your lines are level and smooth. If you are painting different colors on different walls, tape the corners of whatever wall you will be painting second (Experienced painters may cut in without tape, but this step is essential to creating clean lines for novices.)
If your room is a drastically different color than your new paint, or if you have spackled large areas, you will need to begin with a coat of primer.
Start by stirring the paint well with a stir stick to ensure the pigment is easily distributed. Pour some paint into the reservoir of a lined paint tray and place the lid back on the paint. Begin with your paintbrush around the edges of moulding and doors. Watch carefully for drips.
Once you have outlined your room, start in with the paint roller. Dip the roller in the reservoir of paint and use the ribbed top of the tray liner to evenly distribute the paint around the roller. A big mistake new painters often make is skimping on the amount of paint the get on the roller and then attempting to "squeeze" paint out by pressing the roller too firmly to the wall. Don't do it! Use more paint than you think you need- you can always distribute it further once you start rolling. Going from the top of the room to the bottom, roll the paint on in 4 ft X 4 ft sections. Allow the room to dry for at least 3 hours before evaluating whether or not you need a second coat. Wait at least 24 hours before rehanging pictures.
As with most things, the labor of painting a room is lightened when shared. Our final piece of advice is to order a pizza, grab a six-pack, and enlist the help of some friends to help make the job easier!
Still have questions? Stop by Baller Hardware and let our friendly and knowledgeable associates help you with every step of the process.
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