Interior Painting 101

Do you want to paint your home’s interior, but don’t know where to start? Naturally, we say start with the painting experts at Handyman Connection of Ann Arbor, but we know the DIY’er in you is ready to slap some paint on the wall, so for any beginner painters out there, consider this your first day of “Interior Painting 101”. Let’s get started:

1. Remove any window coverings, switch plates and outlet covers. Remove as much furniture from the room as you can, then push the remaining furniture to the center of the room. Don’t be tempted to start painting before you’ve completely prepped the room.
2. Place a drop cloth on the floor or carpet. Fill a bucket with water and some general-purpose cleaner. Dip a sponge in the solution and clean the walls. Allow them to dry.
3. Fill any nail holes or dents in the wall with spackling compound, smoothing it with a putty knife. Allow the repaired areas to dry, then smooth them with fine-grit sandpaper. Wipe with a slightly damp microfiber cloth to remove any dust.
4. Mask or protect any surfaces next to the walls with painter’s tape. This includes the ceiling, windows, door frames, baseboards and any other trim. Use a sturdy stepladder to reach the high places.
5. Open the paint and pour some into a paint tray. Dip a medium paintbrush into the paint until the bottom half of the bristles are coated. Allow the excess paint to drip back into the paint tray before you take the brush to the wall. Starting at the top of the wall, paint a 2- to 3-inch strip next to the painter’s tape. Do the same in all the corners and next to all of the trim.
6. Slightly dampen a paint roller. Glide the roller over the surface of the paint in the tray, then pull it backward along the tray’s grate. You want to evenly distribute paint on the roller as well as remove any excess paint. The roller should be fully saturated but not dripping when you take it to the wall.
7. Start painting next to one of the corners. Release most of the paint by painting a zigzag shape about 3 feet wide. Roll the roller with up-and-down strokes over the paint. Roll as close to the masked areas as you can to help cover any brush strokes. Move on to the next area of the wall and continue painting in this fashion until the room is done.
8. Allow the paint to dry. Apply a second coat if the first did not completely cover the old color, then allow the walls to dry again.
9. Clean the paintbrush and paint roller well under running water. Remove the painter’s tape.

So, students, are you ready to paint? No?? That’s ok…call on the painting pros at Handyman Connection of Ann Arbor. You can count on us to make you fall in love with your home all over again. Our painting services are provided by professionals with the specialized skills to get the job done right, from careful prep work through the final coat and cleanup. Our work is performed by experienced craftsmen who walk you through the process every step of the way for a simple and seamless experience. Our goal is your complete satisfaction. Call us today or click to request a free, no-obligation project estimate!