Your walls feel a bit drab and ready for a new spice of life. This is something you should be able to take on. But while painting can be a relatively accessible and affordable project for a newbie, it takes time.
You need to come prepared and understand some tricks of the trade. This article will show you how to paint a room on a budget in a short time.
Plan
To paint a room within budget and within time constraints, some planning is necessary. The first step in this process is to decide what color you would like the walls in your space to be.
Keep in mind that paint colors can drastically change the mood of a room. For example, blue creates a sense of calm and softness. Importantly, make sure that whatever colors are chosen for furniture will balance the wall colors.
Use the 60-30-10 interior design equation when deciding on colors. You don't need to create overwhelm in your room by choosing a variety of colors. The 60% in the equation represents the dominant colors (ideally, the color of your wall).
30% represents the secondary color, used for accent walls, painted bookcases, wainscoting, or furniture such as the sofa. Art and accessories should make up the remaining 10% of the color scheme.
You should also plan for room prepping. As you paint, where do you plan to move furniture? Do you think they can be moved to the center and covered with drop cloths? Keep track of your tasks with a checklist.
Select the right color
When trying to evoke a specific mood, color can make all the difference: red might evoke feelings of warmth and love, whereas blue might promote relaxation. For example, if you are painting a bedroom and want it to be both relaxing and inspiring, the color palette below might work well.
Instead of going all out and painting a room and then having to redo the whole job, it always pays to play around with different shades before deciding. You can purchase color swatches or paint samples for your interior design project.
Once the paint dries, check how it looks during the day and at night. You may be able to get some new ideas and eliminate some colors that don't fit together.
Aside from the effect of the right color on the mood of your space, choosing the right color can significantly increase your home's value. Based on Zillow's research, powder blue and periwinkle blue bathrooms can boost the value of your home by $5,000 over average, whereas white or off-white bathrooms tend to sell for $4,000 less than average.
There is an increase of about $2,600 in the price of houses with blue kitchens compared to houses with yellow kitchens. The price of a home can increase by $1,800 when a brown living room is chosen. Finally, many buyers prefer the "greige" exterior (a mix of light grey and beige shades) over brown or taupe.
Gather painting materials
Here are the tools you'll need.
1. Paint. You can choose from high-gloss, eggshell and matte paint finishes. While high-gloss is easier to clean (suitable for bathrooms and high-traffic locations), they easily highlight imperfections. On the other hand, matte paint hides imperfections but is easily damaged. In most cases, eggshell finish is the best choice, as it balances the qualities of gloss and flat finishes.
Yulanda Harris, owner of Harris Interior design studio recommends choosing paint type based on the amount of natural light the room will receive. “The more light a wall gets, the faster the paint color will fade. You should use oil-based paint if you can't find one that's UV-resistant”. To see how much paint you'll need, use a paint calculator like this one provided by Benjamin Moore.
2. Paint roller. You want to use a 9-inch roller for general painting, a 14- or 18-inch roller for quickly coating large walls and ceilings, and a small foam roller on door panels and wainscoting
3. Paint roller extension pole. For walls up to 8 ft and low ceilings, a pole with a diameter of 2 — 4 ft is suitable. For ceilings, a pole 4-8ft long is a better choice, which allows for a greater reach over furniture. For tall walls, ceilings, and exterior painting, 6 ft to 12 ft is the ideal size
4. Paintbrushes. Although they cost a little more, you want to go for high quality paint brushes.
5. Sandpaper
6. Drop cloths
7. Paint tray
8. Rags
9. Putty knife
10. Painter's tape.
11. Primer
12. Paint can opener
13. Gloves
14. Nose mask
Prep the space
Of course you're ready to roll. But wait, painting is a delicate job. It’s essential to know the importance of prepping a space when learning how to paint a room. Neglecting a simple task such as wiping down walls before painting could make your efforts fruitless as dirt wouldn't allow paint to stick to the walls. Here are some steps to take to prepare your room for painting.
How to prep a room for painting
1. Choose the right time for painting. According to a Realtor.com article, "paint dries quickest at 70 degrees Fahrenheit, so if you have to paint when temperatures are less than ideal, it’s a good idea to set your thermostat… While higher temps can help paint dry, humidity can undo all that work and actually slow down the process".
2. Remove furniture from the room altogether, if you can. If you don't have enough space to keep large furniture in, shift these to the center.
3. Ensure to use a nose mask when painting. Also, you want to opt for low VOC (volatile organic compound) paints or even zero VOC paints as the scent of regular VOC paint is very toxic. If not, you should consider vacating your house for a week after painting.
Cleaning walls with ammonia-based cleaners is not recommended if you use non-VOC paint. In addition, you shouldn't clean the walls for 30 days after application.
4. Put on safety goggles and old clothes in case of paint splatter. Use drop cloths to protect floors.
5. Using a towel or a vacuum cleaner, dust and clean the walls. Before painting a bathroom or kitchen, wash the walls with a solution containing 3 tablespoons of laundry detergent in a gallon of water.
6. Smooth imperfect areas on walls with sandpaper, using an electric sander or a piece of sandpaper stapled to a sanding block. Fill nail holes in walls with spackling or caulk and let them dry before you proceed.
7. Use painter's tape to protect outlets, wall trims and light switches from paint drips.
Prime the wall
When you prime a wall, the paint adheres to the primer and this creates a smoother finish than applying paint directly. In addition, you only have to repaint twice once you have applied a primer. A water-based latex primer should be applied to new drywall. If the wall has water or smoke damage, or if it has paneling, use an oil-based primer.
Mix the paint
Each can of paint includes a stirrer because paint ingredients separate. Stir the paint before you start painting. And stir continuously as you work. This ensures that the finish has a uniform appearance.
Start rolling
While using rollers helps you cover more area with paint, you will still need to use a brush. Paint about an inch from corners, ceilings and baseboards with a high-quality brush. A roller can't reach these areas.
How to paint a wall with a roller
1. The first step in painting a wall with a roller is to use the long, thin end of it on all four corners and at least an inch into each side from your desired paint line. This will help prevent that dreaded "bald spot" between two coats.
2. Next roll out horizontally across the entire surface- make sure you overlap as much as possible when doing this so there are no gaps or bare spots left behind by not getting enough coverage during one pass (which would only get worse if you don't do another coat).
After covering everything once, go over any areas where there might be significant problems like bumps or crevices for example using smaller motions to fill them in even more thoroughly than before.
DIYnetwork recommends using a "W" pattern; "start in the corner of a wall and roll on a 3' by 3' "W"; then fill it in without lifting the roller. Repeat until the section is finished. This helps hide seams and any places where the roller has been lifted and put back on the wall again".
3. Usually after four to six hours of your first coat of paint drying, you can recoat. It's a good idea to wait at least three hours before recoating water-based paint or primer. In the case of oil-based paints and primers, waiting 24 hours is best.
However, oil paints do not dry. Instead they harden due to oxidation. Ideally, this happens in two weeks and sometimes it takes months. So you don't need to wait too long to apply a fresh coat of paint.
You now know how to paint a room like a pro. Big ups to you. Next, ensure to clean up - don't leave paint cans open or brushes in water; clean your tools with soap and hot water immediately after use; dispose of old paint properly (i.e., do not pour it down the drain).
Make sure your paint is stored at the optimum temperature range of 55 to 90 degrees. If you're storing leftover paint, close the lid firmly (use a hammer to be sure it's sealed), and then flip the can upside down.
How much does it cost to paint a 12 by 12 room?
The US uses about 1.57 billion gallons of paint per year, based on data from the EPA. This means a lot of painting projects go on each year. Based on data from Homeadvisor, Painting a room measuring 10 by 12 feet can cost between $200 and $800. But as with any home improvement cost, you should be prepared to spend a bit more than you budgeted for.
AUTHOR BIO
Agnes A Gaddis is a writer for Inman News, Influencive and the TSAHC (Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation). She has over 7 years experience writing for the real estate industry. Connect with her on Twitter @Alanagaddis
