How to paint a room?

coldfire1x

Newbie here when it comes to DIY.

I am thinking of painting a room by self - ceiling and walls. So what all do I need and how to go about it?

1. Paint - How much and what kind?
2. Brushes - What type?
3. Plastic sheets - To protect carpet
4. Sandpaper?? - Type?

Once I figure out what I need to get how do I go about painting the room? Do I need to sand the old paint or just paint on top? How many coat of paint do I need to do? Best way to protect carpet?

Any other pointers that I should consider before I try to do it.

Thanks

Gusser09

Dont sand the old paint. No need.

But a decent paint. Dont go for the own brand types as they a horrible to work with. Ive used colourtrend in celbridge for years. If you can get out to their shop they will look after you.

Old bed sheets will work for the floor.

Make sure your work area is clear and get a decent telescopic roller.

Its hard enough to go wrong and nothing that can be easily fixed if you do.

Rows Grower

Make as much space in the room as you can first, especially around the edges. Get some sugar soap and wash down the areas to be painted, get some masking tape and use it around the edges of any areas you don't want paint on, (skirting boards, architrave, window frames, cills, light fittings, switches, sockets etc.)

The actual applying of the paint is the easiest part, use a small brush around the edges and a roller and tray for the bigger areas. Have some plastic bags ready to wrap around any brushes or rollers you use so they they don't harden before the second coat. Have a some rags and white spirits within easy reach at all times.

Preparation is the key to a good finish, best of luck it's a doddle once you prepare right.

The Mulk

+1 on Colour Trend, using it years at home and always a good result.

My Method. Always start with 'Cutting In'. Around sockets, switches, door frames , ceiling and skirting. (Plenty on Youtube about this)

Take your time with this part, use a decent brush and then roll the walls.

Best of luck.

Madd002

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058322848/how-to-paint-a-room

I usually clear the whole room, buy a 10ltr drum of dulux total cover white matt. If there is a colour on wall already and you pick another colour it'll come out different to the colour u picked due to pigment in old paint. Painting the whole room white 1st gives you a clear canvas and it doesn't matter if you get on skirting if already white as you'll be painting these first after you paint room white. Get good brushes for cutting into ceiling and around door frames and windows skirting etc. Caulk for filling in gaps around doorframe and gaps between skirting and wall it gives a lovely neat finish. As for carpet you can buy a roll of sticky back plastic it's about 15cms wide and use old sheets. The dulux total cover dry in an hr so by the time your finished room grab a cuppa and start again in the same direction. you will need prob 10ltrs of colour as I find the 5 ltrs only done 3 walls of a standard square room as I wallpaper the 4th wall. Last room I did 3yrs ago.

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Kurooi

Clear out any dust, spiderwebs with a broom making sure you have a nice clean surface. If you see imperfections on the wall - like drips of old paint dried up - sand them off. Holes - fill them DIY stores have premade tubs that are super easy to get tiny jobs done.

Apply masking tape , you could hold the dust sheets in place with masking tape also.

Consider primer paint. Especially if you're trying to cover up a dark colour or gloss. If you're buying fancy expensive paint , using primer would be one way to cut down how much of that paint you need. Primer is cheaper.

I assume you have a regular flat ceiling. Regular paint is fine just watch out for drips cover everything with sheets. If it's one of those popcorn patterns you will find it more difficult to cover with regular wall paint.

A strong work light helps a lot if you're a perfectionist. But don't go too hard on yourself , a lot of edges and patterns will blend in once they dry.

Tin of paint and a stick of dynamite.

kirk.

What i've learnt from experience not everyone would agree..

Use a paint skuttle not a tray

Choose a suitable high quality roller., low pile for smooth walls

I mask off the ceiling with very low tack tape after it cures fully, suits me a lot better than trying to cut in walls

I usually sand and wash walls and ceilings, smoother finish

I no longer use water based paint on timberwork , I switched to oil based

coldfire1x

Thank you so much for the comments / suggestions. Hopefully I will get on with it :)

So I need 10 liters for the walls (cream) and for the ceiling? Ceiling color is white.

Madd002

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121376809#Comment_121376809

White for ceiling

Xander10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121376809#Comment_121376809

Personally, I've never needed more than 5L for a standard room walls

JIdontknow

What size is the room roughly? I gave a room two coats recently and it’s approx 16ft x 12 ft (largish window in two of the walls) and it took about 6-7 litres. Paint the ceiling first. Mask around everything before cutting in. You can get what’s called cutting in brushes they have the bristles at an angle to help with cutting in. Also get a telescopic roller pole that’ll help too.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

Spend much more time on preparation than painting. Although tempting, don't half arse the prep because you can't wait to get the painting.

Don't buy cheap paint. Don't buy cheap brushes and rollers. You're not paying anyone for labour so spend a few quid on Colourtrend or similar, as mentioned. Clean and store your brushes properly when finished.

Make sure everything is spotless before painting. No dust, etc.

I recently spent 10 days preparing a room and 2 days painting. Maybe seems excessive but there were a lot of defects and details, cornices, etc (125 yr old house).

awec

Forget about plastic sheets for the floor, the plastic ones you buy are a pile of crap. They tear and they slide. Either use old sheets or buy a crappy sheet instead and just move it around as you go. DIY shops sell dust sheets, you can get ones that are about 15 quid, far better value for money than the rolls of plastic.

Personally I prefer to cut in to mask off. Masking off is too easy to get wrong, you think you have a straight line but you don't. You think you have the masking adhered properly but you don't, so the paint seeps underneath. None of this will be evident until you pull the masking off and see that your wall paint has bled onto your ceiling or that the line is wonky.

Take your time on the cutting in, practice in an inconspicuous area first and you'll quickly get the hang of it.

IMO there is absolutely no need to paint the room white first unless you're going from a dark colour to a light colour, it's just a waste of time and money. Just buy decent paint, Colourtrend I recommend, and 2 coats will do the job to an excellent finish.

If you're painting 1 room that's an average size then 10 litres sounds like an insane amount of paint. 3-5 litres would do the walls. 1 litre of ceiling paint. If you're doing the skirting and door then 1 litre of satin would be more than enough.

The order to do it is ceiling -> cut in walls -> roller walls -> woodwork.

If you are really slow at the cutting in you can cut in 1 wall at a time and then roller that wall. If you're going to spread the work over 2 days, make sure you finish an entire wall, don't stop half way down a wall and leave it overnight to dry.

If your skirtings are the modern flat type then a small roller is your new best friend.

coldfire1x

Thanks a lot. Lot of good points. Any store you can recommend in Dublin to get all the things I need:

1. Paint - Colourtrend
2. Brushes - Large + small?
3. Roller - Telescopic?
4. Masking tapes
5. Dust sheets
6. Something to clean the brushes?

Anything else?

Thanks

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121379110#Comment_121379110

Where about in Dublin?

On the southside Stillorgan Decor stock Colourtrend. They'll have all the rest of the stuff too.

If you're using water based paints you don't need anything to clean the brushes other than hot water. To be totally honest with you, unless you're planning on painting again soon I'd just throw the brushes in the bin, at least the ones that get heavy use. Same with the roller sleeves, into the bin.

Also remember that most paint shops should be able to mix you up any colour of paint in any brand that they stock. Just because you're buying Colourtrend paint doesn't mean you need to pick a Colourtrend colour. You could get a Farrow and Ball Colour made up in Colourtrend paint for example.

Rowley Birkin QC

I had some stains on the wall from mushroom heads coming through the paint.

For anything like that, use Zinzer Bin to cover up any stains before painting on the new colour, great stuff.

tommythecat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121379110#Comment_121379110

Woodies or somewhere similar will have everything you need.

RurtBeynolds

Another tip. If you're taking a break and not planning on painting for a few hours/next day, there's no need to clean your brushes/rollers. Just wrap them in cling film to stop them drying out. Likewise cover your kettle/trays.

coldfire1x

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121379133#Comment_121379133

I live in Dublin 8. Thanks for the colour mixing tip. My current colour is closer to Magnolia and I think I will be going with that.

coldfire1x

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121379189#Comment_121379189

Thanks for the tip. My walls are not bad but few spots can use the Zinzer Bin. I guess I dont need to paint the whole wall with that?

Rowley Birkin QC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121379422#Comment_121379422

Nope, just the spots where it's needed. It's a shellac so will look shiny once dry but the paint will cover that. The spots on the wall used to drive me (and only me) mad and they're completely invisible now.

jack of all

Most of the important stuff already covered, but I would definitely recommend washing down all surfaces with sugar soap and rinsing off with clean water. Adds a bit of time to the job, but if there's any grease, dirt or soot (from candles!) on your walls you will see it in your paint. Sheets are fine but a few decent dust sheets are a good investment. I use wet and dry paper with water to rub down all previously painted woodwork prior to repainting, ensures a good key and blemish free finish. Wrap brushes and rollers used with water based paint in plastic and stick in the fridge between coats. Don't skimp on paint quality and don't over thin. I prefer oil based paints for woodwork, although the Colortrend water based options are pretty good. Take your time, stick on the radio and get into the zone!

kirk.

One coat works for me , local paint suppliers mixes it , own brand trade paint it's good stuff whatever it is

Looks perfect to my eye anyway

magicbastarder

i'd just give a thumbs up to ralston paints, lovely to work with - but then again, i got a 2.25l tub for €2.25 instead of the usual €70 (!) as it was a custom mix the customer obviously left behind; so was left in the '€1 per litre' bin in pat mcdonnell paints in blanchardstown.

coldfire1x

Hi Guys, a quick update from my side. Thank you all for your valued suggestions, I did manage to get the painting done, well the painting of skirting still pending but I needed a break :). Hopefully next week. Took be 5 days though, including emptying the room as much as possible, cleaning walls, putting masking tape, some Zinsser and then painting. Paining the ceiling was the quickest. I have lots of edges on the walls, so that took a bit of time.

In between one or two times I was finding it tough going, thought of giving up and looking for help and all but somehow kept going.

I had no experience, so there were niggles and surprises. Like when I put the first coat on the walls, I thought paint wasn't sticking properly and I could kind of see the old paint. So tried to put more thicker coat which was a mistake, you only see it properly when it dries out. Then in two places after the second coat it kind of bubbled up. Another mistake was to remove one of them before the paint dried. I let the other one as it is and when it dried the bubbles disappeared. For the other one I had to put some Zinsser and repaint part of the area. If I look closely I can see see uneven small area due to removing the paint but you cant see it from more that 5ft away and also it will be kind of hidden behind furniture.

I didnt make much of a mess, a little drop here and there but thats about it. I was thinking during painting the ceiling there will be lot of paint splatters. I did invest in thick cotton dust cloth from woodies.

Cleaning all the equipment was the worst part :) Getting all the paint out from rollers and brushes wasnt easy or may be I dont know the proper technique.

Also I think its better to paint in summer, it takes a while for the paint to dry in winter and last week was very cold.

I have got satinwood paint for the skirting, which I guess will be fine?

Thanks again to everyone here. When it was all done, I was really chuffed about it :D

magicbastarder

when cleaning brushes, i usually just leave them sitting in a glass with enough water to cover the bristles, overnight. you'd be surprised at how much of the paint seeps out and sinks to the bottom of the glass. much less work involved cleaning them the next day then.

awec

You cleaned your rollers? 😁

Rollers are basically a consumable item for DIY painters, use them once then into the bin.

What sort of paint did you use on the walls? Even in this weather emulsion would be touch dry in less than an hour. Maybe put it on too thick. It's normal to still be able to see the old paint after the first coat is on.

tommythecat

Painting is one of those jobs people think is easy but it's not. It's time consuming and a pain in the ass but rewarding when you finish. The main thing is not to rush it.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121462396#Comment_121462396

depends on how much painting you need to do!

i'm two rooms in to repainting an entire four bed house; we had a rewire done. no way am i using a roller once and then binning it!

my method i mentioned earlier works for rollers too, but slower - in an old milk carton or similar, and weigh it down otherwise it'll float a bit.

db

Not sure if it was mentioned above but when removing masking tape run a sharp blade along the edge of the tape to cut through the paint. Otherwise you can pull off some paint with the tape.