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- Do it yourself
Painting is one of those jobs that requires only a moderate level of skill and a few basic tools. By doing the work yourself, you can usually save more than half the cost of the job. Always work in a well-ventilated area. Open doors and windows, and use exhaust fans. Keep pets out of freshly painted rooms. Wear safety goggles, gloves, and a respirator when you are using chemical strippers, caustic cleaning compounds, or strong solvents.
- Buy quality paint
Choosing high-quality paint is critical to a long-lasting paint job and can make the work far easier. Not only will quality paint weather the years durably, but it is also easier to maintain, and it covers the walls more quickly and easily in the process. Just think about the effort and expense of painting your house—this should make it clear that you don’t want to have to do the job again in four or five years.
- Repair and prepare
Even high-quality paint won’t guarantee a lasting paint job if you don’t prepare the surfaces properly. Start by repairing damaged siding. Peeling, blistering, wrinkling, and flaking paint must be removed from wood siding by scraping and sanding, ideally with a power sander. Be advised that this is difficult, tiring work, and you must do it carefully so as not to gouge the wood. Wear a dust mask and safety goggles when sanding to keep yourself from breathing in dust particles and to protect your eyes.
- Masking
Avoid painting roofing and other surfaces by masking with plastic sheeting and masking tape. Use cloths to protect walkways, shrubs, and other surfaces from dripping paint. You’ll be painting the siding first and then the trim; after the siding is painted, mask the siding around the trim. Be sure to remove the masking tape immediately after painting, before it forms a stubborn bond
- Choose the right tools
Power rollers and paint sprayers can be time-savers, but they are not practical for smaller or complicated rooms. Painting these rooms is better done in the traditional manner. For most jobs, all you will need is a roller, a tray and a few brushes that vary between one-inch to four-inches wide for the trim and detail work.
- Always prime before painting
Even if you do not need it, primer will provide a better quality to your paint job. Some primers are designed for new walls while others will help cover up stains. Use the right type of primer and have it tinted the same color as your paint. It might seem like an additional step, but primers will help reduce the number of coats you will have to do.
- Painting
Use a brush to cover any area that is too tight to accommodate a roller as well as to apply a one-inch border of paint around any windows and doors, where the wall meets the ceiling and floor, and in corners. Work in small sections so that the paint will still be wet when you go to use the roller. When using a brush, dip the bristles of the paint about halfway into the paint and then tap the brush against the edge to remove any excess. Hold the handle at the base and press gently so that the bristles flex slightly.
Rollers provide even coverage with little color variation and are much quicker than painting with a brush. Make sure your roller has the right knap for the surface you are painting. Dip the roller into the paint so that it is well covered, but not saturated. Roll the roller over the ridges of the pan to ensure that it will spread the paint smoothly. For best results, paint a large M onto the wall, and then roll from side to side to spread the paint. Finish up with light up and down strokes for an even finish.
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