10 Must-Knows Before Interior Painting

Interior painting is a common home-improvement project, whether you’re planning on painting an accent wall in your living room, repainting your child’s bedroom, or you’d like to give most of the home a fresh coat of paint. However, there are many missteps to avoid when it comes to interior painting. If you plan on painting inside your home, consider the following 10 must-knows before you begin:

Get actual paint samples to test out

Never rely on printed paint swatches to guess how paint would look in your home. You should get some actual paint samples that you can test on your wall, to see what it will look like in the room, as well as how the paint color may change depending on your wall.

Start at the corners

You should always start at the corners and edges of the wall or room first, then “cut in” by painting the interior sections of the wall afterward. This will ensure you have even paint lines all the way through.

You can use bold colours

You should feel free to use bold colors in order to give the room a certain feel, whether it’s a bright bold cheerful color or something more stark and elegant.

Different paints have different finishes

Not all paints were created alike. Some interior paints have a different finish, which can give it a completely different look. The most common finishes are egg shell, satin, gloss, matte and flat. The type of finish you use will depend on your preference and where the wall is located.

Measure the room and make sure you have enough paint

You should get enough paint for at least 2 coats–and don’t forget primer. Ideally, you should have some paint leftover in case you need to fix an issue.

Always prepare your home for painting

It can take a lot of time, but properly prepping your home, room and wall for painting is essential for getting a professional looking paint job. This includes taping down paint edges, making sure furniture is out of the way, repairing damaged walls, and so on.

Combine all your paint before you start

Before you start painting, you need to take all of the paint cans you’ve purchased for a single project and combine them. This will ensure that the paint color is consistent throughout the entire project, as paint can vary from can to can.

Use primer or primer-all-in-one paint

It adds time to the project, but always use primer before you paint. Primer is essential for preserving the paint color and letting you apply a smooth coat of paint. You can also use a primer-all-in-one paint, if you don’t want to paint a primer coat on its own.

Use rollers, not brushes

Paint rollers are the best way to paint a wall or room quickly without sacrificing the quality of the job. Paint brushes will take much more time, whereas paint rollers can cover more space in a shorter amount of time. Paint rollers also help paint go on smoothly, since painting with brushes can result in visible strokes.

Get an extension pole for your roller

You may still need a ladder to get the uppermost corners and areas of the wall, but an extension pole for your paint roller will do wonders in helping you reach those hard-to-get-to areas.