How to paint a room like a professional | The Sun

IF you're on a tight budget and want to redecorate your room without calling in the professionals – here's how.

Here's everything you need to know on how to paint a room like a professional.

How to paint a room?

Step one – Choose a colour

The first question to ask yourself is what colour will you be painting your room – test colour samples on different parts of the room to really get a feel for the paint colours.

Whilst choosing your primary colour, also consider paint primer – a base coat that will create a professional finish.

Step two – Protect your floors and furniture

Before opening the paint tin, make sure to cover floors and carpets to protect them from paint splatters and spills – one way to do this is to tape down masking paper.

To protect your furniture – use a drop cloth or plastic sheeting.

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Step three – Prep the walls

Before painting it is important to clean all the walls, removing any grease and dirt – this will ensure the paint sticks to wall better.

Once clean, smooth down any patches or bumps you find on the wall with sandpaper.

Then you can go ahead and apply a coat of primer over the wall before painting – If you are painting over a darker colour, apply two coats.

Step four – Paint the ceiling

Before taking a brush to your walls, paint the ceiling first – this will avoid paint splatters on your walls.

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When painting your ceiling, pour approximately three cups of ceiling paint into a small container and paint the edge of the ceiling using an angled brush – this is called cutting in.

Once you have completed cutting in the ceiling, take a roller and roll the paint in the same direction – one roller width at a time, overlapping the previous row.

If an extra coat of paint is needed – roll the paint in the opposite direction of the first coat that was painted.

Step five – Paint the trim

In most cases you should paint the trim first before painting the walls.

Once you have painted the trim, waiting for the paint to dry – you can then apply painter's tape along the edges to protect the fresh paint.

Make sure to use painter's tape and not masking tape, as this could result in the paint sticking to the tape – painter's tape will ensure a nice clean line remains once removed.

Step six – Cut in the walls

Instead of just taking a brush to wall, it is good practice to cut in one wall at a time – this means painting around the edges.

You can do this using an angled brush and pouring around three cups of paint into a small container.

If you are taking a break or going back to cutting the walls another day – you can wrap your brush in plastic wrap or place it in the freezer to avoid the bristles drying out.

Step seven – Paint the walls

Once the paint is open, make sure to stir the paint for around five minutes with a paint stick before you begin.

Take a roller tray and fill with just over half-full with paint – too much paint may cause the tray to spill over.

Then you can load your roller or brush of choice with paint and begin to roll on the wall, from the baseboard to the ceiling.

Continue this process to create a professional finish.

Step eight – Remove tap and clean up

Before removing any tape, take a flexible putty knife and score along the edges – this will ensure the tape is removed smoothly.

Then you can go ahead and clean any brushes and rollers you have used with hot soapy water.

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What are the biggest mistakes to avoid when painting a room?

Not using painter's tape

When it comes to painting, tape is on the list of supplies you need – but make sure it's painter's tape.

Unlike other tapes, painter's tape will leave a neat, professional line between surfaces – it will also ensure a clean finish remains when removing the tape from freshly painted surfaces.

Not using a paint primer

Nobody wants to add an extra step to an already busy day of painting – however the benefits of paint primer will outweigh the extra task.

Primer will help to protect the paint, bring out the colour – requiring less paint and saving you time avoiding those extra coats.

Overbrushing

Sometimes a little goes a long way – brushing over the same area or applying too much paint will cause visible marks and inconsistent brush strokes.

Not preparing the surface

''It's ok, the paint will cover the marks'' – this is one of the biggest painting mistakes.

Leaving any dirt or grease will ruin the overall look of the paint job and in the long run, will result in chips and the paint to peel off.

How much does it cost to paint a room?

Like any other project the cost of painting a room will vary depending on the amount of preparation required and the size of the room.

When working out your budget, it is important to consider factors other than paint and brushes – do you need to repair the walls or clean them?

The average cost to paint a room is around £260 to £270 – smaller rooms will cost less.

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Larger rooms can cost around £500 and above to paint depending on the size of the walls.

The average cost of supplies is around £40 to £60 – but will vary depending on the size of the room and the brand of the paint being used.

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