Painting walls: instructions for those who are not a painter at all

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

A simple instruction will help you completely transform the interior in just a few hours.

1. Prepare tools and materials

Here's a list of what you'll need:

• dye;
• wide roller;
• narrow roller;
• roller extension;
• brush;
• wide brush;
• paint tray;
• scapula;
• masking tape;
• film;
• gloves;
• screwdriver.

2. Calculate the amount of paint

In order not to run to the store for the missing jar, it is important to immediately estimate the required amount of material. To do this, you need to divide the area of the walls by the paint consumption, multiply by the number of layers and add 10-15% in reserve. As an example, let's calculate how much paint is needed for a room (4.5 × 3 m) with one window (1.4 × 1.6 m) and a door (2.1 × 0.7 m). Ceiling height - 3 m.

First, let's find the total surface area. To do this, we calculate the perimeter of the room and multiply it by the height of the ceilings.

Now let's define the net paint area. To do this, we calculate the area of window and door openings, and then subtract it from the total area of the walls.

And finally, we find out how much paint is needed. To do this, divide the net paint area by the paint consumption per square meter (indicated on the label), multiply by the number of layers (usually two) and add 15% in reserve.

3. Remove or protect anything that gets in the way

Before starting work, it is necessary to remove all unnecessary from the room and protect surfaces from splashes that will not be painted.

Take out the furniture and all other items, and what cannot be removed, put in the middle of the room and cover with foil. Wrap radiators with it or remove them. Cover the floors with thick foil or several layers of newspaper.

De-energize sockets and switches, remove covers from them and cover with masking tape. Also cover skirting boards, platbands, edges of slopes and other adjoining surfaces so as not to splash them.

4. Prepare the walls

When painting, the surface must be perfectly flat. Otherwise, the paint will lie unevenly and all the flaws will then appear even stronger.

With a spatula, remove layers of old paint and wallpaper, clean the surface well. Putty all the smallest cracks, dents and irregularities, and after complete drying, carefully sand with a fine-grained sandpaper.

5. Apply primer

Before painting, the walls must be primed: after this treatment, the paint will lie smoother and hold better. In addition, by reducing the absorbency of the surface, paint consumption will be significantly reduced.

Using a wide, medium-bristle roller, apply the primer to the walls. Make sure that there are no untreated areas. Take your time and avoid dripping. Let the soil dry completely. It usually takes about 2 hours, the exact time is indicated on the label.

6. Prepare the paint

Stir the paint thoroughly with a wooden spatula for a few minutes. You can use a mixer, but at the lowest speed to prevent bubbles from forming.

Fill the tray with about a third of paint; if you pour more, it will be inconvenient to dip the roller. Close the can immediately to prevent the paint from drying out.

If you wrap the tray with a layer of foil, then after work it will be enough to remove and discard it. The bath itself will remain clean.

Do not dip the roller completely. Roll it several times over the paint surface and then over the top of the tray to distribute the material evenly. Pre-moisten the roller in water and wring it out: this way the paint will saturate the coat better and will be well applied to the wall from the very beginning.

7. Lay the corners

For a better result and faster work, all the corners and contours of the abutments are first carefully painted over, and then the main surface. There are two main options for performing layering.

First, using a small brush, slowly paint in stripes 5-7 cm wide along the ceiling moldings, in the corners, near the baseboards, as well as around the radiators, sockets and switches. To protect the ceiling, you can glue the spatula blade with masking tape and, applying it to the corner, calmly paint with a brush.

Second option: cover the joints to the ceiling and other surfaces with masking tape, smoothing the joint well with a spatula so that paint does not flow into it. It is not necessary to smooth the entire surface of the tape, otherwise it will be difficult to remove the tape later.

The scotch tape on the ceiling can be additionally painted over with white paint along the edge: this way it will immediately fall into the gap and after painting the wall with a different color, the border will be perfect.

8. Apply the first coat of paint

Before starting work, you should close the doors and windows to prevent drafts and keep moisture - this way the paint will dry out more slowly and evenly. Additionally, you can spray water with a spray bottle, as well as seal the windows with foil to protect them from direct sunlight.

If the paint is thick, then for the first layer it can be diluted according to the instructions on the can - usually 5-10% of pure water is added to the total volume. To avoid streaking, do not skimp and put enough paint on the roller.

Cut off the fluff at the edges of the roller at a 45 ° angle, so the seams of adjacent strips will be less visible.

Start painting from the corner. Using the roller extension, roll continuous strips from the ceiling to the floor without stopping. Each subsequent strip should overlap the previous one by 3-4 cm.

Spread the paint evenly, being careful not to make the layer too thick. Move gradually from one corner to the next. Do not stop until you finish painting the wall, and only then move on to the next one or take a break.

9. Apply a second coat

You can start painting the next layer only after the previous one has dried, otherwise the roller will tear off the paint and all the work will go down the drain. In the warm season, it usually takes about 2 hours, for the exact time, see the instructions for the paint.

The second layer should be painted in the same way as the first, the only difference is that the paint does not need to be thinned.

10. Remove the masking tape

After everything is painted, it is important to remove the tape that protects the contours and abutments of the walls. This should be done 15–20 minutes after applying the second layer. If you hesitate, the paint will dry out and the masking tape will tear it off. Be careful not to damage the edging of the paint.

It takes about a day to completely dry, depending on the temperature in the room and the type of paint used.