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SOYOUWANNA PAINT A ROOM?

If you're like us, your bedroom probably consists of four white walls - much resembling the crazy house that your life has become. Sure, you might have a picture or two hung up, and tables, rugs, the bed, people, etc. all add flavor. However, you can add the perfect touch of character to any room merely by painting the walls.

So we suggest that you take a deep breath, imbue the spirit of Martha Stewart, and get ready to paint the town (and your room) red. And one more time, we really must say how proud we are of you that you decided to paint a room on your own. You are officially a non-wussy.

But, even non-wussies can screw up a simple project. So, to ensure your paint job is streak- and tacky-free, take a look at this video.

WATCH THIS HOW-TO VIDEO

Click here for more on "How to Paint a House"

1. GET THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT

While fingerpainting your walls may be good for a kindergartener's room we suspect that you're actually trying to fool people into thinking that your paint job was done professionally. So to do so, you'll need some supplies:

3-inch flat brush
Small angled brush for trim or corners
Canvas drop cloths, plastic tarps or newspapers
Spackle (a substance used to fill in cracks before painting)
Turpentine (if using oil-based paint)
Bucket to clean brushes in
Painter's tape or masking tape
Putty knife
Sandpaper
Primer
Cleaning rags
Roller (with extension pole for tall walls or ceilings)
Roller tray
Disposable rubber gloves

Oh, and getting some paint would help, wouldn't it, Einstein? First measure the square footage of the surfaces you're going to paint in order to know how much you'll need. Paint cans tell you how much paint they contain in square footage, so as long as you measure, you'll be fine.

Here's how to pick the right paint:

Choose a type of paint
Choose a finish
Choose a color
Choose a shade
Choose your brushes and rollers

Choose a type of paint

The type of paint you use (and its finish) are essential factors if you want a neatly painted room. Substances like mercury and lead, which were used for centuries in paint, are now banned. That's because it's dangerous to eat the paint chips of lead- or mercury-based paint. Sure, you don't eat paint chips, but little kids eat all kinds of disgusting things (bugs, boogers, play-doh, etc.); if they eat lead-based paint, they could suffer from brain deficiencies later in life. Here are the two types of paint you should consider:

Latex-based paint. This is easiest to work with and the easiest to clean up -- only soap and water are required. Latex is best used on walls, floors and metal surfaces. It also works well on woodwork.
Oil-based paint. This is also known as alkyd-based, and requires a solvent-like turpentine to clean off of paintbrushes, your skin, and the telephone when you answer it in an unguarded moment. Oil-based paint is stain-resistant and sticks well to walls and ceilings. It is particularly popular for bathrooms and kitchens.

Choose a finish

Once you've decided on the merits of latex versus oil, you must pick a finish (the same color of paint will usually be available in a choice of finishes). A paint's finish affects how shiny the finished paint job will look as follows:

Flat finish: This finish is good for large surfaces, since it doesn't reflect light. It is often used in bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms and ceilings.
Satinfinish: Such a finish is excellent to brighten up hallways, common areas, and children's bedrooms and playrooms. It helps soften the paint job, muting bright colors but still allowing the color to shine through.
Semi-gloss finish: This finish is easy to clean, making it great for high-traffic areas (kitchens, bathrooms, doors…).
Glossfinish: This finish reflects the most light and tends to be used in small quantities (such as on trim).

Contrary to popular belief, finish was not invented in Finland. That would be the "Finnish."

Choose a color

White - White (and its various incarnations such as off-white, beige, and eggshell), provides a can't-go-wrong foundation for any room. Yes, it's boring, but it also doesn't distract. It also makes a room look brighter and bigger. It's great for just about any room, especially bathrooms and kitchens. At its worst, white is: too plain.
Red - Bright and bold, red suggests vitality and aggressiveness. It can be a bit overwhelming for an entire room, but if you have a bedroom that you want to convey amorous vibes, it's a unique way to go. Deep, subtle shades of red such as burgundy and maroon are perfect for living rooms. At its worst, red is: too dramatic.
Yellow - Stimulating, sunny and cheerful, yellow is associated with intellect, power and creative energy. Bright yellows bring warmth and light into dark rooms, and pale yellows make small rooms seem larger. It's also a great kitchen color. At its worst, yellow is: disruptive.
Blue - Blue denotes harmony, peace, steadfastness and loyalty. While it's appropriate for any room, blue is an excellent bedroom color because it makes one feel comforted and serene. It can also soften rooms that are over-bright. At its worst, blue is: cold.
Orange - Orange combines the energy of red with the intellectual associations of yellow. Dominant and lively, it's a fun choice for bathrooms and work areas. Peachy oranges have a delicate effect, while brownish oranges (like terra cotta) give off warm, cozy vibes. Many living rooms are orange to give it that "den" feeling. At its worst, orange is: non-relaxing.
Green - Green is refreshing and pleasing to the eye. It makes dim apartments seem more vibrant by bringing a garden-like atmosphere indoors. With its varying shades, green works in just about any room. Just be sure not to go too dark. At its worst, green is: dull.
Violet - Strong and majestic, violet is a powerful accent color. Pastel violets take on the characteristics of red or blue depending on which is more prominent in the shade. (Lilac, for example, takes on blue's characteristics, while lavender takes on red's qualities.) At its worst, violet is: overpowering.
Black - You probably like heavy metal, S&M, or some combination thereof. Either way, it's way more than we want to know about you. So don't paint a room black. It'll freak people out. Black walls also tend to look dirty because dust shows up very clearly.
Deep "warm" colors give a room an intimate, cozy feel: red-violet, red, red-orange, orange, yellow-orange, and yellow.
Light "cool" colors make a room seem more spacious and elegant: green, blue-green, blue, and blue-violet. White also has this effect.

Choose a shade

One of the biggest problems that painters face is that what looks to be "orange" on the sample in the store turns out to be "brown" on your wall. So it's incredibly important to pick the right shade of paint by examining it under different sources of light. Here are some tips:

Examine the paint you desire under both natural light and the bulbs that light up the room to be painted. Again a color that looks perfect under the store's fluorescent rays will turn to bilious shades at home.
Get samples of the paints you like, coat large sheets of poster board to get a sense of the paint and prop them up around the room to be painted. Look at them at different times of day, because morning light will have a different impact than sunset light. This will help you narrow your choice and prevent costly mistakes.
Lighting fixtures also play a part. Diffused light will enrich the color of walls and ceilings, whereas spotlights which focus on certain points will change the color and add shadows to other areas.
Also look at the poster boards when the room is furnished as it will be after the paint job. Furniture and curtains absorb light and create a different effect than an empty room. You'll also be able to see if the paint clashes with the furniture.
When using white or off-white paint, remember it reflects colors around it, such as a blue carpet or burgundy furniture. In general, lighter colors distort less with changes of light than deeper colors.
Remember, the higher the gloss in a paint, the more light it will reflect.

Choose your brushes and rollers

Now that you know what kind of paint you're using, it's a cinch to figure out what type of brush (and/or roller) you'll need. You don't necessarily need both, but there are positives and negatives to each. Rollers help the job go faster and can make your paint job look neater. But rollers are also difficult to use in corners or weird surfaces. No matter what, you're going to need a brush for touch-ups, but we recommend that you start with a roller too.

If you're using oil-based paint:

Get a brush with natural bristles.
Get a natural (lamb's wool) roller.

If you're using latex-based paint:

Get a brush with synthetic bristles (because natural bristles absorb the water in latex paint).
Get a synthetic (nylon) roller.

One last note: rollers come in different pile depths, meaning the thickness of fiber used on the roller. The rule of thumb is to use a smoother pile with the smoother surface, and the rugged piles with the rougher surfaces (so they can reach into the nooks and crannies).

2. PREPARE

Get the room ready

Unless you want your couch to resemble a Jaskson Pollock painting, you should follow these simple pointers:

Remove all furniture out of the room, if possible. If not, pull all furniture away from the walls toward the center of the room and cover everything with a plastic or canvas tarp. Make sure that none of the furniture (not even the legs) are showing.
Cover the floor with additional tarps and newspapers.
Take all mirrors and art off the walls.
Remove light fixtures (if you're painting the ceiling).
Remove all outlet and light switch covers.

Prep previously painted walls

When working with previously painted surfaces:

Wash walls with a mild household cleanser to remove dirt, grease and any stains. Dirt can cause paint to adhere poorly.
Rinse well to prevent soap residue from reacting to the new paint layer.
Remove loose paint with sandpaper.
Patch holes, dents and cracks by pressing spackle into them with a putty knife. Let dry and sand gently.
Sand glossy or nonporous surfaces with sandpaper to help the paint adhere. Wipe off or vacuum off any resulting dust.
Apply primer. Primer is the first coat used to seal the wall and to create a nonporous surface for the topcoat to adhere to. You can also tint the primer to resemble the final color you will be applying by adding a small amount of your chosen shade into the primer can.

Prep previously wallpapered walls

Remove all wallpaper before painting. This can be a trying experience to say the least. We recommend steaming the wallpaper off the walls with a professional steamer. If that's not an option, prepare to do a lot of scraping.
Patch holes, dents and cracks with spackle compound and let dry.
Sand gently.
Wash walls, rinse and dry.
Apply primer.

3. PAINT

Generally, the best advice that we can give you is that you should paint from the corners into the middle, and from the top to the bottom. So if you're painting a wall, start at the top corners, and work your way in, painting from the top to the bottom.

Your order of attack should be as follows:

Ceilings
Walls
Floors
Doors
Windows

Ceilings

You should always paint the ceiling first. Start out by painting a 2 or 3 inch strip at the top where the ceiling meets the wall starting in the corner. This strip is called a "cut in" and it makes your paint job look nice and neat. You will use a long-handled roller to do the rest.
Pour paint into roller tray.
Dip the roller in paint and remove excess paint by running over the bumps or ridges in the tray.
Start in the corner and go along the shortest length of the ceiling to keep the paint fresh and wet.
Paint while the "cut in" is wet to prevent an obvious line.
Do not stop the roller in mid-stroke. If you do, start that line over.
Continue until the ceiling is done.
Apply a second coat in the exact same way once the first coat has dried.

Walls

Start painting the walls only when the ceiling is completely dry (at least 24 hours).
Use masking tape to cover the edge of the ceiling to prevent splattering and protect the trim.
Repeat tape application along baseboards and other trim if those areas are not being painted.
Paint a 2 inch strip with a small brush on the wall where it meets the ceiling.
With a roller, paint immediately over this cut in to prevent the paint from drying. Repeat procedure and paint one wall at a time.
Paint in square-sized sections, going up and down and then across to ensure you have applied a good coat without lines. Simply running the roller up and down the wall may result in a stripe-y look when the paint dries.
Apply a second coat in the exact same way once the first coat has dried.

Floors

Always start in the corner diagonally opposite to the door, lest you paint yourself into a corner. Again, do it quickly and thoroughly; the paint job will look splotchy if you let some parts dry.

Doors

Cover knobs, locks and all hardware with masking tape. Once you have painted a keyhole shut, you will never make the same mistake again.
If the door is flat, treat it like a wall and don't forget to paint the edges (both the side with the hinges and the side with the lock).
If the door has panels, do the interior panel edges first and then the inside of the panel. Continue to paint the rest of the door.
Apply a second coat in the exact same way once the first coat has dried.

Windows

Windows are not as easy as they look. For starters, you don't want to paint them shut, especially if you live in a hot place. There are two types of windows, so figure out which ones you have and follow the directions.

CASEMENT WINDOWS:. These windows swing outside to open. They are the easy ones:

Open the window.
Paint the edges.
Paint the interior casing.
Paint the woodwork surrounding the window (like the sill) last.
Do not shut the window until the paint has dried.

DOUBLE-HUNG WINDOWS: These windows are divided into two major panes and open by sliding the bottom half up. Needless to say, they are a pain to paint:

Start by moving each pane to the middle of its area, leaving an open space at the very top and bottom of the window.
Paint all the interior woodwork you can reach that is on the window panes.
Move the panes back so they are almost closed. Paint the rest of the interior woodwork.
Paint the interior casing of the window. Don't forget the inner edge where the panes move up and down, called the rails.
Move both panes up and paint the lower portion.
Let dry.
Move both panes down and paint the upper rails.
Let dry.

Finally, remember that you should keep the windows open in a painted room for a couple days to let the fumes out. They can become quite overpowering. A mask of some sort might help too.

4. MATER SPECIAL EFFECTS

Once you feel confident in your paint handling skills, test yourself by taking it up a notch for some special effects.

Sponging
Combing
Rag rolling

Sponging

This look doesn't have to remind you of cheesy dentist office decor if done right. Sponging (that is, using a sponge to add some interesting splotchy color to the walls) can be done in a number of ways: with light colors over a white base coat or layering dramatic colors. Sponging is a useful technique in areas where you want to liven up a small space or add texture to a large expanse of wall. You can also use it, as with the other special effects, on only one wall in a room for variety and paint the other walls with either the background or the top layer of paint.

Here's how to do it:

Prepare surfaces as described in step 2.
Paint walls with the background color of your choice.
Let the walls dry.
Find a sponge with the desired texture, either a kitchen sponge or a funky sea sponge. Test it out first on a poster with your background color on it.
Wet the sponge and dip into the paint you have chosen for the top layer. Pour the paint into a roller pan or a tray or plate.
Blot extra paint from the sponge onto a paper towel.
Dab the sponge onto the wall.
Continuously reapply paint to the sponge so the paint doesn't fade. Rinse the sponge with water if it gets overloaded or clogged and squeeze out excess water.
As you work, step back from the wall periodically to ensure you have the right amount of paint on the sponge and that the result looks good.
Rotate the sponge every so often to get a varied effect. Remember to let some of the background color how through. You want the resulting wall to look evenly sponged.
If using more than one color of paint, remember not to sponge too heavily with the first coat; otherwise the base coat will not show through.
Remember that LESS IS MORE. This is supposed to be subtle, not freaky.

Combing

This technique lets you add texture and depth to a wall with a geometric or wavy look. It is achieved by running a notched window squeegee over wet paint. It actually puts lines in your paint job, putting lines in the wall. It can make a wall look incredibly interesting.

Cover trim and adjoining ceiling space with masking tape.
Prepare surfaces as described in step 2.
Apply paint and let dry for one day.
Buy a specially prepared comb at the hardware store (or make one by cutting notches into a window squeegee). Cut the notches as small or large as you want, and space them evenly across the squeegee.
You can achieve various effects either by combing wet paint in one direction (e.g., ceiling to floor), making wavy lines (vertically or horizontally), or go for a plaid-effect by doing both horizontal and vertical strokes.
On a small patch of wet paint, try out what you have in mind. When you've committed to a look, use even pressure throughout the stroke.
If doing horizontal squiggles, use a roller across the wall and follow quickly with the squeegee. Repeat the process, using the squeegee to make parallel lines. Never stop the squeegee in mid-stroke.
If doing vertical lines, use the roller from ceiling to floor and squeegee over the fresh paint.
Repeat the process to cover the wall. Be quick, or the paint will dry and you will get a less defined effect.

Rag Rolling

This technique involves rolling cloth over wet paint, resulting in a textured look.

Any clean cloth can be used. You might want to experiment with different materials on a small section of wall before starting. Try various textures such as cotton sheets, terry-cloth towels or potato sacks for a range of effects.
Prepare surfaces as described in step 2.
Apply paint and let dry for one day.
Cover small sections with the desired paint color. You can use either oil-based or latex paint.
Put on some gloves.
Dip a bunched cloth across in a tray of differently-colored wet paint.
Roll it up and down or in all directions on the wall, depending on the look you want.
Repeat until entire section is done.
If you want a more uniform look for an entire wall, try using one long rolled-up cloth such as a bed sheet. Get a friend or two to help you cover the entire wall at once.

5. CLEAN YOUR EQUIPMENT

If you usedlatex-based paint, cleaning up is easy: use soap and water, rinse throroughly, and pat yourself on the back.

If you used oil-based paint, don't breathe too deeply or you'll kill some brain cells with turpentine fumes. Instead, follow these instructions for cleaning up safely:

In a bucket, soak the brushes in turpentine solvent and rub bristles together to release paint. You might want to wear gloves for this experience.
Continue to rinse in new solvent until clean.
Wash with soap and water and rinse thoroughly.
Then just let the equipment dry.
Do not pour the solvent down the drain. Rather, keep the used solvent in a sealed container and call your town or garbage pick-up service to see what your options are. Most communities have a designated day for hazardous household waste disposal.

As far as leftover paint is concerned, do not pour it down the sink or in the toilet. Besides terrifying the guests when they flush, paint is hazardous to the environment and must be disposed of properly. If you don't want to keep your spare paint on hand for touch ups, think about donating it to a charity or Habitat for Humanity. If no one wants it, call your town or garbage pick-up service to see what your options are. In some areas, latex paint can be dried out and tossed in household garbage. Oil-based paint and solvents are flammable and probably will be taken care of during hazardous household waste disposal day. If you community does not have one, call your state environmental agency or an area hardware store for guidance.

And now you can show off to all of your friends how you were able to paint your own beautiful room. And if any of your friends point out the inevitable error or two you made, then just tell them: "It's not an error, it's a happy accident." That'll shut 'em up.

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