How to paint a wallUpdated 2 years ago
You've come to paint your walls but are wondering where to start? Just follow our easy steps to a perfect finish.
1. Firstly, make sure you have the correct equipment. We'd recommend the following items:
- Dust sheets to protect your flooring and furniture from splashes and spillages. Make sure you rest your brushes and paint tins on some thick cardboard so any large drips don't soak through your dust sheet onto the floor/furniture
- Angled paint brush
- Painters tape (if necessary)
- Small container
- Paint roller and tray
2. Next, prep your walls. Head to this handy blog post to find out how to properly prep before starting painting
3. Stir your paint thoroughly before decanting an inch or two into a smaller container for easier application when cutting in
Top tip: make sure to wipe off any excess paint from the paint tin rim to avoid the lid sticking
4. Start by 'cutting in' and work from the ceiling down
5. To cut in, use your brush to paint along the edges of the walls, ceilings, skirting boards, light fittings, sockets, switches, doors and windows. For straight lines you can either paint freehand or if you're not confident enough to paint a straight line, use painters tape to tape off the edges
Top tip: always remove painters tape when the last coat is still wet
6. Whilst your paint is still wet, use a roller to cover the larger areas
Top tip: line your roller tray with recyclable aluminium foil to save on washing up
7. Again, work from the ceiling down and roll up, down and across for even paint coverage
8. Allow the paint to dry properly (2-4 hours) before applying your second and final coat
Top tip: wrap your paint brushes and rollers in recyclable aluminium foil to avoid washing or drying out between coats. You can store them this way for up to 2 days