Step 1: Get Painting Samples

To help ensure that you'll be happy with the finished results, consult and use paint samples to help you with your color selection. Paint stores will allow you to take paint samples home to see how they look in the room you'll be repainting. "Live with the color" for a few days to be sure that you're making a selection you'll be happy with.

Step 2: Test the Color and Purchase the Paint

Better still, purchase a quart of the paint in colors you're considering and actually try out the actual paint-color in the room. An even cheaper method is to take the same approach with paint packets. These are becoming more commonly available at paint stores, and they just cost a few dollars each, and cover about 2 square feet of wall space. Either way, you'll be able to sample the real paint in the room, rather than a tiny paint-chip sample.

Take a piece of plain, white poster-board and paint it with the color you're considering. Tape the painted poster-board to the wall and, again, "live with it" for a few days, considering how it looks at various times of the day as the light changes from morning to evening. A large painted piece like this will give you a better representation of how the color will ultimately look in the room.

Once you've made a color decision, you'll need to purchase your painting supplies. In addition to the paint, you'll need paint-trays, rollers, and the highest quality roller-covers you can afford. Better quality rollers make for a better application. Make sure that the roller covers you purchase are designed for the type of paint you'll be using (latex, flat finish, water-based, oil-based, etc.)

Step 3: Use Synthetic Bristle Brushes

When selecting paintbrushes, avoid the very inexpensive ones. For a high-quality paint job, use quality synthetic-bristle brushes for latex paints or natural-bristle brushes for oil-based paints.

Step 4: Mask Around Doors, Windows, and Molding

Mask around the doors, windows and molding with painters tape. Avoid using ordinary, cheap masking tape. Instead, use specially formulated painter's tape that's designed to come off easily when the painting is done without leaving residue or rough edges.

Remove electrical switch-plates and outlet covers before you begin painting. Mask the windows, doorframes and baseboards with painter's tape.

For a professional look, run the edge of a putty knife along the edge of the tape after it's been applied to give you a nice, sharp line.

To avoid paint-spills, you'll need drop cloths, and for cleanups and hand-cleaning, painter's wipes are very helpful.

Step 5: Calculate Wall Space and Remove Furniture

To determine the amount of paint you'll need, you'll need to calculate the amount of wall-space you'll be painting. To do that, you'll need your room dimensions. Multiply the height of the walls by the combined lengths of all the walls you'll be painting. (In our case, the calculation was 8' (H) x 12' (L) x 4 walls = 384 square feet.) Most paints cover between 250 to 400 square feet per gallon of paint. So in our case, 2 gallons of paint was deemed sufficient for 384 square feet.

Remove furniture, wall decor and other items from the room, then remove any nails, picture-hangers, etc. that are on the walls. Fill any nail-holes or significant imperfections in the walls using spackle and a putty knife. Follow the spackling manufacturer's instructions for drying time and sanding the repairs smooth.
Tip: A flashlight shined along walls at an angle almost parallel to the wall will help you locate small imperfections that might not otherwise be visible.

Step 6: Stir Paint and Begin Painting

Paint-stores will pre-stir your paint for you using a special paint-shaking machine, but if you don't have freshly stirred paint, be sure and stir it well from the bottom using wooden stirring sticks (available at paints stores.)

Tip: When you're ready to begin painting, punch holes in the lip of your paint can using a small finish nail as shown. When you pour into paint-trays or other containers, the nail holes will allow paint that gets caught in the lip of the can to drain back down into the can.

Before painting, it's advisable that you wash your walls using painter's degreaser.

Now you're ready to begin painting. Begin painting around the molding and trim using a brush, painting from the top of the room to the bottom. Use a roller to apply paint to the large expanses of wall. When you load your brush or roller with paint, make sure that it is not loaded so heavily that paint is dripping off as you begin to brush or roll the wall.
Tip: Before applying paint to a roller, run water over the roller-cover, then squeegee off the majority of the water. Paint rolls onto the walls much better from a dampened roller.

Tip: You may want to consider using a paint conditioner with your paint. This will enable the paint to flow on more quickly and easily, with fewer brush-strokes.

Follow these simple painting techniques and tips for a fast -- but professional-looking -- room makeover.

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