If you missed our post on Monday, we are currently working on our oldest son’s bedroom and today we finished painting! We shared the progress in our stories over on Instagram, but while painting we thought it would be helpful to compile a quick blog post of our painting tips!
Tip 01 : Grab a Partner
Ok, this isn’t really a tip and sure there have been plenty of times where we have had to paint alone, but let’s be honest, the process goes by much quicker when there are double the hands and good company to enjoy 😉
Tip 02 : Choose the Correct Roller or Brush depending on your Surface
Here, we are painting sheetrock (smooth surface) and bead board (semi-smooth surface) so we made sure to purchase rollers for both! It is also key to make sure you invest in quality rollers and brushes! There is nothing worse than roller debris or brush bristles getting stuck on the surface you are painting.
Tip 03 : Make sure your surface has been wiped down and cleaned
This may be a given, but I can’t tell you how many times we have opened a can and got started only to realize we forgot to wipe the walls or trim down and dust got in the paint!
Tip 04 : Paint in a W motion
When applying paint on the walls with a roller, it is important to not just go up and down or side to side but fluid motions making a W and overlapping as you go to ensure you have covered the area completely.
Tip 05 : Use a cleanable finish
This may be up for discussion and personal preference but we always choose an Eggshell or Satin finish for our main walls- especially with kiddos in the house, there will undoubtably be fingerprints or juice splatter, so choosing a paint finish that allows for easy cleaning is important!
Tip 06 : Make sure to not get too much paint on your roller
To avoid paint splatter on the walls and floor, be sure to equally cover the roller with paint but to not over roll the roller where the paint is dripping.
Tip 07 : First Coat- Roll and then Cut // Second Coat- Cut and then Roll
If our walls need two coats of paint (which most do), we will roll the first coat and then cut the edges with a brush, but once the first coat dries and it is time for the second coat, we will cut first and then roll so our roller covers most of the brush strokes. On the other hand, when painting furniture, like our dresser here, we will prime with a roller and apply the first coat of paint with a roller and then apply the final coat with a brush so the brush strokes are seen.
Tip 08 : Wrap your rollers in Cling or Saran Wrap
If you are going to be painting over the span of a couple of days, instead of rinsing out your rollers or tossing and using new ones, wrap your rollers up in Cling or Saran Wrap to keep them from drying out!
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In this post we are painting with one of our favorite gray paints, Sherwin-Williams Light French Gray. This is a medium gray paint with warm undertones. Also, note we did not lay down a protective covering over our floors, which we typically would do. Fortunately by using Tip 06 above, we had little to no paint drips, but the few that we did have we were able to easily wipe up from our Luxury Vinyl Flooring. If you are painting in a room with hardwood, laminate, or carpet, do not skip the step of covering your floors first!
