How To Paint: Basic Paint Techniques

Whether you're painting your very first wall or you simply want to brush up on the basics, let us show you how. From the supplies you'll need to get started to techniques like cutting-in corners and rolling the paint, we cover it all.

PREPARATION

01 Determine how much paint you'll need.

Use the square footage of the room: multiply "length X width".
Usually a gallon of paint covers 400 sq. ft.
Or use the Paint Calculator on Lowes.com/Calculators, or ask a Lowe's associate.

02 Mask off any areas that won't be painted.

For tips on preparing a room for paint, watch Lowe's Prepping Paint Surfaces.

03 Make sure the room is properly ventilated when painting.

Open a window or use fans to circulate air.
Also consider using a low VOC paint.
TIP: Adding a few drops of vanilla extract to the paint will help hide the paint smells, but this does not eliminate paint fumes.

PAINTING

01 Start with the ceiling.

Wear safety glasses and a hat when painting the ceiling.
Use ceiling paint. If you want to use color on your ceiling, ask for a tinted flat paint.
If using more than one gallon, mix cans in a 5 gallon bucket to eliminate possible color differences between cans. Always stir thoroughly
Cut-in the edges. Cutting-in is a painting technique that outlines your work area. It helps cover areas where a roller won't fit, such as around window trim or in corners.
Cut-in the edges. Cutting-in is a painting technique that outlines your work area.
It helps cover areas where a roller won't fit, such as around window trim or in corners.
- Pour the paint near the area you'll paint first.
- You can use a roller pan with a liner.
- Or use a small container–it's easier to hold when cutting-in edges.
- Dip the brush in the paint and tap it against the side of the container.
- Paint the areas around the edge of the ceiling, covering at least 2".
- Always finish the brushstroke back into paint.

Once the edges are cut-in, use a roller for the large area of the ceiling.
- Attach the roller frame to the extension.
- Load the roller with paint.
- TIP: Wetting the roller cover with a damp paper towel will help the paint load evenly.
Start in a ceiling corner and apply the paint in a "W" style motion, working in a 4' x 4' block.
When that area is filled in and still wet, move to the next area, applying the paint in the same "W" technique. Overlapping the work areas while the paint is still wet will blend the edges together.
When you get about half the ceiling covered, roll the roller across the ceiling, barely applying pressure. This will smooth out any areas with excess paint.
Move on to the next area of the ceiling, applying the paint in a "W" style motion.
Finish the ceiling.
The paint should take about 2 to 4 hours to dry. Once the ceiling is dry, apply a second coat, if needed.

02 Paint the walls, using the same techniques as with the ceiling:

Cut-in around edges.
Paint the walls using the "W" pattern, overlapping the work areas while the paint is still wet.
Smooth out the excess paint when the wall is half covered.
Move on to the next half of the wall.
The walls should be dry in 2-4 hours.
Paint the trim.

Use an angled brush.

Clean Up

01 Latex paint will clean up with soap and water.

02 Brushes

Rinse the paint from the brush.
Use a wire brush to scrape the paint out of the bristles.
When the water runs clean, the brush is clean.
Rinse the handle.
Reform the brush and let it dry thoroughly on a paper towel.

03 Roller covers

With the cover on the frame, rinse the cover under running water, scraping the paint out with the curved side of a 5-in-1 tool.
When most of the paint is out, remove the cover from the frame and continue scraping.
You can use soap to help loosen the paint.
When the cover and frame are clean, stand the cover upright on a paper towel.

04 When painting with latex, the tools have to be somewhat dry before using them again.

05 If you're only leaving your project for a few hours, you don't have to clean your tools immediately.
Simply wrap any used tools in plastic wrap and store in a dark, cool area.

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