Whether you’re adding a fresh lick of paint to your spare room or completely revamping every wall in the house, preparation is key to the success of any DIY painting project. By making sure that the prep work is carried out to a high standard before adding your top coat of colour, the final result will be a smooth, level application with no patchy areas for a professional-look, no-chip paint finish.
- Enough paint in the correct An emulsion is generally used for plaster walls, but if the walls you are painting are in a high-traffic area like a hallway or a playroom, you’ll need a hard-wearing emulsion often named ‘modern emulsion’ or ‘intelligent emulsion’. You’ll also need to consider if the room you are painting has high humidity (like a kitchen or a bathroom) and if you have enough paint for a minimum of two coats (check the square metre coverage area on the back of the tin).
- Paint tray and paint roller: you may require two trays and rollers - larger for the walls and mini for those tricky areas. Rather than the plastic trays that end up in landfills, instead, try the [eco-friendly paint trays that can be composted.
- Paint brushes in a variety of sizes: It’s always good to invest in high-quality paintbrushes which do not leave stray brush hairs in your paintwork.
- Step ladder: A must for those hard-to-reach areas.
- Painter’s tape: For those super-sharp paint lines. Always go for a low tack painter’s tape on previously painted surfaces.
- All-purpose filler and a spreading knife: To [repair the wall once you’ve removed any nails or hooks.
- Something to cover your furniture: You can invest in large protective sheets, but often, old bedding or towels will do.
- Old clean cloths/baby wipes: For any spills / excess paint.
Picking a paint colour
When [picking a paint colour it is important to take your time; try testing up to five shades and look at them in different lights throughout the day. Make sure that you apply each colour sample to various parts of the room: in some areas, the colour might look darker than in others.
Think about how you use the room and the atmosphere that you want to embrace: a task room where you need to see what you are doing would be best painted in lighter tones, while rooms that you relax in are good for embracing richer shades