Step-by-step DIY Room Painting Guide

Painting a room doesn’t have to be complicated. If you take the right steps then you can finish a room in about a day. You can also get a professional look by taking a few extra steps.

Step 1 – Select the Right Color for Your Room

The first step for DIY room painting is to select a color, or colors for the room. The colors that you select should be based on the function of the room and your preferences. You may find it easier to select a color or a combination of colors by using colors from your bedspread or from a piece of art that will be hanging in your room. You may also want to browse through paint samples to find a color that you like.

Step 2 – Select a Paint Finish

After you have selected a paint color your next step will be to select a paint finish. There are several paint finishes that you can choose from. Your choices include matte, eggshell, flat enamel, satin, and glossy finishes. Matte and flat enamel don’t have shine and they are great for covering imperfections on your walls, however, they aren’t washable. Eggshell and satin finishes have a semi-shine and they are washable. Glossy finishes are very shiny, they are washable, and they are very durable, however, they are not typically used for wall paint.

Step 3 – Measure Your Room

Now that you know what paint product that you want to use you next need to know how much you will need. To figure this out you need to measure the dimensions of your room. Measure the height of your walls, and their widths. Then add the square footage of each wall together to get the total square footage that you need to cover. Take this measurement with you when you shop for paint. Each paint container should tell you how much it will cover. If you are having a hard time figuring out how much paint you should buy then you should ask a clerk for help.

Step 4 – Prep Your Walls

Before you paint your walls you need to prep them. Start by filling in holes and wiping them down. Allow the patches to dry.

Step 5 – Prime Your Walls (Optional)

It is a good idea to prime your walls before you paint them. This will help the new color stick to the wall better, and it will help reduce the number of coats needed to cover the wall. Primer is a special type of paint. It produces a much different result then if you just use regular paint as a base coat.

Step 6 – Paint Your Walls

After your primer has dried you can paint your walls. If you have flat walls then a roller will work well for applying the paint. However, if you have textured walls then you will probably want to use a paint brush. This will help to reduce splatters and mess. After your first coat dries you will want to touch up areas that are spotty.

Step 7 – Add Trim

If you want your room to have a professional look then you will want to add trim to your room after you paint the main color. Trim can be moldings or wallpaper border. It can also be a paint technique.