- Using valuable time to prepare the painting area can be frustrating, but you may end up more frustrated if you don't. Nothing slows down a painting project like having to carefully cut in around every piece of floor trim and ceiling molding. Use a wide painter's tape to tape off all areas that aren't being painted. (Don't use masking tape, as it is harder to remove at the end.) While you're at it, lay tarps on the floor and remove all switch plates and other obstructions from the walls. This bit of time on prep work will make the rest of the project go much quicker.
- If the surface of the wall has a shine to it, either from gloss paint or just years of wear and grime, you'll need to get rid of that stuff in order to make paint adhere properly. Use a vibrating sander to buff the whole wall, starting at the top and working your way down. Wipe off all the sanded dust and let the wall dry thoroughly. Don't skip the primer just because you're in a hurry; having that flat, consistent starting point could be the difference between having to do three coats or just two.
- One mistake people make in trying to paint a room quickly is to lay on a thick layer of paint, hoping to cover it all in one coat. This makes more work in the long run, because you'll be constantly going back over the area dealing with drips and pools. Go in accepting that you'll probably need two coats, which will allow you make each of them thinner, cleaner and quicker to apply. Start by cutting in the corners with a brush. Then lay the paint on the wall with your roller, in tall, long M-shaped strokes, overlapping back over themselves until the whole wall is covered. Allow the first coat to dry to the touch before applying the second.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -