Nothing sells a home faster than a fresh coat of paint, in a neutral color which 99% of the people will find desirable.  When you are preparing to sell your house, now is NOT the time to experiment with Red, Orange or Purple walls.  Here are some tips to paint a house.

Getting Ready

    1) Bigger Swatch - Don't expect a thumbnail size color chip to accurately depict the color.  Colors are relative to surrounding colors.  The other objects in a room can vary the appearance of color, the couch, in table, art on the wall etc.  Make a large swatch by purchasing the color of paint you desire and painting a three foot poster board the color you desire.  Let your mega swatch rest for a day in each location to see how the light effects the color.

    2) How many cans of paint? One gallon covers 400 square feet.  To get the square feet multiply the height times the length of a wall.  Example a 10' long wall, 8' high is 80 square feet.  you can multiply that number by four to get all four walls, and don't forget the ceiling.  Measure the floor area, it should match the ceiling.  (Unless it is a vaulted ceiling.)  Also plan on two coats.  The finished product will look much better with two coats of quality paint.

    3)  Purchase quality paint and tools - Benjamin Moore is a great brand.  If applied correctly you will never have to repaint the inside of your house again.  Same goes for the brushes and rollers.  A good brush costs between $10 and $15.  Purchase a 2 1/4" Sash brush.  (A sash Brush is an angled brush)  It will last you a life time, if you clean it, and put it back in its little box.  A Sash brush is great for "cutting" in the trim.

    4) Dust - After preparing the walls for paint, dust them off.  Vacuum them with a soft brush attachment, then use a tack cloth. (A tack cloth is more or less cheese cloth dipped in resin.)  They cost about 99 cents.

    5) Drop Cloths - Please use a drop cloth.  Professional drop cloths cost around $10 each.  If you're frugal, old bed sheets work good. Also Goodwill sells bed sheets for $2.00 each.   Walmart has cheap bed sheets for around $2.00 Also.

    6) Getting the paint ready - What type of paint.  Latex paint has improved greatly in the last 5 years.  Some Latex paints are designed with the workability and durability of Oil based paint.  And they are non-toxic.  Have the paint store shake your paint before you bring it home.  Then using cheese cloth, strain the paint you are using into a clean paint tray.   

    7) Covering a dark color? If you are covering a dark color, then apply a coat of white primer first.  

Paint!

    8)  Finally you can paint!  I'll take two coats please - Start with the trim.  Dip the Sash brush about 1/4 way into the bucket or tray, to get rid of the excess paint gently tap the brush against the side of the bucket, or the top end of the tray where there is no paint.  If your painting wood, always follow the grain of the wood.  Start with the brush about two inches from where you are are cutting into, then move to the edge you are cutting into and carefully make a long stroke along the trim.  Cut in the trim and ceiling.

            Walls are next.  While the paint you cut in with is still wet, start paining the walls.  Most new rollers have a little peach fuss on them.  Dab your roller with tape to remove the peach fuss.  Then roll the roller into the tray.  Again, don't dip too far.  The metal arm of the roller should never be dipped into paint.  It will just drip everywhere.  Make long vertical strokes, moving in one direction, left or right.  Make sure you evenly apply the paint.  Apply pressure evenly so one edge does not leave a "rope."   

    9)  Clean up - Since you invested in quality equipment, take care of it.  Thoroughly clean your brush, before it dries, with warm water and soap.  While rinsing the brush under a faucet use a metal brush cleaner to comb your brush.  Pat it dry.  But it back in the box.  You can now use it again.

    10) Most important step - Enjoy.  Take a step back and look at what you have accomplished. 

If you prefer, I have a few professional painters whom will do a great job at a reasonable price.
Call me. 206 992-0654

Best Regards and Happy Painting,

Elena

Updated July, 2007