If you are considering painting a room but wondering how hard is it to paint a room? When painting a room, where do you start? This post is for you. The short answer is no, painting a room is not hard and a beginner can do it alone, but if you want painting tips read on.
Table of Contents
Supplies you will need to paint the room
Paint roller tray
Paint tray liner
Damp towel (for cleaning up the spills)
Paint roller frame and long handle
Paintbrush (three-inch angled brush)
Stir sticks (free at the paint store)
How much paint will you need to paint a room?
To determine the amount of paint you will need to paint your room, measure the width, length, and height of the room and use this calculator to determine the approximate amount of paint you will need to use this paint calculator.
Keep in mind that this is the approximate amount and you might need less if you have many/large windows or doors and you might need more paint if you are going from a dark to light color paint.
Step-by-step guide on how to paint a room
1. Prepare the room
Before you can start painting, you need to prepare a room for a mess-free painting result in the end. The prep job may feel tedious, but in the end, it will save you time.
Start by removing wall decor, and curtains and putting all furniture in the middle of the room, and covering it with a plastic protective film.
Then remove the outlet covers and light switch plates and cover the outlets and light switches with masking painters’. Apply the tape around the window frames, baseboard molding, and crown molding. If there is no crown molding apply the tape on the ceiling as close to the wall as possible.
Masking tape vs painters tape
The difference between the masking tape and the painters’ tape in the adhesion. You will need painter’s tape for your project. This is the painter’s tape I always use: FROGTAPE 240661 Multi-Surface Painter’s Tape with PAINTBLOCK, Medium Adhesion, 1.88 Inches x 60 Yards, Green, 3 Rolls
Painting tip: Make sure your baseboards are clean of any dust or the painters’ tape won’t stick as well and the paint will leak.
What color to paint a room?
If you need help choosing paint colors for your home, check out my Etsy storefront for color palette combinations
2. Begin painting your room
When painting a room think of it as two types of paint jobs: painting the walls with a paint roller and using a paint brush to paint around the doors, windows, and ceiling. Whichever you decide to do first do it all together, so you don’t keep going back between the roller and the paintbrush and save yourself time.
Do I need to prime the walls before painting?
You don’t need a primer if the wall has been painted before. You will need a primer on the new construction wall, if it wasn’t primed or painted before and if you are going from a dark to a light wall color.
3. Touch up and a second coat.
Once the entire room is painted you will need to do another coat of paint or a touch-up depending on the quality of your paint.
Once you are done touching up you can remove the painter’s tape and enjoy a freshly painted room.
How much will it cost to paint the room?
Painting a room yourself will cost you between $150 and $300 depending on the size of the room and the supplies you already have on hand.
How long does it take for paint to dry
How long to paint a room?
An average size room takes between 6 to 10 hours to paint. That is including the prep work and masking.
How to store excess paint?
It’s best to store leftover paint in an air-tight container at room temperature. Do not store paint where it can freeze or overheat.
How many rollers do I need to paint a room?
You will need one roller per paint color if you don’t want to wash the roller between switching from one color to another. To store the wet paint roller you can purchase a roller cover or wrap it in foil, then a plastic bag and store it in the fridge.
Where is an accent wall in the room?
The accent wall in the room is usually the wall you face when you enter the room. In the bedroom, it will be the wall against which you put a headboard.
For more ideas on creating an accent wall check out these posts:
Create a bedroom accent wall using wall molding
Empty Wall Decor Ideas: from a Blank Space to a Statement Piece
A simple step-by-step foggy mountain wall mural (beginner level)
How to paint without streaks?
To paint without streaks make sure that you don’t use too much paint on your paintbrush or a roller and brush out and roll out the paint drips on the wall as soon as you spot them.
Conclusion
Painting a room may free overwhelming, but if you follow these instructions step-by-step is a double project that requires little time and money investment, while making a huge difference in how the room feels.
