​How to paint your walls like a pro

Plan before you paint!

Start by thinking what that painted room must look like when completed. Remember that you’re not limited to four walls in the same colour. How about painting an accent wall in a bold hue for visual emphasis? Is the ceiling in need of a new layer / colour?

Prepping the surface 

Next, scrape, sand, patch and fill every hole, crack, dent and surface imperfection on those walls. This might not be the fun part of wall painting, yet it’s crucial. No paint, regardless of its cost, colour, thickness, or manufacturer's claims, will hide a cracked surface.

Tinting the primer 

Whether you’re painting new drywall or layering over a darker colour, priming the walls/ceiling is vital. Primer serves three main functions: 

• it blocks stains from bleeding through, 

• it allows one-coat coverage for the paint, 

• it improves paint adhesion, which greatly reduces blisters and peeling.

Professional painters often tint the primer toward the finished colour by mixing a small amount of topcoat paint into the primer. This enhances the ability of the topcoat to completely hide the primed surface.

Do you want your post-painted room to have a warm or cool look? A neutral or a saturated shade? Remember that existing furniture or art must also complement those painted walls. 

Once you have a sense of what you’re looking for, pick a few shades and get samples to take home. Paint a few patches of your samples on the walls to see how they look in the room at different times of day.

Although every painting project is unique, the usual must-have items include: 

• Drop cloths 

• Paint 

• Paint roller 

• Paint roller extension pole 

• Paintbrushes 

• Painter’s tape 

• Paint tray 

• Putty knife 

• Sandpaper 

• Rags.

The right amount of paint depends on various things, like your choice of colour and the height of the room. The general rule of thumb is: 

• A bathroom or loo (approximately 2m x 2m): 2.5l 

• Small to medium-sized bedroom (4m x 4m): 5l 

• Large bedroom, living room, kitchen (4m x 6m): 7.5l 

• Large living area / extended kitchen (6m x 8m): 10l

Also remember the following: 

• Painting a lighter colour over a darker one may require more coats. 

• Rooms with high ceilings will need more paint for the walls (a very easy mistake to make). 

•Fitted wardrobes, kitchen units and windows can reduce the amount of wall space to be painted.

Empty the room of all furniture. If you can’t move them out of the room, at least push everything to the centre, away from the walls. Cover the pieces and your floor with a drop cloth or lightweight plastic sheeting. 

Remember that paint splatters! 

With a roll of painter’s tape, firmly tape up the edges of the room's corners, base and crown mouldings, and door and window casings, using a putty knife to seal if needed. 

Remove outlet and light switch covers and apply painters tape to protect outlets and switches from paint drips.

Finally, the painting part starts! 

Work from the ceilings down. And if you’re painting a bright focal wall, paint the adjoining light-coloured walls first (in case the paint splatters onto what will become your accent wall). When the lighter wall dries, tape off that edge so the dark colour doesn't bleed onto your new paint.

If you’re covering up dark-toned walls with a lighter colour, opt for three coats: your primer, plus two coats of the new colour to ensure no dark hues show through. 

Tackle one wall at a time. “Cut in” with a brush (painting along the moulding and corners from top to bottom), but use a roller to cover the main expanse of the wall, avoiding those more precise spots. 

When painting with the roller, use long strokes in a W pattern for sufficient coverage. Apply the second coat only after the first one has dried. 

Painting the trim? Remove the painter’s tape and wait for the walls to dry before applying tape to the walls. Start with the trim closest to the ceiling, moving on to door and window frames, and lastly the baseboards.

Don’t forget to open windows and switch on fans while painting. And remember that keeping the room warm and a fan blowing will speed up the drying process.

Need to continue with your wall painting tomorrow? Simply brush or roll off the excess paint from the brushes, then tightly wrap them in plastic food wrap. If necessary, double up the plastic to seal out any air, then place the wrapped brushes and roller sleeves in the refrigerator to keep them fresh. This helps to keep the paint from drying overnight.

The next day, remove the gear from the fridge about 30 minutes prior to painting. If you properly wrap your paintbrushes and roller sleeves, they can be stored for several days (should you tackle a very ambitious paint job).

Done with all the coats? Remove all painters tape and gather drop cloths (after checking that spills and splatters are completely dry). 

For latex- and water-based paints, clean brushes with soap and water. Oil-based paints will require mineral spirits. Painter’s brush can be used to clean and reshape bristles. And to reuse roller covers, use the curved edge of a 5-in-1 tool to remove the paint under running water.

Done and dusted! Or, painted, rather! 

With these painting tips in mind, check out 10 great colours to paint your small living room walls.