Painting with a roller
It is not always necessary to hire a contractor to paint the interior of your home. Even if you aren't very experienced, painting is easy to learn. Don't be fooled by all of the gadgets and special tools that the home improvement stores try to sell you. You can paint everything with a brush and roller.
Get the Right Tools for the Job
Buy a 1 1/2-inch or 2-inch angled trim paintbrush. It is essential that you buy a high-quality brush for painting. This will be your best friend when it comes to putting paint on evenly and in a straight line. Anyone can learn to cut-in paint--it's not as difficult as it looks. It just requires patience, the right brush and an understanding of how your paint flows.
You will also need dropcloths to protect your floors and furniture, painter's tape to hold down the dropcloths, paint trays, a roller and a roller extension handle. Be sure to pick up a small paint tray that you can hold in your hand as well, or you can use a large plastic margarine container if you have one--anything you can hold comfortably while you are cutting in around the edges and trim.
Preparing the Area
Clear the room, removing as much furniture and other objects as possible. Vacuum the floors, ceilings and walls thoroughly to avoid getting dust in your paint. Cover the entire floor and any remaining furniture with dropcloths. Tape the cloths together and down to the floor to keep them in place. Repair any holes or cracks with joint compound and be sure all the surfaces are dry and smooth before painting. Using at least one coat of primer is always suggested, but it can be avoided if you are painting a clean, dry surface that is fairly close to the color that you are applying.
Cutting in the Edges and Trim
Always work from the top down when painting. If you are painting the ceiling, it should be the first area you do. Pour some paint into the small paint tray or plastic container. Don't fill it too high--you want to be able to comfortably hold it in your hand without spilling it. Dip your angled trim brush into the paint, covering about two-thirds of the bristle length. Draw the brush against the inside of the tray to remove most of the paint. Place the pointed end of your angled brush against the corner of the ceiling and slowly pull the brush along the edge of the wall. Continue pulling the brush in a straight line, dipping back into the paint when needed.
Always begin and end your strokes about an inch away from the wall and slide the brush to the edge as you go, continuing the stroke in a straight line, then curving back in when the stroke is about to end. This will prevent gobs of paint at the beginning or end of your strokes along the edge.
W Technique for Rolling Paint
After the edge is trimmed and you are ready to paint the inside of the ceiling or wall, pour paint into the roller tray (about half full). Wet a paper towel and squeeze it along the paint roller when you are loading it with paint for the first time. Pre-dampening the roller will help to evenly distribute the new paint onto the roller.
Slowly push the roller into the paint and pull it back along the textured area of the paint tray. This area helps to remove excess paint from the roller. Roll the paint onto the ceiling or wall in a "W" pattern. Write the letter W on the wall with the roller, then roll back across the area again in the opposite direction, filling in the gaps. This will help apply the paint in smooth, even strokes. Work the ceiling in small sections, overlapping wet areas as you move along. After finishing a 4- to 6-foot section, very gently move the roller over the area in smooth straight strokes to absorb any streaks or drips.
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