5 Quick and Easy Painting Tips

Some people might run a mile with the prospect of painting their own home, but it needn’t be so daunting! This post will give you 5 quick and easy painting tips. Painting is one of the cheapest ways of upgrading your interior design. Using the simple tips below you can become a confident painter in no time!

Here’s a checklist of what you will need, from your DIY store. I’ve bought most of mine from B&Q

Polyfilla or equivalent
Sanding block
Masking tape
1 – 1.5-inch paintbrush
Small paint bucket
Roller brush and plate
Your chosen paint (Pamble Green by Avko Interior used in this post)
Floor overalls and furniture coverings

1. PREPARE YOUR WALLS

The first and foremost step of the 5 quick and easy painting tips is to prepare your walls the day before. That means getting out the sanding block and the Polyfilla.

If you have wallpaper on you’ll need to peel this off with a wallpaper steamer, this is quite a time-consuming job, so don’t cram it all in one day! If you have crackling paintwork, make sure this is scrapped off beforehand and fill in any gaps the night before.

Ensure any holes on the walls are filled in using appropriate filler the night before; I tend to use Polyfilla powder mix. On the next day, sand it down and vacuum the dust on the skirting board before the next step.

2. GET MASKING!

Unless you have the stable hands of a 13th century Renaissance painter you’ll need to get your masking tape out and tape around the edges of plug sockets, light switches, skirting boards etc. basically anything that is not being painting but is around the paintwork.

3. EDGING FIRST

At this point, all your walls will be finely prepped and ready for painting. Before you start, always stir your paint even if it’s with a screwdriver if you have to (just don’t tell the husband!). Paint separates when left still and you want a consistent colour across your walls.

You need to paint the edges first before you actually get into painting with the roller. You’ll need a small fine brush between 1 – 1.5 inches wide. Paint the edges about 4-5 inches high. It sounds a lot but you don’t want your roller brush to come anywhere near your skirting board/ceiling otherwise you could end up hitting it with a large swab of paint! It’s also harder to paint closer to the edge with the roller brush.

I always have a handy damp cloth around for any areas I accidentally touched with the paintbrush, which happens more often than I’d like!

4. PAINT

It’s finally time to get painting with that roller brush! The only rule I follow is, to paint vertically and then go over it horizontally so that you fully cover the area and don’t leave any markings one way or the other. Try to do it section by section so you know what you have covered.

5. DOUBLE COAT

No.5 on the quick and easy painting tip is to paint a second coat. Unless your paint states otherwise you should give your walls a second coat after the first coat has dried. This can normally be done within the same day. You’ll need a second coat to give a full coverage finish with no blotches. Don’t forget to go over the edges as well.

The paint used here is Pamble Green by Avko Interior. A luxury paint, which is luscious and thick, a little goes a long way and doesn’t give those headachey paint fumes. The colour is absolutely stunning and not overwhelming at all. Using bold colours for your interior designs can be a brave choice but can really add drama and can make furniture stand out.

Dark Interiors are currently on-trend and don’t seem to be going anywhere. However, given the bold nature of this colour, you could use it as a feature wall as I have done here.

I hope this post was helpful to you! Let me know in the comments below.

Check out my portfolio for some colour inspiration

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