Get a smooth professional looking paint job every time. Complete guide covering prep, primer, cutting in, and rolling technique.
Move furniture to the center and cover with drop cloths. Remove outlet covers and switch plates. Fill all nail holes and dents with spackling. Sand any rough spots smooth. Clean walls with a damp sponge to remove dust and grease.
Apply painters tape along trim, ceilings, and baseboards. Roll on a coat of primer if you are covering a dark color, painting bare drywall, or making a drastic color change. Let dry completely before painting.
Use a 2.5 inch angled brush to paint a 3 inch band along all edges — where the wall meets the ceiling, corners, and along trim. Keep a steady hand and move in long smooth strokes. Do one wall at a time.
While cut-in edges are still wet roll the main wall area using a W or M pattern to distribute paint evenly. Work in 3x3 foot sections. Always roll from dry into wet paint to avoid lap marks. Two coats is almost always better than one thick coat.
Remove tape while the paint is still slightly wet — pulling at a 45 degree angle gives the cleanest line. Clean brushes and rollers immediately with warm soapy water. Reinstall outlet covers once the paint is fully dry.
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