How to Paint a Room

First off, I have to admit that I have no interest in home improvement or renovation projects. I'm lucky in that I have a significant other who is very skilled at all things having to do with tools. And when the job gets complicated, we call on our friendly neighborhood handyman service and find a specialist for whatever we need.

However, there are two things which I do like to do. One is to save money, especially in this very difficult and volatile economy. The other thing is to find something that gives me a feeling of accomplishment - something that I can see and touch and know that I was responsible for its success (or lack thereof). Doing laundry fits the bill but the feeling of satisfaction is fleeting and once you're finished, you basically have to start all over again. Clean laundry is something that not too many people really appreciate and it's generally not something you can share with friends. So despite my lack of interest, this brings me full circle back to home improvement.

This weekend's goal is to get started on painting one of our bedrooms. It's a small guest bedroom on the second floor of our house which has a beautiful view of woods and in the distance, a small glimpse of the bay. We call this room the "Bermuda Room" but our friends have named it after the bright pink elixir that is used for soothing stomach problems. Before it was pink, it was the "Cranberry Room", named after the dull, dark red polka dotted wallpaper that was put up about 20 years ago. After painting over the cranberry paper and trying out this bright pink for several years, we've now decided it's time for a calmer, cooler shade of blue.

So it's time to begin. Here is my plan for the bedroom painting project:

Materials:
 

• Sandpaper - several sheets of "fine" grade
   
• Gloves - work or latex
   
• Oil based primer for the walls - 1 gallon
   
• Blue Sea Foam latex paint for walls - 1 gallon
   
• Decorator White flat latex for ceiling - 1 gallon
   
• Off white latex semi gloss paint for trim - 1 quart
   
• Pre-mixed spackle compound
   
• 1 roller and pan
   
• 1 trim brush
   
• 1 4" brush
   
• Razor blade
   
• Painter tape (blue)
   
• Old sheets or drop cloths
   

• Step 1: Chose a color and test it. The best way to determine if you can live with a shade of paint is to buy one of the small sample bottles now available at most stores and try it out. Colors can vary based on the amount of light in a room or the material to which the paint is applied. Paint a small amount on your wall, let it dry and take a look at it during the day and at night. Make sure you like it before you proceed. Don't settle. If you really don't like it, then start again. In my case, I'm using "Blue Sea Foam" for the walls and an off-white for the ceiling, window frames, door and doorframe.
  
   
• Step 2: Prepare the room. Move what you can out of the room, especially rugs, and move everything off the windows -- curtains, shades, blinds, etc. Move anything you can't easily get out of the room to the center and cover with it with old sheets or drop cloths. I'll be covering the bed with the current bedspread - it will only look better with paint splashed on it, the more paint the better.
  
  It's also helpful to put old sheets or drop cloths on the floor. I know when I've painted before that I generally put too much paint on the brush and it invariably drips on the floor. This bedroom has lovely hardwood flooring which already has some small drips and drops from previous painting attempts.
  
   
• Step 3: Prepare the walls. In this case, I am going to paint over the pink painted wall paper. First, I'm going to give the walls a good going over and remove uneven or loose paper with a razor blade. Then, if I find any rough spots, I'll sand paper and smooth over any of those rough spots with a pre mixed spackle compound.
  
  Go over the window, door frames, door and baseboards with the sandpaper to achieve a slightly rough finish.
  
   
• Step 4: Prime. Since I'm painting over paint which has been applied to wallpaper, my local paint shop owner recommended that I use an oil based primer for the walls. This will help the newest coat of latex paint to better adhere and will make for a smoother, cleaner finish. Use a 4" brush to cut around the trim and the roller to do the rest. Make "K" patterns with the roller for a smooth, even application. Let the primer dry for a day or two.
  
   
• Step 5: Prepare for the paint. Use painter's tape around the baseboard and floor. This will prevent white paint from getting on the floor and speed things up a bit.
  
   
• Step 6. Now it's time to paint. Start with the ceiling. Do one coat. Then do the window trim, door, and door frame. Then do the walls, using the 4" brush to cut around the trim and roller. Lastly, do the baseboard trim. Repeat process if a second coat is needed.
  
  When the paint is dry, inspect the room and do any necessary touch ups of the trim, ceiling or the walls.
  
   

That's it. Not so bad. Time to celebrate a job well done. Sounds like time for a glass of wine and a nap, in my newly painted blue room.