The Best Tips for Painting a Room

If it’s your first time painting a room in your home, and you’re unsure where even to begin, you’re in the right place. Our team at Hoover Paint is here to provide all the tips and tricks you need to enjoy a job well done with that polished look.

1. Choose the Right Interior Paint and Primer

Before you move furniture and grab a paintbrush, ask yourself what color you’re working with in the space. To find a color you love, narrow it down to two or three, and grab some paint samples to pop up on your wall to see how they look in different lighting, including morning, noon, night, and under artificial lights.

Don’t Skip the Primer

It can feel tempting to start painting and skip the primer altogether, especially if you’re painting on an already white wall. However, primer gives you a smooth, clean surface to build on and provides a long-lasting finish.

For example, if you have a navy-blue accent wall in your living room that you want to paint a light taupe, a primer can help with the transition.

2. Prepare the Walls

Preparation is 80% of the job. Preparing the walls ensures the process runs smoothly and easily, allowing you to work without interruptions. After you take everything off the walls, caulk any holes, sand the surface for better paint adhesion, and fix any wall or trim imperfections.

It’s best to remove the following items from your walls:

• Artwork and frames.
• Bookshelves, including the brackets.
• Electrical cover plates.
• Light fixtures.
• Doorknobs.

Bonus Pro Tip: Store hardware from each item together, with the screws and other small pieces labeled and in a bag.

3. Prep the Floors

Prepare your floor, whether it’s tile, carpet, or hardwood, by placing drop cloths to protect it from paint.

Next, you’ll want to apply painters’ tape where your floor meets the wall and where your wall meets doors, windows, and trim you don’t want painted. Painters’ tape also lets you enjoy those polished, crisp edges when you remove it after.

Bonus Pro Tip: Before the final coat dries fully, remove any painters’ tape to prevent it from pulling the paint off.

4. Paint From the Top Down

If you’re painting the ceilings, start there. If you’re not, move on to the trim. Trim requires smooth, clean strokes so that you don’t see the brush strokes. Start with the top part of the trim and make your way down. Once the trim is complete, start on the walls. 

It’s best to paint the baseboards last because you can drip or splatter wall paint on them while you’re working, especially with a roller.

Bonus Pro Tip: When using a roller for both ceilings and walls, roll slowly and precisely to avoid excess splatter.

5. Use the Right Finish in Each Room

The type of paint finish you use determines how much it shines, how easy it is to clean, and how many imperfections it shows.

Here’s a quick guide on the type of paint finishes and where they’re best to use:

• Matte finish for ceilings so imperfections don’t show.
• Eggshell finish for walls, so it’s easy to clean and has some sheen.
• Semi-gloss finish for trim, windows, and doors.

6. Let the Paint Cure

Paint dries before it cures. By following the proper cure time, the paint hardens, making it more scratch-resistant and easier to clean.

Shop Our Local Paint Shops Near Murfreesboro, TN

For your next paint job or to learn more about how to paint a room, visit our team at Hoover Paint, your local paint shop near Murfreesboro, TN. We can help you select the tools and supplies you need to do the job, including Benjamin Moore interior paint, when you contact us online or call (615) 893-5756.

Hoover Paint has 10 local paint shops near Murfreesboro, TN, and proudly serves the surrounding area, including Christiana, Lascassas, Rockvale, and Plainview.