Paint Your Rooms From Top To Bottom

Paint your room or rooms starting from the top to bottom. This page will offer you some simple tips to make this job a more pleasant and enjoyable one. Yes, thats right. When dreading getting out the brushes, roller, and ladder, make the mood a fun and exciting one. Now I know you are thinking, "a job like this exciting"? Well of course it is work, but if done correctly, the results will be one of not only satisfaction, but your room will looking professionally done.

One of the first steps I do once the room is prepared and primed, is to set the tone for the painting. I find one of my favorite CD's and put it on. Actually I have a particular CD I use that is upbeat and I can work right along with the music. Here are some necessary materials you will need to get started.

1. Paint brushes - a couple different sizes
2. Roller and pan
3. Rags and paper towels
4. Ladder
5. Plastic, old sheet or newspapers to cover floor
6. Plastic Edger
7. Masking Tape - optional
8. Good ventilation

These are the basic tools and materials to getting the job done. Lets go ahead and start painting your room. The first area to paint is across the top part of your wall. I use a couple of different tools. An option for you at this point is to take masking tape and tape along the edge of the ceiling. This is a safety issue for not getting paint on your ceiling. If you are brilliant with a brush, you can skip this option. One of the keys near the ceiling and woodwork areas is patience.

Take your time to work along the ceiling and woodwork or trim. A small brush or a small roller will work. Start painting on one wall all the way across and along the top. The reasoning for using a brush at this stage is when you roll the wall later on, the roller will not have to be rolled up near the ceiling. It is a lot easier to wipe off a small spot of fresh paint from a brush instead of a big roller mark. Slowly work your way along the top of the walls until you have all areas of the top of your room done. If you have doors and windows in the room, go ahead and work along the top half of each door and window. Once you have gone all the way around the room, you will notice the first area you have done already has begun to dry.

The second step is to paint along the bottom of the walls. This is done the same way as painting across the top. Take a small brush with the option of using a small roller. Work your way around the room in the same fashion as the top. This is a good area to put a thin layer of masking tape along your woodwork to protect spills. I will tear off a piece of masking tape and cut it in half, as it will fit along the woodwork better.

Once the bottom of the walls are done all the way around, go ahead and wash off the paint brush and smaller roller. It is important to wash off your tools as soon as your done. Depending on what type of paint you use, will depend on your clean up. If you are using a Latex base, warm soap and water will work in cleaning off the brush and roller. If you are using an oil base, turpentine or mineral spirits will clean off these tools. I will let them soak in an old jar for an hour or two. Wash them out in hot water after that, and let them dry outside.

Ah, now time for the next step, actually painting the walls. Make sure the top and and bottom areas are dry. You may notice when the paint is drying it may look lighter then you thought. As paint dries, the color will become darker and match the sample you got from the store. This stage of the room is where you not only will see the signs of how your new room will look, it is also where you can get some good arm exercises.

Rolling the walls should be done the same way as when you started your room. You roll the walls from the top to bottom. Start rolling on the same wall you started the top part. A pan that clips to your ladder works really well. There are a couple of ways you can roll paint on a wall. You can work your roller vertically from the top to the bottom or you can work your roller vertically and go over each section you just did, horizontally. I think it works better to do both, as this will ensure you get the entire area. One rule of thumb I usually do when rolling a wall, I will work my way from top to bottom until I have to move my ladder.

Cover the entire area you are working on from the top to the woodwork. Continue working along until all your walls are painted. Let the paint totally dry. This is also the time to you take to clean your roller and any other brushes you might have used. Once the paint is completely dry, is when you will be able to tell if you will need a second coat or a touch up on certain areas. Usually when you have primed the walls properly, one gallon of paint will work. This may depend on the color you are using and the look you want.



We aren't quite finished yet. The trim or woodwork is the last area you will paint. Today there are plastic edgers that go along your floor. I like using these as another form of protection to carpets or other types of flooring. I also use a small brush and an artist brush.(the brush doesn't have to be an expensive one.) The small brush will work well going along the bigger part of your trim. The artist brush can be used if you have a small top part on your trim or woodwork. This is delicate work and can be time consuming, but well worth the professional look at the end.

Work your way along the trim just like you did when you started the room. Start on that first wall and continue around. Make sure you clean up those brushes immediately after you are done. Once you have finished and the paint dries, you again may have to do a little touch up work. Ah, the painting is done! Question for you, take note of how many times you listened to that one CD or different ones? If you have only listened to it once or twice through the entire process, you may be rushing to get this part of the decorating done.

The above steps are a guideline for you to use. There may be others ways you can come up with to make this part of your interior project more enjoyable. Taking your time and planning out each project will make the room a new and exciting place to be in and enjoy. One color family you can think about to paint, is in the neutral tones.