Painting is an easy and less expensive job to carry out if you are able to do it yourself. All you need is to follow the interior painting step by step process given in the sections below.

The first step is to have the area selected. As a beginner, use the room, that you can use for practice first. The room which is not seen often. For example, your laundry room. Choose the colors and paint sheen. Make your selection according to the area you want to paint. For instance, for your laundry room get paint that is easily washable and also that holds well in the areas where there is moisture. Semi-gloss paint would be the best choice here. Do research when you do not have any color in mind. Look into interior magazines and skim pages with colors that appeal to you. You may also visit a paint store and look at the color pallets they provide. Buy a few samples of paint. Apply a sample on the wall, wait until it is dry and see if that the color you had in mind.

Once the color is selected, now you have to see how much paint is required. Take measurements of the area you intend to be painted. For a smooth surface, X square feet / 400 = Y Gallon and for a rough surface, X square feet / 250 = Y Gallon where X will be the measurement of the area you will paint and Y will be the volume of paint required in Gallon .

When you are ready to start painting, move all the furniture to some other place or in the center of the room in order to protect it from paint. Cover it with tarps and plastic. Cover the floors with plastic and tarps as well. Remove all hangings from the walls. Use masking tape in order to cover switches, electric outputs and other surfaces that you are not planning on painting.

Once you have covered all the things, wash the walls to be painted. If you are painting doors or cabinets, clean them up with a smooth moist cloth. This will help you to prevent new coat of paint from sticking to the substances that may be present on the surface. Protect your hands by wearing gloves.

Look carefully for the imperfections that you want to get rid of prior to painting. Cover minor cracks with caulk and use various thin coats of drywall compound to smooth out all the imperfections. It is better to start painting from top to bottom. Paint the ceiling first, then paint the walls and in the end paint all the woodwork. Begin painting the ceiling from the edges along the walls by using a brush. Paint 2 inches to 3 inches on the ceiling providing an area to overlap while using a roller. It is better to paint ceiling with an extension pole and a roller which will allow you to stand on the floor. Start from the room corner and move across the thinnest dimension of your room. Carry on back and forth across the area and continue till you complete.

Start to paint walls once the ceiling is dry. Do all the cutting in first working with a brush. Use a high quality brush to make a job easier. Then proceed to painting the rest of the area with a roller.

To avoid spilling of paint on the floors, cover all the area that is being painted very carefully. Remember that painting is always the easy part. It is the preparation work that counts the most.

Article originally published at Source by Jonothan J Wilson