Painting for the Novice DIY-er: Part Three

I am happy to say that my painting job is almost complete. I strive to be a perfectionist when I am doing something that is going to be put on display for the world to see (not that many people visit my bedroom in my parents' house, lololol). This was my first time painting a room, so now I can say I have done it and know a little more about the whole process than I did when I started. It took me a while to learn how to roll the brush to make perfect strokes. If anything, I have learned that this is a learning process and that you can only get better with time!

Tips for a Beautiful Paint Job

1. Prime. You may not think your walls need it, but if you are doing a drastic color change (like I did) then you'll want to take the time to prime your walls before you paint. The lady at Lowe's suggested this primer. I liked it because a gallon of it was less than 15 dollars and it covered really well. I had to do two coats on my blue walls to get it to cover, but that was not a big deal.

Before Primer

After Primer 

2. Do the edges on a wall first then fill in the middle. This method is called cutting in, and it makes sure that you get all of the edges covered without having to use a roller. I used a small sponge brush for the edges. Make sure you do one wall at a time because you do not want all of your edges to dry a different color than the middle of the walls.

3. Let the first coat of paint dry overnight. Paint may be dry to the touch, but it needs a night to dry before getting a second coat (if you even need a second coat). I noticed a few spots I needed to redo throughout the day, but chose to wait overnight just to be on the safe side.

First Coat of Gray Paint!

4. If a bedroom, don't let anyone sleep in it for a few nights until the fumes disappear.

5. Wait a couple of days before removing painter's tape and be sure to do it slowly and gently.

6. Put outlet and light switch covers back on and move furniture back!

I am in love with how my walls turned out after the second coat of paint! Cannot wait to move everything back, put my new bedding on, and share a room reveal with y'all!

xo,