Home Improvement Painting Interior Painting

21 Interior Painting Tips for a Flawless Finish

can of open paint on a drop cloth

The Spruce / Margot Cavin

Interior house painting is not intuitive, though it seems like it should be. Beginning in kindergarten with finger-painting, most of us are familiar with the process of applying paint to a flat surface. But a truly professional interior paint job is an entirely different matter.

We spoke with two paint experts for pointers on making your work look like a pro did it. Incorporate these painting tips into your next interior painting project and make the job go faster and smoother, with a cleaner, more attractive appearance.

Meet the Expert

Test the Paint in Multiple Places and Different Lightings

It’s easy to test drive a paint color at home, whether you stick a swatch up on the wall or actually paint some strokes using a sample can. Whichever method is available and works best for you, Anthony Kulikowski, owner of Five Star Painting of South Bend, IN, recommends trying it out in different spots on the wall.

Be sure to look at the paint under different lighting conditions—and don’t forget to check how the color looks against trim work, as well as furniture and decor that will be in that room.

“You really should look at it at morning, noon, and night in all locations [on the wall],” Kulikowski says.

Don’t Skimp on the Prep Work

As with many home improvement projects, the more you prepare at the start, the better off you’ll be when it comes to doing continuous work. This includes prepping the walls for paint.

“Make sure to clean the walls thoroughly, fill any holes or cracks, and sand any rough areas,” says Nick Lopez, founder of LIME Painting, who says all of this is necessary to ensure the paint’s proper adhesion to the walls.

Use a Tack Cloth to Clean the Surface

A tack cloth is a very inexpensive painting tool that helps you clean the surface prior to painting or staining for flawless results. A beeswax-impregnated cheesecloth, tack cloth lightly pulls off sawdust, wood shavings, and all manner of debris from your surface.

By using a tack cloth, you avoid applying a wet cloth to the surface. If you do not have a tack cloth, you may use a damp cloth, but make sure to squeeze it out thoroughly beforehand.

Do not use a tack cloth over large surfaces. It is suited more for trim, doors, and cabinets than for walls and ceilings. Also, avoid pressing hard on the tack cloth as this may smear beeswax on the surface, and this can be difficult to remove.

Purchase High-Quality Roller Covers and Brushes

Cheap, low-quality roller covers leave fuzz and lint on the walls which will make them bumpy once the paint dries. Inferior-quality brushes leave streaky brush marks; instead, purchase high-quality brushes and be meticulous about maintaining your pricey purchase.

Some do-it-yourself painters make the mistake of purchasing inexpensive chip brushes. Chip brushes should not be used for interior painting. Rather, they are meant for applying glues, adhesives, and solvents. For both roller covers and brushes, it is worthwhile to pay extra for better tools. In the end, your surface will have a better finish.

Tip

Cut in the corners and around your trim with a brush to start the process and finish the ceiling and walls with a roller.

Paint roller and tray
The Spruce / Margot Cavin

Purchase High-Quality Paint

When you see one paint advertised for a price and another, apparently comparable paint for five times as much, what is the difference besides price? Often, rock-bottom cheap paints are builder's grade paints that have fewer solids than higher quality paints. (Solids are what help to create a good paint build.)

Builder's grade paints such as Sherwin-Williams ProMar 400 Interior Latex and Valspar Professional Interior Latex do have their place in quick, low-cost, low-commitment paint jobs. But for a paint that will last, purchase a higher-quality paint.

Buy Enough Supplies

Although the “How Much Paint Do I Need?” calculator on this page can give you a good estimate, you always want to end up with a bit extra for any touch-ups. And when it comes to paint supplies like painter’s tape, brushes, and rollers, it’s better to err on the side of caution and buy extra. 

Of course, you should save those receipts and double-check store return policies, but in general, it’s easier to return unused supplies when the project is over than it is to stop mid-project and go to the store to purchase more.

Consider the Weather

A rainy afternoon might seem like the perfect time to stay inside and paint. But if the rain brings high humidity with it, it might be wise to hold off on painting that room.

“If the room is too humid or too cold, the paint won't dry properly,” says Lopez.

Test for Loose Paint With the Duct Tape Test

Will the existing painted surface take new paint and will it hold this paint for years to come? While it is impossible to predict the future, you can get a good sense of the quality of a surface by testing it with a strip of duct tape. Lay a strip of fresh duct tape over the surface in question, then rip it off. If flakes of paint larger than a microscopic size come off, you may need to scrape and then sand.

Use Latex or Nitrile Gloves

Latex gloves are great for keeping your hands clean while painting. Water-based interior latex paint easily cleans off of hands, but if you are using enamel or oil-based paint, cleaning can be a challenge. If you do not like latex gloves or are allergic to latex, use a similar type of glove material called nitrile.

Liberally Apply Low-Stick Painter's Tape

Painter's tape, sometimes known as blue tape, has a low-stick adhesive that comes off easily and resists peeling off primer or existing paint. While painter's tape can be expensive, it is well worth the cost to liberally apply it to the edge of all surfaces that will not be painted, such as the junction between walls and ceilings.

Apply painter's tape to wall
The Spruce / Margot Cavin

Ventilate the Area

Paint fumes are no joke—they can leave you feeling unwell. Another reason to consider the forecast is so you can keep windows wide open for proper ventilation in the rooms you’ll be painting. Not only do you need fresh air while you’re working, but also for two to three days after you’re finished, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Stir Paint Before Using

The ingredients in paint easily separate, so you must stir the paint before using it. Do it once upon opening the paint and more if your project isn’t finished within the day.

“If [the paint] sits for more than a day, I would recommend stirring it up again,” says Kulikowski.

Use Adequate Lighting

Good lighting is crucial to any home improvement project. Painting during the day is always optimal as you’ve got the benefit of natural light streaming through windows. But even then, go turn on any available overhead lighting—LED work lights can also help—so you can see more clearly, especially as you’re painting around trim work. 

Paint a Room in the Right Order

If you’re also redoing the ceiling, start with that first because you can cover up any paint that splashes on the walls. But when you’re ready to do the walls, just pick a corner and start painting. Kulikowski says some people might feel “passionate” about whether you should work from the right or the left, but he says, “It doesn’t really matter.”  

What matters more than which wall you start with is how you paint the wall itself. Starting from the top, use a paint brush to “cut in” on the edges of the wall, so that you form neat edges where it meets the ceiling and any trim work. Then, use a paint roller to fill in the rest of the wall.

Maintain a Wet Edge to Avoid Overlap Marks

Always keep a wet edge as you paint and work away from that wet edge. The glossier the paint, the more prone it will be to showing overlap marks. Semi-gloss and glossy paint, in particular, demand strict attention be paid to maintaining a wet edge. With flat or matte paint, though, there is virtually no danger of creating overlap marks.

Use Masking Film to Cover Clean Areas

Masking film is one of those secret tools that professional painters use frequently, yet many do-it-yourself painters may not know about. Masking film is a thin plastic sheet that either comes in rolls or in folded up squares. Its thinness is key to making it work. Unlike the thicker plastic sheeting often used to cover furniture, masking film grabs onto flat surfaces and stays in place, on its own.

Except for bringing the film adjacent to the edge of a painted surface, there is no need to tape it down. Static electricity holds masking film in place.

Clean Up Paint Spills Quickly

Accidents happen during painting even if you think every last inch of floor and furniture has been covered in a drop cloth. Try to keep an eye out for errant brush strokes so you can clean them up quickly while they are still wet.

If paint falls on a hard surface like a hardwood floor, it might only take a damp rag to wipe it up. But if it dries or you get paint on carpet, you’ll want to try some dishwashing soap and warm water to clean it; you might need carpet stain remover or paint thinner depending on the extent of the stain.

Store Excess Paint Properly

Having some extra paint will come in clutch if you have to make touch-ups at a later date—but it’ll only work if you store it properly.

You can keep the paint in the same can, says Kulikowski, provided the seal is tight. He recommends first wiping the can rim clean of any excess paint. Position the lid on the can with a rag over it to avoid any paint splash, then gently tap it with a rubber mallet so it stays tightly closed.

Wrap the Brush or Roller to Avoid Cleaning

At the end of your painting day, you need to deal with picking up and cleaning. The part that many people dread is cleaning the brushes and rollers. Brushes are hard to clean, but using a paint comb helps immensely. Cleaning roller covers is more difficult: It seems that no matter how much you wash the roller, it still dries out too stiff to use again.

Yet there is one secret to side-stepping this cleaning. If you know that you will be returning to your work before long, you can preserve your roller cover or brush with the paint still in it, either by:

  • Freezing Them: Wrap the brush or roller in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer. This should preserve the brush or roller indefinitely. Allow plenty of time for the roller cover or brush to thaw before you attempt to paint with them again; or,
  • Wrapping Only: If you dislike the idea of putting brushes or roller covers in a food zone, you can still wrap them in plastic and keep outside at room temperature. Just make sure that the plastic is airtight. This should preserve the brush or roller cover for the rest of the day. You might even be able to push it to the following day if the wrap is very tight.

Don’t Rush the Work

“Painting requires patience and attention to detail,” says Lopez. “Take your time and do it right.”

He notes that a rushed paint job can lead to uneven coats, unsightly drips, and a host of other problems. A painter’s patience also includes waiting for the paint to dry in between coats. Be sure to read the manufacturer’s guidelines on just how long you should wait before adding a second coat of color to the walls.

Don’t Leave the Painter’s Tape On Too Long

Remove the painter’s tape when the paint feels dry to the touch; check dry times on the paint can for guidance. But don’t leave it for too long after it’s completely dry because you’ll risk cracking or pulling up the paint along with the tape. Painter’s tape that’s been left on too long could tear, which makes it harder to remove, plus those stubborn pieces can leave a sticky residue behind.

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  1. Healthy Indoor Painting Practices. EPA