Guide to painting the inside of your house

When you move into a new house - whether rental or your own - you may want to change the colour of one room or the whole house. Here is how you can do it yourself:

1. Know the mood you would like to project in specific rooms

Colours invoke emotions. They can either make you feel happy or down-right edgy. So take your time to identify how you would want the room to feel. Once that is done, you will be able to choose the colours that depict your vision.

They can either be warm, cool or neutral colours. You can use a colour chart to choose what suits you.

And if you have other people living with you. Agree on the colour scheme. You don’t want them stuck with colours they do not like.

2. Different types of paints have their advantages

Look at how your wall is. Does it have dents or cracks? If it has dents, then going for a matt finish would be better as it hides those imperfections. A glossy finish will enhance the imperfections but is easy to clean in the event of a stain.

At this stage, you have to make a choice on the pros and cons, and of course on your budget. Glossy paints are a little more expensive than matt finish paints.

3. Know the size of the room to be painted

Measure the size of the area to be painted in square metres. This will aid in knowing the amount of paint you will need, as well as the amount of undercoat and when needed. It is better to have more paint that to run out mid-project.

This will help you know how many workers you need. Plan the workforce. Invite your family and friends to help out. After all, it is a do-it-yourself project that can easily be turned into a bonding session.

4. Prepare for painting
Apply the filler on the cracks on the wall.

Make sure you scrape them off evenly with a stainless steel scraper, not leaving any moulds. Then cover and move any furniture off the wall. Roll up the carpets. If you have a floor skirting, cover the edges with a masking tape.

Do that around the wall sockets as well as the corner joints of the roof and wall. Line the floor with newspaper so that any paint that drips doesn’t stain the floor. Buy your paint already mixed. Also, get a roller and a paintbrush that you will use to paint areas that the roller can’t get to. Do the undercoat first before painting the final coat.

5. The actual art of painting

Paint the corners with the brush first before using the roller. Rolling after brushwork will flatten any brushstrokes left on the wall, giving you an evenly painted surface.

Prop yourself securely on a ladder before painting with a brush. The roller can be attached to a long handle, which allows you to cover a large surface area while standing on the ground.

Open the doors and windows to allow the air to dry the paint. Refrain from touching or brushing on it until it dries. If you can all be out of the house for a few hours to allow the paint to dry without any “accidents”, the better.

6. Rearrange furniture back

Once the paint dries, remove all the protective covering and tape that had been laid out. Wash out the rollers and paint brushes and store them for future use.