STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

How to paint interior walls & ceilings

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A coat of paint is the quickest and easiest way to give a room a face-lift. As long as the walls have been prepared properly, you can get a professional-looking finish.

You will need:

150mm (6in) paintbrush
50mm (2in) paintbrush
Roller and tray
Roller extension pole (for high ceilings)
Stepladder
Masking tape
Dust sheets
Emulsion paint

Time to complete job: About two hours for the walls of a small bedroom. Allow half a day for painting a ceiling.
Approximate budget: Between £30 and £100, depending on the room size and paint chosen.

First steps:
Even with today's low odour paints, it's worth opening all the external doors and windows before you start work. Move the furniture into the centre of the room and use a dust sheet to protect your flooring. Always paint the ceiling before the walls, in case any paint splatters or drips.

And, don't forget that paint tends to change colour as it dries. If you choose a colour from a colour card, don't worry if it looks darker immediately after you have applied it.

Step 1: Painting the edges

Use a 50mm (2in) brush to paint around the ceiling edge and along the top of the skirting boards. Dip the brush a third of the way into the paint and hold at 90 degrees to the ceiling and paint a straight line, cutting into the corner between the walls and the ceiling. Turn the brush parallel to the ceiling to go over the first stroke firmly and steadily, keeping the bristles close to but not touching the ceiling.

This should be repeated along the bottom and the top of the wall and around any features like fireplaces and window frames.

Tip: Use masking tape to help you make a neat job of the edges.
Step 2: Painting the ceiling

Pour some of your emulsion into a paint tray so it's about a third full. Dip your roller into the paint and roll it firmly up and down the ribbed platform of the tray. Be careful not to overload the roller - it should rotate freely rather than skid over the surface of the ceiling.

As above, start in one corner and paint with a brush around the edges of the ceiling. Brush or roller on the rest of the paint in overlapping strips across the ceiling, parallel to the longest wall. To make painting ceilings a little easier, attach a long handle extension to your paint roller.

Tip: Turn off the power supply and unscrew any light fittings before painting around the wires.
Step 3: Painting the walls

With a wide brush or roller, fill in the remainder of the wall - a roller gives the best finish and is quicker. Work from the top right-hand corner of the first wall and work in square metre sections.

The number of coats of paint required for each job will depend upon the type and make of paint you buy, and what you are painting over - follow the manufacturer's instructions on the tin for the best results. Some darker colours and patterns will need up to three coats of emulsion to cover. Always leave the paint to dry between coats.

Tip: If you use a brush, apply the paint in up-and-down strokes, then work the paint into the surface with horizontal strokes. Then lightly brush up and down again. If you use a roller, use a short pile for smooth walls and a medium pile for covering textured wallpaper. Evenly cover the roller with paint from the tray and work diagonally in a criss-cross pattern.

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