How to Paint a Wall

     Ceilings, walls then trim.  This is always the order to paint a room.  This article is dedicated to walls so we will assume you have already painted your ceiling following the steps in our section entitled How to Paint a Ceiling.

     Once you have prepared the wall for painting and taped the area off the first step will be to install a primer on your walls.  Be sure to select a primer that is appropriate for the type of paint you are applying.  NOTE:  It is extremely important you do not skip this step as the majority of homeowners do.  A foundation of primer will not only assist in hiding the old paint color, but provides the new paint with a surface to grab onto.  The following steps are to be followed for both the primer and paint coats:

1. Only work in sections large enough so paint remains wet during coverage.  It is recommended to work with areas no larger than 2' wide by about 4' high.
2. First, utilize a chisel trim brush to cut in the primer or paint at the ceiling edge where the walls meet and around any trim.  Pull the paint from any of these edges out onto the wall about 3"-4", enough to roll over in the next steps.
3. Once you have loaded your roller, see Loading Your Roller or Brush, prior to applying paint to the wall.
4. One item to keep in mind is to never apply heavy pressure on the roller when painting.  If you purchased a high quality roller cover and have loaded it properly the roller and paint will  do all of the work.  Simply apply a moderate amount of pressure to ensure the paint will transfer from the roller to the wall surface.  By limiting the amount of pressure you will also eliminate paint lines formed by the edge of the roller.
5. Never start painting close to any of the walls or ceilings as there will be too much paint on the roller to smooth out properly.  Begin about 2' from the wall and begin making a "W" with the roller moving toward the wall and overlap the paint you pulled from edging.  Once you have completed the W continue to fill in the remaining parts of the "W".  If you loaded your roller properly there should be enough paint on the roller to completely cover this 2x4 area.
6. Reload your roller and move to the next section either beside or under the currently painted one.  Always paint my moving from 2' out from the last painted area and into the  currently painted area to ensure you are blending or overlapping new wet paint into the last wet area painted.
7. Once the areas are joined lightly roll the entire area to blend it together.
8. Continue with the method on each wall until completed.