Painting Walls

Painting Walls

Painting a wall shouldn't tire you as quickly as painting a ceiling because you're working more at shoulder level (if you stand on a platform) or just slightly above, with a roller and extension handle.

The procedure for painting walls follows the same general principles as painting a ceiling -- cutting in the edges with a brush, then filling in the balance with a roller.

Because the surface texture of brushed paint looks different than rolled paint, try to get the roller as close to the edge as possible to minimize what will be a noticeable difference.

Painting a wall (or ceiling for that matter) is a task made to order for two people, one with a brush, cutting in the corners in sections, and the other following with a roller and filling in. That way, tandem painters will eliminate any lap marks caused by applying rolled paint to an edge that's already dried.

A brush is the common tool for cutting in, but you may find using a paint pad easier. Paint pads leave a thicker coat of paint, so be careful the paint is not overly thick as it comes off the edge of the pad.

Prestart Checklist

Time
From 4 to 8 hours for a 10x12-foot room, depending on your experience and skill

Tools
Brushes, rollers, extension handle, ladder, paint buckets

Skills
Using brushes and rollers

Prep
Prep and prime surface as necessary

Materials
Paint

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What If... Humidity is too low?

When you're painting inside your house, you don't have to worry about rain pouring down your newly painted surface. You should, however, be mindful of the inside temperature and humidity. Interior paint goes on more easily and dries more uniformly in moderate temperatures and average humidities. Ask your supplier for the interior temperature and humidity ranges most suitable for your paint. You may need to adjust the thermostat, open windows, or add an exhaust fan to control the temperature. If the air is heavy with moisture (often the case when it's raining outside), you may be able to reduce the humidity by turning on the air-conditioning to a low level or bringing a dehumidifier into the room. To raise the humidity in a dry room, run a humidifier.

Step 1

If you're painting the wall the same color as the ceiling, you don't need to mask off the ceiling. Different colors on the two surfaces, however, require you to mask the edge of the ceiling with 2-inch painter's tape. Make sure the ceiling paint is completely cured before masking it. Otherwise you risk pulling the ceiling paint off if it's too fresh. Starting in a corner (usually, but not always along the bottom of the wall) and using a 3-inch brush, cut in a band of paint about 2 inches wide, extending it 3 to 4 feet horizontally and vertically.

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Step 2

Using the same technique, cut in any window or door on the wall that is close to your first cut-in area, masking the trim and cutting in the paint around it.

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Let the paint dry

How much time you need to allow for latex paint to dry and properly cure depends on what you intend to do with it after it's applied. While paint may be truly dry to touch in minutes, you'll have to wait different lengths of time before recoating, cleaning, or masking.

Recoat time:
Generally you'll need to wait at least 2 hours before applying the next coat of paint. You may need to wait even longer if:

-- Conditions, such as high humidity or low temperatures, slow down the drying process.
-- You've applied the paint in a thick coat.
-- You've applied a heavily tinted paint (one with more than 8 ounces of colorant per gallon).

Any of the following conditions will tell you the paint needs to dry longer before recoating:

-- Blistering, wrinkling, or lifting
-- Uneven sheen

Time before cleaning
Normally you should wait 2 weeks or longer before cleaning the surface. Some manufacturers recommend 30 days, and the wait time is influenced by a number of factors:

-- Gloss paints have more co-solvent to evaporate and rely on getting maximum hardness from the binder, so they require longer drying than flat paints.
-- Cleaning with a wet sponge is less demanding than with a brush and detergent.

If your paint abrades, blisters, or changes its sheen or color when you try to clean it, you'll need to wait longer.

Masking
Allow 30 days before applying masking tape to new paint to prevent the tape from pulling up the paint. This extended dry time allows residual co-solvents time to evaporate so they won't bond to the tape adhesive.

Step 3

Starting at the cut-in window or door or the cut-in edge of the wall, roll the paint into the area between them, always painting to a wet edge.

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Step 4

Once you've filled in the area, finish it with light vertical strokes to smooth the paint and remove roller marks. Alternate between cutting in and rolling until you've completed a wall. Don't take breaks or start a new can in the middle of a wall -- you'll create a noticeable lap mark.

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