Always - Interior painting project

As I was thinking of steps I always perform as a professional painter, I realized the steps are very applicable to a do-it-yourselfer (DIY) and can save time and money.

1 - Always choose quality paint. There are a lot of paints out there, but do not use a cheap contractor's paint ($15 per gallon). You can't go wrong with Sherwin-Williams products, but there are other good quality paints like Behr, Porter, Glidden, Benjamin Moore, and Valspar to name a few.

2 - Always choose quality painting tools. Again, do not choose cheap contractor brushes and roller naps because you will not get the consistency needed once you start applying the paint. Brushes can cost between $10 and $20, but they are worth it and if properly cleaned, can last for years. My favorite roller nap is a 1/2" Colossus made by Purdy and my favorite brush is a 2 1/2 Wooster angled brush.

3 - Always cover all furniture and floors. Cover floors with a good quality canvass tarp and furniture with plastic. You will get splatter when you roll, and any paint on the carpet or furniture that you can't get off will ruin your day. Take the extra time to put down tarps and spend less time cleaning up.

4 - Always sand your walls even if you think they are smooth and clean. THEY ARE NOT!! You can use a pole sander and quickly go over the walls and remove drips, dirt, bumps, and other grime that you do not see. If the walls are in really bad shape, I will use an electric sander with a small vacuum attached.

5 - Always clean your walls after sanding and filling any holes or dents in your walls. You can use a cleaner of your choice, but I use Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) that will get your walls very clean.

6 - Always tape even if you have think you have a steady hand. Tape will prevent splatters and give you a nice crisp look. I tape baseboards, door frames, window frames, cabinets, mantels, and even ceilings if a flat texture. Do not skimp on tape. I use either 3-M blue painters tape or green FrogTape. Do not use cheaper versions of these products. You will either get seepage or it won't stick.

7 - Always apply two coats. The only exception is if you are applying the same color and sheen (flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss.)The second coat will go much faster and you will also use about 60% less paint. If you have an unpainted wall, you can also tint your white primer close to your top coat color so you still only have to put two coats on.

Tools I use every time I paint:
- Canvass tarps and plastic sheets
- Pole sander (to sand from floor and reach high) and sanding blocks
- Spackle (for holes and wall imperfections)
- Caulk (for nail holes, baseboards, and other cracks)
- TSP
- 1/2" roller; roller nap; extension pole, & roller pan (once cut-in, paint from the floor)
- 2 1/2" cut-in brush along with cut-in bucket that holds brush and smaller cut-in roller
- 8' step ladder (most ceilings are 8')
- 2' bench to cut-in ceiling
- FrogTape
- Kneepads(for taping and painting baseboards)
- White rags (for spills and clean-up - do not use wet colored rags)
- Good quality paint
- Screwdrivers, paint can opener, hammer, 10-in-one tool, putty knife, box-cutter, plastic bags

Good luck in your next painting project.