How to Paint a Room for Beginners Without Calling Painters?

Feeling the urge to paint a room as you want, but worried that your mom might actually call it a walking-paint disaster? Relax, paint warriors!

This guide is your secret weapon to explore colour choices (ditch the “it’ll look dark” veto!), brushwork that won’t resemble a child’s thumbprint masterpiece, and achieving that ‘pro’ tag from one and all!

Let’s turn your room into a haven that screams, “Look, Ma, I did this!” (Okay, maybe avoid actual spills, though). Ready to paint a room? Let’s dive in!

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What You Need to Paint a Room Professionally?

When you want to paint a room, you have to have more than just paint and a brush. You’ll also need some cleaning stuff, sanding tools, priming gear, and safety equipment. Here’s a complete list you can follow:

An Easy Step-by-Step Guide on How to Paint a Room for Beginners

Now that you’ve got all the tools and equipment I asked for, let’s dive into learning some simple tricks on how to paint a room yourself! Believe me, it’s way easier than you think (and cheaper too) !

1. Fix the Paint Colour to Paint a Room! 

So I got this email from one of my subscribers, Rahul from Mumbai, and he was totally freaking out about choosing paint shades. He was like, “There are like a trillion shades out there, how am I supposed to pick one?” And honestly, I feel him! 

There are so many options from Asian, Dulux, Berger, and Nerolac. But don’t worry, I’ve got your back. 

I’ve gathered some tips from the experts that will make sorting through all those shades a piece of cake. Check them out:

• Consider the Paint LRV: Use a high LRV (lighter) colour if you have a small, cramped room and a low LRV (darker) colour if you want to anchor on a large, bright room.
• Pick a neutral colour that matches your existing furniture frames and make a cool accent wall with a vibrant pop colour like fuchsia, teal, yellow, or something like that.
• Grab a couple of colour swatches from your nearby paint store and stamp them on the wall to get an idea
• Ask your architect or designer to create a sample 3d model with your chosen colours before the final application
• Draw some inspiration from social media platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, etc. You can also check out our dedicated article on ‘30+ two-colour combos’ to help you finalize some trending combos!’

Quick Tip: Always use the 60-30-10 rule when fixing a paint colour for your walls. Basically, use 60% of a neutral, primary colour, 30% of a secondary neutral colour, and 10% of a fun accent colour like teal, fuchsia, or orange.

2. Finalize the Paint Finish to Paint a Room

Choosing the paint finish is really easy if you’ve picked out the paint colour on your own. I mean, there are only five options to choose from, and it all depends on your wall’s surface, how much traffic it gets, and your maintenance preferences.

Like, if it’s a high traffic area like the kitchen or bathroom, you’ll probably want an easy-to-clean semi-gloss or satin finish.

But if it’s your master bedroom, you can go for a more cosy, flat finish. And if it’s your kid’s room, a glossy paint would be perfect for wiping off all their ink art.

Here’s an easy-to-follow paint finish properties guide to help you choose the right one:

3. Calculate How Much Paint & Primer You Need to Paint a Room! 

Use a paint calculator (Lowe’s or Dulux has a good one) to know how many gallons of paint you’ll need to buy to paint a room. 

But if you prefer doing it yourself, then go on and read the detailed instructions below:

• Find the surface area of the wall by multiplying its length and height.
• Check your paint coverage per gallon (it’s normally between 300 – 400sq. Feet), but do cross-check it once for your brand and paint finish.
• Now, divide the wall area with the paint coverage per gallon. This will give you the amount of paint required for one coat.
• Now, multiply it by the number of coats you wish, say 2 minimum.

As for the primer, just divide the total wall area by 400, give or take. Or you can ask your dealer for the exact primer coverage if you want the exact figures to paint a room.

Quick Tip: Make sure to subtract the surface area of any openings like windows, doors, or louvres before you figure out how much paint you need. And don’t forget to have an extra 2-5% of paint for the trims and touch-ups.

4. Anchor Your Shield as You Paint a Room!

Paint isn’t some kind of gangster or robber that’s going to point a gun at you, but it does have a lot of harmful stuff in it like VOCs, benzene, toluene, and xylene. These can give you headaches, make you dizzy, and even make you feel sick! 

So, it’s always a good idea to protect yourself by wearing masks, gloves, goggles, and aprons. 

And if your house is super old, like over 50 years old or more, it’s probably a good idea to wear a complete face mask or a respirator when you’re scraping off the old paint. You never know if those old walls might have lead paints on them!

Quick Tip: Always keep your doors and windows open for proper ventilation when you paint a room.

5. Prep Your Walls to Paint a Room! 

“Prepping the wall is like scrubbing your face and applying foundation, it removes all that accumulated dirt, grease and oil like anything else.” says Balwant, our firm’s painter. And we obviously can’t agree more! 

Prepping is like cleaning the walls with a gentle cleaner, using small circular motions, and then fixing any bumps or holes to create a smooth surface. But is that all there is to it? Let’s find out!

• Prepare a dilute, 2:1 solution of warm water and a degreaser or regular soap to scrub off all the grease and stains from your walls.
• Once dry, use slack or a joint compound to fill in any holes, cracks or gaps in your wall with a putty knife. You can also use mould resistant primers if you notice any water leaks or damp corners.
• Now, sand them the same using 100–200 grit sandpaper and remove off all the flaking or chipping paint.
• Cover all your furniture, roll-up rugs add a plastic sheeting or rosin paper all over them. You can also relocate your furniture to another room if it has some fancy upholstery or metallic accents that cannot be washed.
• Finally, apply the primer and allow it to dry for 2–3 hours or as per the manufacturer’s instructions before proceeding.

6. Tape em’ Up!

So, you’re wondering how a regular DIY painter can get those perfect strokes and sharp edges right away? Relax, we don’t expect you to be a pro (maybe your grandma does, though)!

But guess what? It’s actually super easy to achieve clean, beautifully painted walls! All you have to do is stick some painter’s tape all around the edges and peel it off when you’re done. 

You can also use masking tape to cover up your switches, buttons, trims, and sockets to avoid any accidental paint mishaps! 

Oh, and don’t forget to throw down an old blanket or bedsheet to protect your floor tiles or carpet from any unwanted paint damage!

Quick Tip: Let the tape sit on the wall for around 30–45 minutes without touching it so it can stick properly.

7. Get, Set, Paint a Room! 

Painting walls isn’t just about dipping a brush in paint and randomly slapping it on the wall. Here’s a step-by-step guide on the fastest way to paint a room:

• Get a regular paint key, putty knife, or even a pen knife to pop open the paint can. Then, grab a paint mixer, a rod, or just any old brush to blend everything nicely. And hey, be extra careful if you’re dealing with oil paint (trust me, it’s a pain to mix that stuff!)
• Now, just like you outline a colouring picture with borders, grab a regular 2-4 inch angled brush to outline the edges of your walls and ceiling.
• After you finish that, grab a paint roller and start painting your ceiling. Just pour some ceiling paint, preferably white, onto a roller tray. Dip the roller in the paint, give it a little squeeze, and then roll it smoothly on the ceiling.
• Do the same thing with the walls: Outline the wall section, the outlets, wires, and wall sockets and then paint the rest with a roller.
• Let the paint dry between coats (usually 2-3 hours), but make sure to read the instructions on your paint can.
• Paint the trims next. Our official painter Balwant suggests grabbing a 2-3 inch wide sash brush and using long, single strokes to get those trims painted nice and even.

8. Clear the Mess!

Painting a room can be such a drag, especially when it comes to cleaning up afterwards! No matter how careful you are, there always seems to be random paint splashes on your furniture or floor. 

So, the first step is to tackle those with some good-quality TSP cleaners. 

Next, clean your brushes with turpentine, warm water, and soap. After that, peel off all the tape from the plugs and sockets. And voilà! Your room just turned a new leaf! 

But that’s not all.  Check out the awesome checklist we have at Archwhispers for before and after painting hacks. You can grab it in PDF format down below:

FAQs

1. Can You Paint Your Ceiling and Walls the Same Day?

Yes, you can obviously paint your walls and ceilings the same day, but make sure to complete the ceiling first, let it dry for 2–3 hours and then moving on to the walls to get a smooth finish. You can also use fast-drying latex paints to speed the process.

2. Does Ceiling Paint Need Primer? 

Ceiling paint doesn’t need a primer compulsorily, but you can use one to improve adhesion, coverage and hide stains.

3. How Many Coats of Primer Do I Need to Paint a Room?

2 coats of primer usually do, but consider 3 coasts for new surfaces or dark paint over light. Also check specific primer instructions for exact recommendations!

4. How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Room?

The average cost to paint a room in India is ₹3,000–4,500, which is inclusive of the paint and finishing cost, and about ₹10 – 30 labour cost to paint a room. However, if your wall needs pre-sealing or other work, the price could go higher.

5. How Long Does It Take to Paint a Room?

It usually takes like 4–6 hours to paint a room, you know, with all the dusting, moving furniture around, priming, painting, and finishing touches.

Conclusion

So there you have it! A fresh coat of paint and a transformed room, all thanks to your DIY skills. Feeling proud? You should be! Now, go forth and conquer your next painting project. Remember, practice makes perfect (and less messy)!

(P.S. Share your before-and-after pics when you paint a room – we love to see your creativity shine!)

You can also hop in to explore over ‘Minimalist Design Ideas,’ and ‘100+ Wall Decoration Ideas’ for inspiration! 

External Resources:

• Know the myths associated with ‘White Paint’ from the National Painting & Decorating Institute
• Know the exact costs to paint your house