Tools and Tips

The thought of painting a room might be fun, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty, FOMU can rear its head. We’ll let you in to a secret; it’s all about the prep. Choose your paints properly, prep the room, and get your tools in order and you’ll have a perfectly painted room in no time.

Choose your paints
First things first, consider the surface you’re painting. Is it inside or outside? New or old? This will have an effect on the paint you choose. In most cases a primer is an important part of your paint journey. They provide a protective barrier to help paint glide on easily, and with fewer coats. A primer and paint combo, such as British Paints Paint & Prime, will save you time and money and is suitable on most interior surfaces. It’s a good idea to use a specially formulated paint that protects against mould for wet areas such as kitchens, bathrooms or laundries. Choose a special ceiling paint to give a flat finish and to cover any imperfections. Lastly, choose a hard-wearing gloss paint for woodwork such as doors and window frames, to protect them and leave them looking smooth and polished. 

Water or enamel based?
It depends what you’re using it for. Water-based enamel paints are low-odour, have short re-coat times and resist yellowing.  Oil-based enamel paints are harder wearing and keep a higher level of gloss, giving you more time to work the paint on the wood or the wall. You can apply a water-based enamel paint over an old oil-based enamel – just make sure you sand the walls back properly first, then give it a prep coat of British Paints PREP 4 in 1 Oil Based. 

Amount of paint
Get the amount of paint you need wrong and it can either be seriously expensive, or seriously annoying if you run out half-way through the job. The key? Measuring your room, and taking into account doors, windows, ceilings, and trims. British Paint’s Paint Calculator can help you work out exactly what paint you’ll need to finish your space properly.

Prep the room 
Prepping properly might feel laborious, but it’s a serious time-saver. When walls are smooth and clean, you’ll need less paint, and it will look better when it’s dry. First things first, clear the room, or at least move everything away from the walls and cover them. Make sure the floor is fully covered, and put masking tape around switches, trims, windows, and anything else that you don’t want to paint over. Remove any old flaking paint with a scraper, wash the walls with sugar soap, and fill any gaps or uneven surfaces with filler. Once the walls are clean and dry, you’re ready to go! 

Prep the roller 
The right tools will make a big difference to the finish of the paint.  A roller, paint tray, and tin foil to cover your paint when you’re taking a break, are all essential tools to start with. Don’t move too fast though; before you start, wash your roller in warm water to remove dirt or fluff giving you a super smooth paint finish. Then, pour the paint in to the deepest part of the paint tray. Dip your roller in to the tray, and give it a few rolls until it’s properly soaked with paint. Then lightly roll it over the ribbed part of the tray to get rid of excess paint before you start painting. 

Perfectly prepped, and ready to paint.