In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to paint walls like a pro. You’ll save tons of money by doing it yourself and you’ll still get great results, just like the professionals.
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosure.
Note: I am not a professional painter. I have painted our current and former houses several times though. I learned to paint when I was really young from my dad, who used to own a cabinetry business and is great at all things DIY.
Like videos? Watch me paint & give you tips in my Instagram stories.
Have you ever got a quote from professional painters to paint your home? I haven’t, but I have friends who have gotten quotes and I’m always astounded at the cost of getting professional painters. I’m definitely not against professional painters, and I plan on using the pros when I get older and don’t want to bother with DIY.
However, at this point in my life, I’m all about doing it myself – especially painting. You can save so much money by buying a gallon or two of paint and a few paint supplies and getting to work.
You’d think I’d be used to it by now considering all the paint projects I’ve done, but each and every time I paint a room, I’m amazed at the transformation!
You can completely transform your home with just a little bit of paint.
The other great news about paint is that it can be done relatively quickly, so you get that quick satisfaction that I know a lot of us crave!
PROS TO PAINTING YOURSELF:
- you save a ton of money over paying for professionals to do it, since a gallon of paint is usually around just $30
- once you buy all your paint supplies (which aren’t too expensive), you can use those over and over for paint projects, giving you a lot of bang for your buck
- it doesn’t take that long to do yourself (depending on the size of the room or project)
- you get dramatic transformations fast
CONS TO PAINTING YOURSELF:
- it takes time and practice
- it can be frustrating when you’re just learning (that’s why you should read all of this tutorial first, if you’re a beginner!!)
Now that you know the pros and cons of painting your walls yourself, here is everything you need to know to get your paint project done right.
PAINT SUPPLIES I LOVE
The first step in painting is making sure you have all your supplies. There are so many options, which I know can be overwhelming. This guide will give you a clear direction.
I typically buy all my paint supplies at Home Depot. I’ve always had great success using their paint and paint supplies. Sometimes though, if I’m at Lowe’s, I will grab something from them too.
GOOD PAINT SUPPLIES FOR COMPLETE BEGINNERS:
Paint tray kit – If you are a complete beginner and have no painting supplies, you can grab a paint tray kit which will provide you with most of the items you’ll need. You’ll also want to get an extension pole if you have tall walls (more on that below).
OR, IF YOU WANT TO GET THE BETTER PAINT SUPPLIES (WHICH I RECOMMEND IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO PAINT A LOT):
Angle brush – When you’re shopping for a paint brush for wall projects, it is so important to get an angle brush. Angle brushes help you cut into corners and along the perimeter of the wall.
Handy paint pail – I swear by this paint pail! It’s so cheap and I use it all the time when I’m doing projects. It’s so light weight and you can easily hold it in one hand and use your other hand to paint. All you do is pour some paint into the pail and then hold the pail while you’re doing your project. It beats trying to hold a gallon of paint or going back and forth to get more paint from the gallon every time you need more paint on your brush. Best of all, it has a magnet near the top so it’ll hold your paint brush in place if you’re taking a break. Genius!!
Paint roller tray with plastic liner– You can use a plastic or metal roller tray and then add a plastic liner. You don’t need to add a liner, but it makes clean up so much easier because you can simply throw away the liner when the paint dries on it. For your next paint job, you can use a new liner.
Roller frame – This is the one I have and it works great. You can use it by itself or screw an extension pole into it.
Paint roller covers – This is a great deal for a three pack and works with all paints and sheens.
Extension pole – One thing that’s not included in the kit I mention above for beginners is an extension pole. This will screw into your paint roller frame, making it way easier to paint a tall wall. You can buy an extension pole at various extensions, so make sure to buy one long enough to reach your walls. This is especially important if you have really tall walls and will need help reaching the top. I also like using extension poles when I’m painting in general because they make the job so much easier.
Ladder – If you have tall walls, you’ll want a ladder so you can do the brush work (cutting into the edges at the top). If you have typical 8 ft ceilings, you’ll probably be OK using an old chair to climb on and reach the wall edges. If you have tall ceilings and have a typical 6 ft ladder, that will work fine. I particularly like ladders made for painting though, since they have a space you put your paint can on. My dad has a ladder like this, and I love using it because it makes the project so much easier.
Drop cloth – Make it easy on yourself and use a drop cloth when painting. It will catch all your paint splatters and spills. You can use an old blanket or sheet but sometimes paint will seep through those items and still get on your floors. Drop cloths are made specifically for this purpose!
Spackling paste & putty knife – Don’t let these tools intimidate you! These are simply for filling holes in your wall before you paint. If you have small holes, from picture frame hanging for example, just scrape a little paste over the hole with a putty knife and let it dry. When it’s dry, you’ll use a sanding sponge to make sure it’s nice and smooth.
Sanding sponge – After you use spackling paste in your wall holes and it dries, simply use a sanding sponge to sand the surface so it’s nice and smooth and blends well with the rest of your wall.
Painter’s tape – I do not use painter’s tape when I paint because I prefer to cut in on edges. Once you learn how to do it and get the hang of it, you won’t need to buy painter’s tape for everyday wall painting projects. If you want to buy painter’s tape, I’ve used this one and had success. There’s more below about how to cut into edges with a brush without tape!
HOW TO SELECT PAINT & SHEEN:
The last of the paint supplies that you’ll need is your paint! Selecting the right paint to use is half the battle!
I typically use Behr Paint from Home Depot because it always gives me a beautiful end result.
If you’re painting your walls white, and you want a bright white, I really love Behr’s ultra pure white. You can actually buy this already mixed. Home Depot sits out Behr Paint on the shelves that you can grab. Some are just paint base’s and need a color applied to them. Some though are already mixed and they will say ultra pure white on the can.
If you buy ultra pure white, have the person at the paint counter shake it for you using their machine. You can definitely use a mixing stick, but having it freshly shaken is always a good idea. You don’t know how long that paint has been sitting there.
BASEBOARDS & TRIM
I always use Behr’s ultra pure white, in a high gloss sheen, on my baseboards, trim, and crown molding. It’s easy to remember for me and I like to keep everything in my home similar, so that’s what I always use.
When you’re painting baseboards, trim, crown molding, etc. it’s a good idea for it to be either high gloss or semi-gloss so you can easily wipe it down when it gets dirty.
PAINT ON WALLS
I recently used Behr’s ultra pure white in the sheen satin (I would’ve used the sheen eggshell but they didn’t have any at the time) in my upstairs hallway to brighten up the space. I get no natural light in that space, so using ultra pure white makes the space much nicer.
I recommend using ultra pure white on walls in areas that are really dark that you want to brighten up. Just look at this before and after:
Before:
(I had Behr Paint in Park Avenue, which was way to dark for the upstairs hallway)
After:
This is after I painted the trim/baseboards/doors/walls in Behr’s ultra pure white.
I typically use either eggshell or satin sheens when I’m painting walls. The best way to think of it is, is it a room that has water in it or not? If it has water, like a bathroom or kitchen, I will use satin. If the room doesn’t have water in it, such as a living room or bedroom, I will use eggshell.
Here’s a rundown on selecting sheens, from lowest glossiness to highest glossiness:
Flat – for ceilings, not glossy
Matte – for low traffic areas, like a bedroom
Eggshell – good all around paint for general living spaces. I use eggshell for most dry rooms in my home.
Satin – good for higher traffic areas. I used satin in my hallway though eggshell would work too. This is good for mudrooms and could be used in a kitchen/bath area.
Semi-gloss – pretty glossy. You can use on walls in wet rooms or on trim/cabinets.
High-gloss – the glossiest sheen. I use this on my baseboards, interior doors, and trim. It makes it easy to wipe down hand prints/paw prints/dirt etc. You could use semi-gloss if you don’t like the look of super glossy.
If you don’t know which paint to select for your walls, I suggest asking the folks in the paint department at your local Home Depot. Just tell them the area you’re painting and they’ll be able to help you select the right sheen for your paint.
Tip – Make sure you know everything about your paint (color, sheen, which type of paint you get in case you need to get more later.) It helps to make a running list of paint colors/sheens in your home if you ever need to do a quick touch up. And label your cans so you know which rooms they go to when you’re done your project.
choosing a paint color
Choosing the right paint color can be tricky. It’s a good idea to grab the free sample color swatches and put them up on your wall. I like to tape a bunch up on my wall and then assess the color as it looks throughout the day, during the brightest and darkest times. That way, you can see how the color changes on your wall as different light hits it.
I know it can still be tough to find the right color with such a small color swatch. Sometimes it just takes painting your wall to see if you like it. I know that’s tough to hear, but it is just paint and if you completely hate the color you choose, you can always repaint it.
Favorite paint colors in my home
Living room: Cotten Grey by Behr Paint (see below)
Dining room: Parkway Avenue by Behr Paint (see below. It’s much darker than Cotten grey)
Mudroom/Office: Dark gray feature walls are Intellectual by Behr Paint (see mudroom below)
HOW TO PREP YOUR WALLS
Before you begin painting your walls, it’s important that you prep your walls so you get a nice, smooth and beautiful result when you’re done.
STEP 1: Fill in holes in your wall with spackling paste. Use a putty knife to scrape it into the holes and smooth it over the wall. Let dry.
STEP 2: Use a sanding sponge to sand over the spackle so that the surface is nice and smooth. Also, quickly sand over any other areas that may not be smooth.
STEP 3: Vacuum the floor where your wall meets the floor. You don’t want any spider webs or debris getting in your painted walls.
STEP 4: Wipe your walls down with a rag and water. Let dry.
STEP 5: Remove outlet covers and switch plates with a small, flat head screw driver.
HOW TO PAINT WALLS
Now that you have your supplies and your walls are prepped, you’re ready to go!
Watch my Instagram stories for some painting tips!
STEP 1: Lay down your drop cloth and get all your paint supplies out.
PSTTTT. Make sure you’re wearing old clothes. I have a pair of paints and shirt I always use when I paint. They will get paint on them!!!
STEP 2: Use your paint brush to paint your baseboards/trim/crown molding first, before you paint your walls. I always use Behr paint from Home Depot in the color ultra pure white in the sheen high gloss. You may need to do two coats depending on what color you’re covering up. If they’re already white and you’re refreshing them, one coat should do. If you need to do two coats, make sure you let the first coat completely dry before starting the second coat.
STEP 3: Paint the edges of your wall using an angle brush in the color paint you selected.
Watch the video below to see how I paint the edge.
STEP 4: Use your roller (the roller cover, roller frame and extension pole, if desired) to paint your wall. Do one coat. Do not keep going over it if the color does not cover completely. Let dry.
STEP 5: You’ll most likely need to do a second coat with your brush and roller, depending on the paint color you’re using and the color you’re covering. Start by going over the edges again with your brush and then rolling the paint again. Let dry.
STEP 6: Touch up any area that isn’t fully covered. If you need to do a third coat, do it. Just make sure you’re letting your paint dry completely between coats.
Painting Tips
- If you can’t finish your painting job all in one day, you can easily keep your paint brush and roller wrapped up in a plastic bag or plastic wrap with wet paint still on it. They should keep for a couple days as long as they are wrapped tightly and zipped up.
- When you’re completely done your project, wash out your paint roller and paint brush with water until no more paint comes out if it. Then let them dry and put away for future use. You should be able to use your brushes and rollers for a long time, though typically rollers are replaced more often than brushes.
- If you have a lot of painting to do, attach an extension pole (see more about this under supplies above) to your roller frame. It makes it so much easier to paint and it’s good for painting walls in general, not just reaching heights.
- Whatever you do, don’t mess with wet paint on your wall if it doesn’t cover over your old color. Let it dry before painting another layer. If you keep layering paint over wet paint, your end result will look terrible and not be smooth.
- If you have small nooks and crannies to paint, get a tiny brush! I have a pack from Michael’s like this that I use all the time. It takes patience to get in small areas but if you’re careful and use a tiny brush, you can do it!
- Keep a wet rag or wet paper towel (or several) with you as you paint your walls. If anything drips, say, on your freshly painted baseboard, you can quickly wipe it up with your rag or paper towel before it dries.
- If you get paint on your wood floor, you can wipe it up right away with a rag. If you miss it and it dries, you can take a small flat head screwdriver and softly push up the dried paint. I also use my finger nail to scratch up dried paint. Just be careful, as you don’t want to scratch your floors.
- If you’re painting a small wall or interior door, use a small roller. You can get a few different sizes at Home Depot.
Good luck with your painting project!
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