Usually, you can get away with one coat of primer. Watch: These 6 Tips Will Make Painting (and Cleanup) So Much EasierĬlaim your home to stay up-to-date of your home‘s value and equity. No matter how many coats paint you slather on, you will have problems with bubbling paint if you don’t do this scuffing beforehand. You don’t have to sand until it’s smooth, but give everything a good “scuff.” Roughing up the surface gives the new paint something to adhere well to. Next, you’ll need to sand the surface of anything you are going to paint. And, of course, use dropcloths to protect the floor. Run painter’s tape along the edges where the wall meets the ceiling or the baseboards. Unless you’re an experienced painter, you’ll want to use painter’s tape to protect the surfaces you don’t want to paint. Prep the surface wellįirst, you’ll want to clean the walls-the cleaner they are, the smoother the paint job. “These days it works just as well as oil-based paint, and it’s safer for the environment,” he says.

Alex Kolsum of Eric Kolsum Painting in Minneapolis, MN, recommends acrylic-based paint.

Higher-end products tend to deliver smoother, thicker paint coats than their cheaper counterparts, which can have spottier coverage.įinally, look for the best primer to cover dark paint and the best paint to cover dark walls.

If your walls are dark but smooth, opt for a thinner nap or a foam roller. It’ll give smooth coverage (and is usually ideal for indoor walls).

The rougher the surface, the thicker your roller should be-thicker naps are designed to hold more paint in order to fill the crevices of bumpy surfaces. Start by selecting a roller with the right nap, or thickness, for your project. An investment in the right supplies will make for a (literally!) smoother process throughout. To save on time and sanity, you’re going to need more than an old roller and a paintbrush.

Do dark colors dry lighter or darker