Preparation
Remove small items such as chairs, area rugs, and side tables from the room.
Lay thedrop clothby the area you intend to paint.
Cover all other items with sheet plastic.
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Secure the plastic with painter’s tape.Washandprimeyour walls before painting.
Before opening the paint, turn off the forced heat or air conditioning in the room.
If possible, keep the forced heat or air conditioning off until the painted wall is dry.
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Figure out exactly how much you’ll need with the help ofThe Spruce’s paint calculator.
Instead, you will need to edge the paint ahead of rolling.
One method is to use apaint edger: a small tool meant just forpainting along an edge.
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Another method is to runpainter’s tapealong the surface that will not be painted.
Paint goes on the adjacent surface only, with the tape protecting the other surface from paint.
Tip
Interior latex paint washes off your hands easily with water.
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Sometimes it takes a bit of scrubbing under the nails to release the paint.
Fresh paintapplied with a roller or brush generally does not need to bethinned.
Avoid pouring fast, as this can create bubbles.
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Add the Bucket Screen
Hook the bucket screen over the lip of the paint bucket.
Load the Roller Cover With Paint
Slide the roller cover onto the roller frame.
Immerse the roller cover into the paint bucket.
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Let the roller cover fully soak up paint.
Move it to the top of the bucket screen and roll gently downward several times.
If you have a high wall or you’re painting the ceiling, opt for an extension pole.
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Remain within local areas of about 4 feet by 4 feet.
Move the roller in an up-and-down W-pattern.
Always keep working off of an adjacent wet edge to blend the edges and to avoid creating lines.
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Roll slowly to avoid this.
Dip the roller part way into the paint, but don’t fully immerse it when reloading.
You must return to the area soon after that first coat has been laid.
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Roll a Second Coat
After the paint has fully dried, lay down a second coat.
Two or more coats of paint will deepen the color and make the paint more durable.
Roller covers can be difficult to clean.
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Clean the Work Area
After the paint has completely dried,remove the painter’s tape.
Carefully remove the plastic sheeting and drop cloth (watch for spills).
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The Spruce / Margot Cavin
The Spruce / Margot Cavin
