Painting Living Rooms and Bedrooms

What are the customers needs for an interior paint? Customers' number one need from an interior paint project is an attractive finished appearance. Customers would also like to be able to wash and scrub the paint. However, in non-traffic areas of the home, such as living rooms and adult bedrooms, an attractive finished appearance is wanted most. Customers want a clean feel to the room that only a fresh coat of paint can provide and they want the most current colors available. What can we do to ensure the customers can get the quality finished appearance they want with a color they will like?

Interior paint jobs are among the simplest of the painting tasks. Here is a list of steps:
Prep the surface
Fix any particularly challenging spots
Prime if necessary
Determine the amount
Apply the paint!

Prep the Surface! Always clean and prepare the surface you are about to paint! Repair cracks and nail holes by filling in w/spackling compound Previously painted walls w/glossy spots should be lightly sanded Once these are done, clean and dry the surface. Be sure you wash the walls from the bottom up to prevent streaking. Allow drying before painting. Back to Top

Any particular challenges?
You should try to remove all old wallpaper and paneling. If that cannot be done:

• Both need to be cleaned with a strong cleanser
• Repair any cracks or rips on those surfaces
• Prime with stainkilling interior primers, oil or latex.

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When do we use a primer? You should always use an interior primers when: New or bare surface Stains on the surface Making a major color change Don't know when last painted Want years of durability and scrubbability Back to Top

How much paint do you need?
Simple math:

• Measure each wall: length x height
• Add all walls
• Add ceiling if ceiling is painted in same color
• Divide by spread rate (normally 350 - 400 sq. ft.)
• Always round up to the nearest gallon.

How should paint be applied to the rooms? Follow this suggested order: ceilings walls windows doors and other trim baseboards When rolling the paint on the walls, be sure to work in small 2'x 2' areas. Don't over-roll the paint! The number one cause of paint not covering properly is that not enough paint has been applied to the surface. Back to Top