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How to Paint a Room
Painting a room yourself runs about $80-150 in materials vs $400 for a pro on a typical bedroom — and the equipment lasts for years. This walkthrough covers picking the right paint type and sheen, calculating how much to buy, prepping the walls so the new coat sticks, and cutting in + rolling for a finish that doesn't show roller marks. Plan a full Saturday (~6 hours) for a bedroom; bigger rooms scale up.
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0 of 10 steps completedStep-by-Step Instructions
1 Step 1: Pick a wall paint
Step 1: Pick a wall paint
One gallon covers about 350 sq ft per coat. A typical 12×12 bedroom with 8' ceilings is ~400 sq ft of wall — one gallon per coat, two gallons total. Premium paints cover better and resist scuffs; budget paints often need three coats which erases the savings.
Behr Premium Plus Eggshell, 1 gal
Home Depot exclusive. Solid mid-tier — good coverage in 2 coats, excellent value. ~$32-38 per gallon.
Behr Marquee one-coat paint and primer, 1 gal
Behr's one-coat line — costs more but cuts the second coat for similar-color repaints. ~$48-55.
Sherwin-Williams Emerald, 1 gal
Premium pro-grade. Low-VOC, lifetime warranty, exceptional coverage and washability. The 'forever' paint. ~$75-85.
Benjamin Moore Regal Select, 1 gal
Pro contractor standard. Excellent leveling (no roller marks) and color depth. Sold at independent paint stores, not big-box. ~$60-70.
Valspar Reserve, 1 gal
Lowe's exclusive. Lifetime warranty, scrubbable. Best big-box value if Behr isn't your style. ~$38-45.
2 Step 2: Pick the right finish (sheen)
Step 2: Pick the right finish (sheen)
Sheen is independent of brand — every line above ships in flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and gloss. The trade-off: glossier = more washable but shows every wall imperfection.
Flat / matte (hide imperfections)
Best for ceilings and low-traffic walls. Hides drywall flaws but can't be wiped clean — scuffs show.
Eggshell (general-purpose)
The default for bedrooms, living rooms, hallways. Slight sheen, takes a damp wipe. The 'right answer' if unsure.
Satin (bathrooms, kitchens, kids' rooms)
More wipeable than eggshell, slightly more glow. Best for moist or sticky-fingerprint rooms.
Semi-gloss (trim, doors, high-moisture)
Traditional trim sheen. Holds up to scrubbing but reveals every brush stroke if you don't sand between coats.
3 Step 3: Buy a primer (or use self-priming paint)
Step 3: Buy a primer (or use self-priming paint)
Primer is essential when painting over bare drywall patches, oil-based old paint, dark colors going lighter, or stained surfaces. Self-priming paints (Behr Marquee, SW Emerald) skip this step in similar-color repaints — saves a coat of work.
Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3, 1 gal
Water-based universal primer. Sticks to gloss, slick surfaces, even some plastics without sanding. The 'one primer' if you only buy one. ~$22-28.
Kilz Original oil-based primer, 1 gal
Best stain blocker — water rings, smoke damage, pet stains, magic marker. Oil-based, so clean brushes with mineral spirits. ~$28-32.
Self-priming paint (skip this step)
If you bought Behr Marquee, SW Emerald, or BM Regal Select for a same-color repaint, primer isn't required. Save the time and money.
4 Step 4: Get drop cloths
Step 4: Get drop cloths
Drips happen. Canvas drops are reusable and don't slip — buy once, use forever. Plastic is fine for a one-time job but slick underfoot.
Trimaco SuperTuff canvas drop cloth, 9×12 ft
Heavyweight canvas, oil-and-paint absorbent, doesn't slip on hardwood. Lasts decades. ~$22-28.
Plastic drop cloths, 9×12 ft, 3-pack
Cheap, single-use. Slippery on hard floors but fine over carpet or furniture. ~$5-8 for 3.
Old sheets or flattened cardboard
Free if you have them. Cardboard especially good under the trim line where most drips happen.
5 Step 5: Get painter's tape
Step 5: Get painter's tape
Tape the edges where one color meets another (wall-to-ceiling, wall-to-trim, around outlets). Apply only to dry, dust-free surfaces. Pull at a 45° angle while paint is still slightly tacky for the cleanest edge.
FrogTape Multi-Surface, 1.88" × 60 yd
Has 'PaintBlock' polymer that seals microscopically against bleed-through — cleanest lines of any tape. ~$8-10 per roll.
3M ScotchBlue Original 2090, 1.88" × 60 yd
The industry default. Cleans up well, leaves zero residue if pulled within the rated time. ~$7-9.
Generic blue painter's tape
Budget. Acceptable for trim where you'll touch up anyway. Skip for color blocks where you want crisp lines. ~$3-5.
6 Step 6: Get rollers, brushes, and a tray
Step 6: Get rollers, brushes, and a tray
Cheap rollers shed fibers into the wet paint — small bumps show up under the lights. Mid-tier rollers and a good brush set last 5+ rooms with rinse-and-reuse care.
Purdy 9" roller frame + 3/8" nap covers, 3-pack
The pro standard. Frame lasts forever, covers are 3/8" nap (right for smooth-finish drywall). ~$28-35.
Wooster Pro 9" roller frame + Sherlock cover
Wooster's pro line. Stainless cage doesn't rust, releases paint smoothly without flooding. ~$18-25.
Purdy XL 2" angled sash brush
Synthetic-filament angled brush for cutting in along trim, ceilings, corners. Pairs with any roller. The single most important brush to buy quality. ~$14-18.
Paint tray + 5 disposable liners
Skip washing the tray — drop in a liner, paint, peel out, toss. Buy the metal tray once, restock liners. ~$10-14.
Telescoping extension pole, 3-6 ft
Reaches ceilings and 10'+ walls without a ladder dance. Threads onto any standard roller frame. ~$14-18.
7 Step 7: Prep the room
Step 7: Prep the room
Skipping prep is the #1 cause of DIY paint jobs that look amateur. Allow 60-90 minutes for a bedroom. The order matters: clear, patch, sand, clean, then mask.
Push furniture to the center, cover with plastic
Faster than carrying it out. Center should be ~3 ft from any wall so you can roll with the extension pole without hitting drapery.
Patch holes with lightweight spackle
DAP DryDex pink-going-white spackle tells you when it's dry. Smooth on with a putty knife, let it dry, sand flush. Apply primer over the patched spot before painting.
Remove outlet plates, switch plates, vent covers
Faster than cutting around them, and the painted wall ends UNDER the plate edge — looks pro. Drop the screws into the plates so they don't roll away.
Wipe walls with a damp microfiber cloth
Removes dust, cobwebs, and finger oils so paint adheres evenly. For kitchens, use TSP cleaner first to cut grease.
8 Step 8: Cut in the edges with a brush
Step 8: Cut in the edges with a brush
Before rolling, paint a 2-3 inch border along the ceiling line, baseboards, trim, and around windows/doors with the angled sash brush. This 'cuts in' the edges so the roller doesn't bang into trim. Keep a wet edge — work in sections small enough that the cut-in is still wet when you roll over it.
Cut in one wall at a time (recommended)
Paint the brush border on one wall, then immediately roll that wall. The cut-in and roll blend together with no visible 'picture frame' effect.
Cut in the whole room first
Faster mechanically but cut-in dries before you roll over it, leaving a visible 'frame' around each wall in raking light. Skip unless you're a fast painter.
9 Step 9: Roll the walls in W or M patterns
Step 9: Roll the walls in W or M patterns
Load the roller in the tray (one dip, roll out excess on the ramped section). On the wall, roll an upside-down W or M about 3 ft wide. Then roll over the W with even up-and-down strokes to fill it in and blend. Apply LIGHT pressure — let the roller do the work; pressing splatters and leaves tracks. Two thin coats always beats one thick coat.
Warning: Don't roll over wet cut-in lines with a fully-loaded roller — it'll splatter the trim. Roll out the heavy load on the wall body first, then feather the edges.
2 coats, 2-4 hour dry time between
Standard. Most paints recoat at 2 hours dry. Touch a tape-removed corner with your knuckle — if it's not tacky, you can recoat.
1 coat with Behr Marquee or SW Emerald
If you bought a one-coat paint and you're painting same color over same color, one coat may genuinely suffice. Backlight the wall to check for thin spots before tape removal.
3 coats for big color changes
Going from dark to light (or red to white) almost always needs three coats over primer. Plan a full Saturday + Sunday morning.
10 Step 10: Clean up and pull the tape
Step 10: Clean up and pull the tape
Pull tape while paint is slightly tacky (within 1 hour of last coat) at a 45° angle away from the wall — too dry and the paint film tears with the tape, leaving jagged edges. Rinse brushes with water (latex) or mineral spirits (oil-based) until the water runs clear. Roll out the roller cover on a paper bag and either rinse or toss.
Pull tape at 45° while paint is still tacky
1 hour after last coat is ideal. The paint film is set enough not to flow but soft enough to release the tape cleanly. Wait too long and you risk peeling the paint with the tape.
Rinse brushes immediately in warm water (latex)
Latex paint cleans up with water if you do it within an hour. Work the bristles by hand under running water, spin in a brush comb, let dry bristle-down.
Toss the roller cover
Honestly, cleaning a roller cover takes 20 minutes and they cost $4. Toss it. Save the frame and reuse it.
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