P
erhaps the most
common D IY
project undertaken
by homeowners, painting
beautifies and protects
surfaces, so it’s worth using
the right materials and
applying them properly.
Just slapping on paint is not
going to result in a room that
looks professionally painted
with a finish that lasts. The
old adage that three quarters
of any paint job should be in
the preparation still rings true.
Miracle products that do away
with good preparation are
rarely entirely satisfactory.
Painting an average-sized
bedroom will take a weekend,
allowing for drying time.
You’ll need approximately
four litres of acrylic paint
for the walls and one litre
of enamel for the trim. This
room was painted with D ulux
Wash & Wear 101 Low Sheen
in Warm Neutral.
Paint walls like a pro
GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES
■ Dulux Wash
&
Wear 101
Low Sheen in Warm Neutral
■ Dulux Super Enamel in
semi-gloss white
■ Acrylic sealer/undercoat
■ Oil-based sealer/undercoat
YOU’LL ALSO NEED
Drop sheets; painter's masking tape;
methylated spirits (optional); sugar
soap; wall filler; 120-grit abrasive
paper; mineral turpentine; stain sealer
(optional); 50 or 63mm brushes;
medium nap roller; roller frame; roller
extension; sponge; paint scraper;
6 in 1 painter’s tool; roller tray
already on the walls. It's generally
best to paint water-based over water-
based paint, and oil-based over
oil-based paint. There is an easy
test. If you rub a dry finger over the
wall, and paint comes away, then
the wall is chalky or, in older homes,
painted with kalsomine, which isan old
lime-based paint. It must be washed
off and the wall sealed with a binder
to ensure new paint will stick. If your
finger comes up clean, rub wall with
a little methylated spirits on a rag.
If rag shows colour, chances are
the paint is water-based. If nothing
comes off, chances are the wall was
painted with an oil-based paint.
HERE’S HOW
STEP 1 Painting is potentially messy,
so begin by putting down a good
cloth drop sheet - plastic sheets can
be slippery, especially on polished
floors. To make sure your drop sheet
doesn't slip, tape it to floor around
perimeter of room.
ST E P 2 R emove curtains and
blinds from windows, and any other
brackets or pieces of hardware
that could get in the way. If a piece
of furniture is too large to move
from the room, push it to the centre
so it’s out of the way.
STEP 3 Before you buy paint, it's
a good idea to establish what is
STEP 4 Time to wash. Over years,
walls accumulate grime and grease
from people living in the home. Wash
this off using sugar soap in water,
but don't make mixture too strong.
Wipe walls with soap, then sponge
off with a clean rag.
STEP 5 Use scraper to scrape
any loose paint. Fill holes and minor
blemishes. If deep, they'll take a day
to dry, small chips and holes will
take an hour or two.
STEP 6 When dry, sand patches
with 120-grit abrasive paper. Paint
just the patches with acrylic sealer/
undercoat or stain sealer. Paint over
any pen marks with an oil-based or ►
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS, MAY 2011 bhg.com.au 139
