Here’s how to paint your own walls at no labour cost

Painting a wall might seem rocket science to a newbie DIY decorator but it is actually a simple and fun process. Do you have a paint colour that you have been coveting but postponing for no reason at all? Here are a few easy steps to get you new walls at zero labour cost.

You Will Need

Paint Undercoat (optional for white walls) Good brushes A roller A bucket Old newspapers Painters’ tape Water Crack filler Sandpaper

Steps

 Make your materials purchases a few days ahead of paint day. You can buy paint from any hardware that does paint mixing or a paint shop. Get good brushes in at least three sizes. We recommend a two, four and six inch brush. Make sure your brushes have soft bristles; animal hairbrushes are better than acrylic bristles brushes. Your paint job is as good as quality of your brushes so do not skimp on quality. Pick a humid day to get better results.

1.  Prep your surfaces. If there are any pre-existing nail holes, mix crack filler powder in the required proportions and fill the holes. Allow the filler to dry and then sand any excess down to the wall’s level.

2.   Cover your floors, electric sockets and any items you do not wish to cover in paint. You can cover your furniture with old sheets or blankets.

3.  Mix your paint with water until it is not runny and not smudgy. Test this by dipping the brush in the paint bucket and watching it drip. It should not flow from the brush.

4. Using steady hand motions, apply your paint from the bottom upward, downward then up again just like you would with nail polish.

5. Repeat step four until your entire wall is covered in paint. To paint the top and bottom part of the wall, angle the brush and move it horizontally from one edge to the other. To paint the edge where one wall meets another, angle your brush vertically and move the brush from top to bottom. Use the small brushes to get paint into corners and hard to reach nooks.

6. Allow each coat of paint at least 2 hours dry time and repeat up to two or three coats.

7. Peel off your masking tapes just before the paint is completely dry and clean up the room when the paint is totally dry.