Paint Qs...

Anyone know much about painting (the interior of a house, I mean)? I found out today that I got the apartment I looked at earlier this week (yay for more space, my 'bedroom' at my current apartment is literally a glorified closet) - only bad thing is that the entire place is painted beige. I can't stand the idea of living in beige (no offence intended to anyone who does like beige, it's just not me), but there's also no way I can afford to hire painters - so I'm planning to paint the whole apartment (one bedroom, probably 700ish square feet) myself. I'm wondering, though - is this realistic? I've never actually painted before, so I have no idea, really - is is particularly difficult?

Also, I'm trying to get an idea of how much paint I'm going to need - does anyone know how many coats of paint are likely to be needed to cover beige walls? For example, how many cans of paint should I expect to need for a 200ish sq foot room?

Thanks in advance if anyone knows!

Painting is kind of fun, pretty easy, and cheap! Best part is, if you don't like it, paint over it! Usually, you'll do 2 coats on the walls. A general rule is flat paint for the walls and semigloss for the trim. There are also a lot of fun techniques like sponging and ragging for some cool effects. I'd ask some questions at your paint store. The people can give you a lot of good, specific advice.

Just don't buy paint from Wal-Mart unless you want to put on umpty dozen coats to cover the wall- the stuff is beyond watery!

Thanks guys! And no worries, I boycott Wal-Mart, so it won't be coming from there!

Oh, and another question, specifically for Canadians (as I don't think you have this in the States), has anyone used Debbie Travis paint from Canadian Tire? That's what I'm thinking about, but after what Hissy said about Wal-Mart paint, and being told by someone else that Home Hardware paint is awful, I want to make sure I don't unwittingly buy crappy paint.

Well, it's as cheap as you want it to be . I would ask how long you're planning on being in the apartment, if any time, I would invest in some good paint as it's LOADS easier to work with. My personal fave is Benjamin Moore scrubbable flat. The flat finish will hide any imperfections in the wall, and is also more forgiving of application. Getting a good primer tinted to the wall color is a good idea, especially if you're going with any darker colors. Depending on the color this MAY let you get by with one coat, although I always plan on two. (so basically you're going over the walls 3 times.) Also, I would suggest if you're going with any "odd" colors at all, you might want to invest in a couple of pieces of foamcore or some such and a quart of the color you're interested in and paint that, then put it up where you can look at it in the room it's intended for. Don't ask about the Tweety bird yellow ceiling (actually not my fault, HUBBY picked out the color but never mind, Cindy fixed )

Good brushes, good rollers are a must! Plus plastic dropcloths and buckets, trays, etc. Just guessing, you can probably expect to spend about $100 on this project.

Well, I'd like to think that Debbie Travis wouldn't consent to putting her name on crap paint!!! (BBC America is my friend!! Love Painted House!)

Originally Posted by hissy

Just don't buy paint from Wal-Mart unless you want to put on umpty dozen coats to cover the wall- the stuff is beyond watery!

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Although Benjamin Moore is my personal favorite, too, I used Wal-Mart paint when I first bought my house and painted the whole thing. No problems with quality or coverage.

I have 2 of Debbie Travis' books. Love her ideas!

Ohhh, yes, I *am* planning on 'odd' colours - orange for the bedroom, red for the bathroom, yellow for living room and foyer - so I should definitely try them out, first, then, before committing to painting the whole room? I know I like the yellow, as my current living room and foyer are the same yellow I'm going to use (I have about half a can left, so am just going to buy more), but I've never actually seen the orange or red on a wall. Not sure how to post them here, but if you go to http://debbietravis.canadiantire.ca and look through the 'dramatic' colours, I'm trying to decide between either 'sexy girl' or 'foxy' for the bedroom, and I'm pretty decided on 'red menace' for the bathroom. Those are 'odd' enough that they should be tried out first?

I will tell you that from what I've heard that reds are notoriously difficult to get a good, even coverage on. DEFINITELY get a tinted primer with red colors! My kitchen's a burgundy, and it did make life easier.

At least you only have to please yourself on the colors, after the "Tweety Bird" episode, I pretty much have carte blanche on ANY colors I want to paint !

Cindy

This is probably a really dumb question, but what it a primer?

Tweety Bird!

Primer is the base coat, to cover the other paint and provide a good base for the new paint.

Is the apartment manager ok with you painting whatever color you want? I thought apartments were always white and beige? Nice if they let you do whatever you want, though!

I personally love Sears paint. The colors cover well, and I have bought the same color years later and it matched the original!

It's like a layer of 'paint' like dull coating to help cover the old stuff.

One tip... painting is 90% preparation. Get a cheap plastic coated paper painter's tarp for the floor (two since you're doing the whole place so you won't have to move them around as you go as much), and loads of painter's tape. Tape off anything close to what you're going to paint, that you don't want to get paint on. I *used* to be so cheap I wouldn't buy it and tried to trim up close to everything, but drips always happen.

One other tool I found, was an edger with wheels on it. It's a square with a pad on it that's a little bit plush to hold paint. The wheels are on one edge. I love those things for painting around doorways and cabinets... a perfect line, every time! The little wheels roll along whatever you're painting around while the pad, perfectly spaced about 1/8 inch out from the wheels, paints the edge in.

Originally Posted by Beckiboo

Primer is the base coat, to cover the other paint and provide a good base for the new paint.

Is the apartment manager ok with you painting whatever color you want? I though apartments were always white and beige? Nice if they let you do whatever you want, though!

I personally love Sears paint. The colors cover well, and I have bought the same color years later and it matched the original!

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Yeah you really better check before you paint. I wanted to paint this place but I cant with the lease the way it is.

I was going to ask that. Most apartments in the US won't let you paint... but I was lucky enough to live in one for three years that did... and I painted the whole thing twice in that time!

Ahhh... the glories of home ownership! I don't envy you!

Yup, I asked the super when I looked at the apartment (it's the same super I have now, there are four buildings and he's in charge of all of them, I'm just moving to one of the other buildings) and he said it was fine (I knew that anyway, as my current living room is yellow, the previous tenant painted it - most of the apartments in these four buildings are painted various colours [looking across into the building next to me right now, I can see burgundy, blue, and lime green], I've noticed from seeing into people's places at night [I swear, I'm not a pervert or anything, it's just hard not to see when people have their light on and blinds up at night!]).

Oh, so would I buy primer in the same colour as the paint? Or?

So, would I tape the trim? I was wondering how I'd paint the trim white and the wall another colour (duh, I should thought of tape ).

Thanks, everyone!

Originally Posted by Juniper

Yup, I asked the super when I looked at the apartment (it's the same super I have now, there are four buildings and he's in charge of all of them, I'm just moving to one of the other buildings) and he said it was fine (I knew that anyway, as my current living room is yellow, the previous tenant painted it - most of the apartments in these four buildings are painted various colours [looking across into the building next to me right now, I can see burgundy, blue, and lime green], I've noticed from seeing into people's places at night [I swear, I'm not a pervert or anything,

it's just hard not to see when people have their light on and blinds up at night!]).

Oh, so would I buy primer in the same colour as the paint? Or?

So, would I tape the trim? I was wondering how I'd paint the trim white and the wall another colour (duh, I should thought of tape

).

Thanks, everyone!

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Lime green ! Bleh ... oh well, you can't say they don't think "outside the box" !

You get your primer at the same place as you'll get your paint, they may ask you what kind, just tell them it's a previously painted wall and they'll go from there. Have them tint it to the color you choose for your wall paint. It won't BE that color, primer doesn't tint like the bases do, but it'll help your main paint coverage so that hopefully you a) won't have to put on as many coats, and b) keep stuff like lap marks to a minimum or non-existant.

Trim is a bugger. If you've got fairly thick trim then the edger tool may work for you. I've never had much luck with them, due mostly I think to the style of molding I've got (not a good edge for the little wheels to roll against.) Some pros mask, some pros just cut in by hand (I do it by hand, then I'll go back later and touch up any blatant errors.) I found a pretty good Do-It-Yourself article at the Reader's Digest site when I was looking for a link to the edger tool:

Professional Painting Techniques

Cindy

Not much advice here but had to say how much I love your colour choices.

Our bedroom is kinda close to the Moulin Rouge, it has slightly more pink in it and is called Aged Merlot. It took us four coats but that is purely our own fault for sticking it on over wite paint... Once you are done you will have to post pics of the new rooms with those luscious colours on the walls.

If this is your first time painting a room, it is definitely worth the time to tape all the edges. I even tape newspaper over the baseboards becase I drip paint in them.

I use Benjamin Moore, eggshell finish. I have used Colour Your World paint, and it smelled foul, dripped all over the place, and took an extra coat to cover. I like the Debbie Travis colours, but I am nervous about trying that line, I have had such bad luck with paint other than Benjamin Moore. If you wait for sales, which happen pretty often, you should be able to find it for around $30 / 4 litres. I think the usual price is around $45. One tin should do an average sized room. If you bought cheaper paint (some is $25 or so), you'd need an extra tin anyway, so you don't really save, the finish isn't as nice, and it takes you a lot longer.

The thing to remember is to keep your roller full of paint. There is no point in rolling it until it's dry. Put on lots of paint, and that saves extra work at the end. You can usually go right back and start the second coat as soon as the first is done, it dries that fast.

You'll make a mess, I always paint with a wet rag in one hand to wipe up the drips and mistakes. I can usually get 3/4 of the way around a room with no problem, then suddenly, I end up with paint all over me, the brushes, the ladder, and the floor.

Okay I have to chime in here. Having painted anything that won't stand still long enough in this Money Pit of mine, I have a few comments:

Love the red. Go with RED! But yes, use the primer. You should have your primter TINTED; they can tint it grey, like a steely gray? Then you'll have to roll on the red prolly 3 or so times. Red is a very difficult color for walls, but I applause you for using it in the bedroom!!!

And yea, prepping is the key. Lay down stuff to protect your floors; whether it be drop cloth or that cheapola papery stuff. When I put my bathroom floor in upstairs, I bought this paper stuff to make a cut-out with; anyhoo you can tape the edges together and protect your flooring when ya paint.

Taping off is very tedious, but it will make the clean up process easier, and the cutting in easier. I hate hate hate that blue tape and will never go near it, no matter how many commercials they tout about it. I use the cream colored painters tape cuz the blue stuff STICKS so badly. Maybe I just live in a humid area or something but I recently painted stripes and the cream stuff did wonders vs. the blue stuff I used in my house a few months ago.

And, your clothing: Do you have "paint clothes"? An old Tshirt that you don't mind wiping boo-boos on, getting splatters or spills on? Shorts or long pants that you don't care about? Paint clothes are a must. Don't wear your pretty skort and a nice top while painting. Wear something ugly that you can ruin.

And I have to agree with those who go with the darker and BOLD colors. Paint the ceilings, door trims, etc., really let your personality blow up all over the place. Covering beige is no problem; 2 coats of a good quality paint is all you will need, but with that red, you'll need a tinted primer and prolly 3 coats.

Have some rags nearby, too; for boo-boos or wiping off the roller & brushes. Painting rags are as important as painting clothes!

Good Luck!

You probably won't need to use this tip with the overall size of the apartment, but I saw this on an HGTV show and it made so much sense (of course, I would have never thought of it myself! LOL). With the bold colors, if you will be using more than one can of paint, get a larger container and mix all of the cans in one. That way, if there are any irregularities between lots of paint or mixes, it won't show as a line where you started a new can of paint.