Interior Painting - Prepping & Painting
By Owen Whetzel
Interior house painting is a good do-it-yourself project. My best advice, in addition to the overview below: before painting, read one or more books about interior painting, which will help you decide what supplies and materials you will need for your specific project, aid you in selecting a color or colors of paint, and proper techniques for brush, roller and/or spray painting. You will find books on painting in the Book section at each OSH store.
WHICH PAINT TO BUY
For most interior walls, with the exception of kitchen and bath, use a paint formulated for walls. For kitchen, bath and laundry rooms use paint formulated for those rooms, which will resist moisture and may contain a mildewcide to resist the growth of mildew. Ceilings can be painted with wall or ceiling paint. Wood trim is painted with trim enamel.
SHOULD A PRIMER BE APPLIED?
A primer is used to provide a better bond between the surface to be painted and the paint being applied. Most high-grade interior paints are formulated to bond to a clean, well-prepared surface, such as a wall or ceiling, without a primer. If, once the wall or ceiling is washed, there remains smoke residue, stains, dark marks, etc. then it is wise to apply an interior primer, that is compatible with the paint you will apply.
HOW MUCH PAINT WILL I NEED?
Measure all surfaces to be painted - length and height -- and multiple them together (don't forget the ceiling if you plan to use the same paint and color on the ceiling). For example, if the total length of walls is 50-feet and the height is 8-feet. 50 times 8 equals 400 or 400 sq. ft. To be certain you will have sufficient paint, including enough for touch-ups at a later date, add 10-percent to your total calculations. In this example the total is 440 sq. ft. Now deduct the square footage of windows and doors. In this example, let's use 50 sq. ft. That leaves us with 390 sq. ft. If the one-coat coverage of the paint you choose is 400 sq, ft. per gallon (on smooth, sealed surfaces), then the job will require approximately 1 gallon of paint.
You may also find the "Paint Coverage Estimator" on the OSH Web site useful.
PREPARATION
Wash the walls and ceiling and any other space to be painted using a pre-painting cleaner, such as Jasco TSP No-Rinse Substitute, which does not require rinsing.
When using any cleaning product, always wear chemical-resistant gloves and eye protection, and make certain there is adequate ventilation -- fresh air entering the space and stale air being exhausted.
Fungus, as well as other organic growth, will grow particularly well in an area, such as a bathroom, kitchen or laundry room, which is relatively dark, the temperature is relatively warm and there is a near-continuous source of moisture.
There are instances where a fungus growth can be removed, when the growth simply comes in contact with household liquid chlorine bleach (one cup of household liquid chlorine bleach added to 1 gallon of warm water) or a commercial mildew-killing product, that is safe to use on painted walls and ceilings. However, it is not uncommon for some solutions to dry, before they can eradicate the organic growth. One method is to use the slower drying solution mentioned below on the walls and ceiling of a bathroom, kitchen or laundry room before painting (it is a strong solution, so don't use it for general cleaning).
First, some warnings!
-- Test the cleaning method in an inconspicuous location on the wall or ceiling, where fungus growth is present or potentially present, to determine, if there are any undesired results.
-- Chlorine bleach and other chemicals may damage carpeting, flooring, draperies, furnishings, etc., so all should be removed or well protected by covering them with heavy plastic sheeting. When removing plastic sheeting, be careful that you do not get drops of the cleaning solution, which have not dried on the plastic sheeting, on anything.
-- Be certain to read the manufacturer's warnings and instructions on all products you use. Avoid having the a chlorine solution come in contact with ammonia or any ammonia-based product, as harmful (even fatal) chlorine gas can be the result of the two mixing.
-- Wear eye goggles, gloves and protective clothing, and have plenty of ventilation (fresh air entering the room and stale air being exhausted from the room).
To 3 quarts of warm water add: 2/3 cup TSP substitute, 1/3 cup Tide laundry detergent (without any additives such as bleach), and 1 quart household liquid chlorine bleach. The ingredients should be proportionally increased (e.g., doubling each ingredient will produce approximately 2-gallons, tripling 3-gallons, etc.). ALWAYS add chemicals to water, never water to chemicals, to minimize the chances of chemicals splashing or reacting. If you use commonly available Jasco TSP No-Rinse Substitute, it contains a deglosser and will dull painted surfaces (which is desirable prior to painting).
Rinse thoroughly and wait overnight to see, if there are any adverse effects. If you have tested in a dark corner, use a battery-operated flashlight or other light source to examine the test area. If you are satisfied with the results of your test, proceed to clean the surfaces to be painted.
If your test area is satisfactory, carefully apply this solution to an area about 2- to 4- square feet (if you use a sponge, choose one that is chemical resistant), wait approximately five minutes and then scrub using a soft-bristle brush, that will not damage the surface being cleaned and not be harmed by the cleaning solution.
You will likely need to scrub all walls and the ceiling, not simply spot scrub. Spattering the solution onto walls or ceiling you don't want to paint, could leave the walls or ceiling dull in spots and they will need to be repainted. Since detergent is mixed into this solution, you must rinse thoroughly (therefore ignore Jasco's "no-rinse" instructions, if you use that product).
Once you have killed all of the growth, it is wise to prime and repaint using an interior wall paint, that is formulated for bathrooms and contains a mildewcide or by adding a compatible mildewcide to the paint you choose. This should be done before using a tub or shower in the room.
FILLING HOLES & PATCHING
Spackling compound will take care of most of the repairs you'll need to make, as long as you are not applying a clear finish. Large damaged areas should be patched, not filled. For information on patching read "How to Patch and Repair Drywall" on the OSH Web site. Lightly sand filled or patched areas.
SANDING
All sanding dust on door trim, baseboards, crown molding, etc. should be removed, before applying any paint, coating or finish. Wipe dust away using an inexpensive tack cloth, which is a treated cloth that picks up and retains dust. Wipe with the wood grain and not against it.
PRIMER
The old hard-and-fast rule was to not put hard drying oil-based paint over water base latex, due to the flexibility of the latex coating. That is still true in some instances, but many paints now allow for the use of a water base primer and oil- based topcoat and vice versa. The specific information on compatibility will be found on the primer and topcoat cans.
If you have smoke, water, or other tough to cover stains, prime the stain with a stain-killing primer, that is compatible with the paint you will use.
WHAT TO PAINT FIRST
Prime and paint the ceilings, then the walls, then trim.
PAINTING CEILING and WALLS
Paint, formulated for kitchens and similar areas, is customarily applied to walls and ceiling using a roller and applied to door trim, baseboards, crown molding, etc. using a brush. Techniques are well illustrated in books on house painting, but it doesn't hurt to practice the techniques on a large sheet of clean cardboard.
PAINTING BASEBOARD, MOLDING and TRIM
Door trim, baseboards, crown molding, etc. are normally painted in place without being removed. As with any painting project, preparation is the key to high quality results.
The trim should be thoroughly cleaned, being certain to protect surrounding surfaces. You not only want to remove dirt, but also remove any organic growth, such as mildew, that may be present in kitchen, bath and laundry areas.
Filling holes and voids, sanding, making certain the surface is free of dust, dirt and debris is critical for high quality results. In some instances priming is necessary.
Taping off the edges of the trim using painter's masking tape (not manila-colored tape), helps to provide a clean edge and protection against spattering. To minimize paint getting beneath the edges of the tape, the tape edge that is going to come in contact with the paint. This is done by wrapping a section of soft, clean cloth around an index finger and briskly rubbing the edge of the tape. (Warning: If the paint beneath the masking tape is not well adhered, it may pull away when the tape is removed.) The tape should be carefully removed, as soon as the paint has been applied and leveled. It's a good idea to have a helper, when removing the tape, to keep any paint on the tape from touching a wall or other surface.
A high quality interior trim paint and brush are essential for any high quality trim and molding paint job. Use a brush with artificial bristles for latex and acrylic latex paints and natural bristle brush with oil-based paint. A 1 1/2-inch angled sash brush works well on narrow molding, a 2-inch trim brush on wider molding. A word of caution: An inexpensive paintbrush will more frequently than not leave unsightly brush strokes.
IMPROVING THE FLOW OF LATEX PAINT
Latex paint is thinned with water; however, do not add more water than what is recommended by the paint manufacturer or the paint quality will be deteriorated. Brushability and flow are improved, by adding Floetrol, manufactured by The Flood Company, to the latex paint. You will find Floetrol in the paint department at OSH.
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