The time to figure out what you need for a do-it-yourself painting project is before you open the can of paint or make your first brush stroke. Once you have begun the project, interruptions and restarts can cause conspicuous lines and "seams" to appear on your wall, as well as color changes from uneven mixtures that dry under different conditions. You don't want your painting project to turn out looking like a patchwork job, so take a few moments to prepare in advance.
Before beginning your project, gather the following tools and supplies together in sufficient quantities so you have a few extras when you are done. With the exception of custom mixed paint, any unused extras can usually be returned to the store for a full refund. It is best to have more than you need and not have to stop the job mid-stream to resupply yourself.
Roller and Paint Brush Tools:
Roller Handle: There are many options in choosing a hand paint roller. Some are flimsy and disposable while others are more sturdy. This tool is one where you want to spend the extra money to get a sturdy one. When you are applying pressure to the wall with a paint roller, the heavier duty tool will apply the pressure more evenly across the length of the roller nap. Some of the better roller tools have "telescoping" handles that allow you to extend your reach without needing to stretch on a stool or ladder.
Mini-Roller Handle: A smaller version of the larger hand roller, the palm-sized version allows for easy detail work around corners, above windows, and over doorways. Disposable versions are fine for this tool because the length of the roller, itself, is typically only four or five inches. The roller sleeves that slide onto the roller handle are commonly either nap or foam rubber.
Roller sleeves: The roller sleeves are the washable or disposable pieces that slide onto the hand roller tool. The nap of the roller for the hand roller or the mini-roller will vary depending on the texture and saturation you want for your painting project. Be consistent with the nap you use. If you have the choice of using a foam rubber mini-roller sleeve or a nap mini-roller sleeve, go with the nap version as it will be more consistent in delivering the paint.
Brushes: A high quality 3" brush and a high quality 1/2" brush are essential tools of the trade. You will have several choices at your local home improvement store, ranging from brushes in the to range, up to to brushes. Although price isn't the only determining factor of quality, it is a good indicator. Whether you clean and keep the brushes or throw them away after your project is completed, make sure you buy brushes on the upper end of the quality scale. The better brushes will have a clean taper that keeps its shape while carrying the paint, and will not leave strands of the brush on your wall as you paint. Working with poor quality brushes will result in "brush hair" all over your wall in the latter phases of your project as they begin to fall apart from flexing brush strokes on the wall.
Border Rollers: Typically a flat 3" x 4" napped pad mounted on a plastic handle with small guide wheels on the edge, a border roller makes life easier when painting a consistent, even line where the wall meets the ceiling. It is amazing how much paint a good border roller will hold. You must be careful not to get paint on the guide wheels, or you may leave an unwanted trace of paint along the ceiling. This problem can be avoided by using masking tape along the ceiling.
Masking Tape: Get a roll or two of painter's masking tape. The tape's texture is important, so a painting grade of tape needs to be used. The surface of less expensive masking tape can make your project vulnerable to paint seeping or bleeding underneath the painted edge. Masking tape only works well on smooth surfaces such as window sills and door trim for the same reason. In those cases where you may need to protect a textured surface (such as etched or sand-swirled ceilings) from unwanted paint, a putty knife should be used in addition to (or instead of) the tape.
Putty Knife: A wide blade putty knife (4" to 6") is an important tool to have on hand. Again, there are varying qualities available. Using one with a beveled edge will give you precise control over defining a clean line, whereas a thick edge tends to create paint streaks. You will need to continually ensure that the edge of the knife is clean before placing it on the surface.
Drop Cloths: Here, again, there will be several choices available from plastic sheets to absorbent material. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. Paint will not soak through plastic, but will easily splatter and run across it, or pool up to a potentially messy, slippy hazard. On the other hand, absorbent drop cloths minimize splatter, but if a roller tray of paint falls onto it, the puddle of paint can saturate through to the surface below. Paint can be almost impossible to clean out of seams between boards on older hardwood flooring, or out of the nap of tightly woven carpet. Getting absorbent drop cloths with non-permeable backing can be excessively expensive for an occasional remodeling project. To find the happy medium, consider plastic sheeting around the perimeter of the room with padded moving blankets on top for absorbency. This will keep the costs down while achieving the same protection as more expensive, professional grade drop cloths.
Roller Tray: Plastic or metal? It doesn't much matter what type you choose as long as it is durable. Some of the disposable trays are so flimsy that you risk dumping the entire load of paint when you pick them up. The roller tray, like the paint roller handle, should be good quality.
Lint Free Rags: Finally, ensure that you have some lint-free rags available. Using a low-lint or lint-free rag is important when it comes to cleaning up around corners, wiping up, or dabbing a spot to remove foreign material. Using a fuzzy rag from a bag of rags can spell disaster. Clean terry cloth is a good choice, instead.
The type of paint you use, flat or semi-gloss, is up to your personal preference. Semi-gloss is best for a durable, high quality finish that can be cleaned with a sponge once dry. Flat paint is fine for a low sheen, low glare finish, but is much more vulnerable to marks. Just ensure that you have enough paint for the job, and enough for a second coat if needed. Depending on how clean the surface is, you may need to prepare the walls for painting by using a primer or cover coating of some kind. For clean up, you'll want to have some paint thinner available and a good place to bundle up the trash, rollers, cans, etc. without making a mess.
Once you commit to doing the job, be sure to finish a wall at a time. Doing the trim work for the entire room first is fine, but once you begin painting the main section of a wall, do not stop until the wall is done. If you do run short on paint and need to get more before finishing the entire room, it is less noticeable if the dividing point between the old paint and the new paint is at a corner than if it is in the middle of a wall, where the different batches may be obvious.
One last detail that is often overlooked, a fan can help in the drying process. When using a fan to help speed the drying process, place the fan in the doorway, blowing out of the room. Do not point the fan into the room, and especially do not point it directly on the freshly painted wall to dry it. Any foreign object, dust, dirt, bugs, etc. will stick to the paint if blown into the room. Pointing the fan out of the room will still create air circulation in the room, but you will have less of a risk of ruining your quality paint job. Happy painting!
