Do-It-Yourself Interior Painting
Painting can be a good time, provided that you have prepared the walls properly, have the right tools for the job and you have adequate time to do the job right. Remember: start at the top and work your way down – ceiling, walls, trim. After ceilings and walls, it’s time to paint the trim. After protecting floors and walls with tape (use tape on newly painted walls only after 24-48 hours), you’ll start with the edge closest to the wall. Using a 2- or 3-inch brush, apply the paint, being careful not to glob on too much. Remember to paint top to bottom, doing the baseboards last.
For water-based paints, use plain soapy water to wash your brushes and rollers. For oil-based paints, you’ll need to use paint thinner and soap and water.
Leftover paint can be stored successfully for years without degrading its quality. Cover the top of the can with plastic wrap then replace the lid tightly and store upside down. Don’t forget to mark the can with the room, color and date the paint was purchased.
When you’re done with a can, leave it open so that the remainder will dry completely. If there’s enough paint in the can that it won’t dry up, seal it up. Either way, get in touch with your trash service to find out the proper procedure for disposal.