DIY guideWall

Repaint a room

Clear and cover, patch the walls, tape the edges, cut in, roll two coats and pull the tape: a room repainted the way a painter does it.

8 steps

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Move furniture to the middle and cover it and the floor with drop cloths. Take off the outlet and switch plates.
Older home? Test the paint for lead before you sand anything.
Fill holes and cracks with filler, let it dry, sand it flush and dab primer on it. Wipe the dust off the walls.
Run painter's tape along the trim and round the windows. Press its edge down firmly.
With a brush, paint a band along the ceiling, the corners and the trim, wider than the roller can reach.
Roll on a big W, then fill it in without lifting, keeping a wet edge. Do one wall at a time.
Keep a window open while you paint.
Let the first coat dry for the time on the can, then cut in and roll again.
Pull the tape slowly at an angle while the paint is still a little soft. Put the plates back once it's dry.
Paint is peeling or bubbling, the wall is damp or stained, or a test showed lead paint: ask Handyman for a painter, or a plumber for the damp, first. Paint won't fix what's under it.

Handyman says: Damp or peeling? I'll find a painter.

Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.