No one ever taught me how to paint walls.
I learned how to paint completely by trial and error after my Pap died and I had to paint every wall and ceiling in his house with two coats of primer and two coats of paint.
My uncle handed me a five gallon bucket of primer, a five gallon bucket of paint, some rollers and left.
I called in reinforcements.
My friends and I painted Pap’s entire house over the course of a couple months all while wearing his XXL overalls that we duck taped in the back to hold them up on us.
That’s one of my favorite memories and a couple pairs of those overalls are safely tucked away now.
Needless to say, after all that painting and all the painting I’ve done in my other homes, I’ve learned pretty quickly how to paint walls – and how to do it in less time with less mess.
Disclosure: This post was a collaboration with HomeRight. All opinions and self taught stellar painting skills are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
Now, as we all know good and well around here, I tend to not always do things the “professional” way.
I prefer the Jenna method.
Therefore, others may critique my methods, but this is what I do and what works for me.
How to Paint Walls
Step 1.
Tape off around any trim as needed.
I typically only tape off around my baseboards. I can usually edge pretty easily around door casings and the ceiling. When I don’t tape the baseboards, it never fails that I end up accidentally running the paint roller over them a few times.
Also, lay out an old sheet or blanket to protect against any paint splatter. I am a cheater and don’t always do this because I’m impatient and just want to get started. If you don’t put down a blanket and do get some splatter, either wipe the paint up immediately with a wet paper towel or wait for it to dry and then just scrape it up with your fingernail, it comes right off. However, that method only works on tile and hardwood floor, so ALWAYS put down a cover over carpet.
Step 2.
Edge. Always edge before rolling. Edge around your ceiling, doorways, trim, and in your corners. If you have done a lot of painting or after you get some good practice, you might be able to edge pretty good with a regular paintbrush. I am pretty good edging with just a paintbrush, but I also like to use my HomeRight Quick Painter for edging too.
The quick painter basically eliminates the need for you to tape off around your trim as much if any. The trigger releases paint and the pull handle sucks paint into the tube, like so:
First, you remove the painting pad, dip the tip of the tube into the paint can and pull back on the handle. This draws paint into the tube. Place the paint pad back on and squeeze the trigger to get paint on the pad. Then edge away! The quick painter is really great for people who have trouble edging with a regular paintbrush – it can also save a lot of time. You aren’t constantly going back to your paint can for more paint.
Step 3:
Roll on your paint. Since I first used the HomeRight EZ Twist Paint Stick last year, it has been my go-to tool for painting walls.
The paint stick comes with a tube that you place over your paint can. You stick the nozzle on the underside of the paint stick onto the tube, pull back on the paint stick handle and paint is pulled into the tube. To release the paint into the roller, you just push up on the stick and start rolling.
Once more, this saves a lot of time because you aren’t running back and forth to the paint tray. You can also easily paint ceilings or tall walls without a ladder since the paint stick is longer than a regular roller.
Some people roll their paint on in a “W” or a “V” pattern. I don’t. I usually start rolling at the top, and just work my way down the wall rolling.
You can see how I first used the EZ Twist on my living room walls here.
Step 4:
After you have rolled on a coat of paint, go back and do another coat of edging and another coat of rolling, repeating as many times as needed.
Remember to pull up your painter’s tape as soon as you paint on your last coat of paint – do not wait for the paint to dry before removing the tape. This increases the risk of some of your paint peeling off when you remove the tape.
Do you have any tips or tricks for painting walls?
Need more Painting 101 help?
How to Paint Trim and Doors – everything you need to know about painting all types of trim and doors in your home.
What Kind of Paint Do I Use on That? – a guide to all different types of paint and what surfaces to use on each.
Painting 101: Everything you need to know about painting anything – from kitchen cabinets to furniture and more, it’s all here.
You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.
Sign up to get my posts delivered to your inbox here.
Stalk Me Here:
Pinterest / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
