The key to a successful painting job is careful planning and preparation. That, along with a high level of skill and diligence, is what separates the best residential painting contractors from the mediocre. You simply can’t take any shortcuts when it comes to painting your home or you will pay dearly. When you know precisely what you need, there is no time wasted, and fewer mistakes are made. Below, we look at the supplies you need for a successful interior painting project.

 

Prep Materials

Before you get down and dirty, you need to prepare your walls; this process includes cleaning, sanding, and patching holes. Here are some of the tools you’ll need:

  • Spatula and Spackle: This is used to patch holes.
  • Soap and Water Solution: You need to use this to remove the grease and dirt from the walls prior to priming.
  • Paint Scraper: It is best to invest in a metal scraper, as it is effective at scraping off any cracking or peeling paint before sanding.
  • Sandpaper: The fine grit variety is excellent when it comes to smoothing down bumps and evening out rough textures on your walls.
  • Painter’s Tape: This is essential because it is used to tape off borders and prevent paint seeping into areas that don’t need to be painted. Choose a tape that provides clean edges.

 

Painting Supplies

 

  • Angled Paint Brush: You need this to paint corners, and it is great for achieving clean edges while also preventing paint from seeping into unwanted areas.
  • Flat Brush: Most experts recommend a 3-inch brush to paint the border around the taped-off area.
  • Canvas Tarp: You could also use a plastic drop cloth, but you need one of these options to keep your floors and furniture protected from paint drips and splashes. We don’t recommend using newspapers unless there is no other option.
  • Paint Roller Frame and Roller Covers: It is best to use a roller for most of the paint job, as it is much quicker than using a brush. A painter’s pole is an excellent option for rooms with high ceilings. You also need to choose the appropriate roller cover; this can vary depending on the surface to be painted. For example, you need a different roller cover for stucco than you do for metal surfaces.
  • Paint Tray: This is a convenient method of holding paint while you work, because dipping a roller or brush into a paint can is not recommended, as it can cause dirt or debris from the brush to fall into the paint, thus contaminating it.
  • Large Bucket: This is for larger paint jobs that require several cans of paint. Simply combine all the paint into a single large container and start working.

As a rule of thumb, you should use one gallon of paint per 350 square feet, though more is needed if you are painting drywall, which absorbs a lot of the paint. Dark-colored surfaces or areas that are unfinished will probably need two coats of paint. Once you have prepared all of the above materials, you should find the paint job to be a lot more manageable.