Painting your home

Take a tour of your home to inspect the condition and surface of your walls. Some walls may need to be stripped, and if there are water stains or marks in certain areas, you will need to apply a special sealer or primer.

Take measurements of each wall and each ceiling, then double the quantity of painted needed as you will want to apply a second coat for an optimum finish. Base your estimate on the fact that one 3.75 litre can of paint will cover 400 square feet of surface.

To determine what type of finish is already on your wall, rub the paint with a bit of nail polish remover. Latex paint will come off, whereas water-based or alkyd paint won’t be affected.

Before you start painting, fill in any holes with spackling compound. Then, sand and thoroughly clean the surface to be painted. Use primer to cover previous layers of paint and seal unpainted drywall.

Remove light switches and outlets, and cover baseboard heaters and tape off edges with wide masking tape.

Always start with the ceiling, then work from top to bottom, working in strips from one wall to another. Always finish with strokes in the same direction.

In addition to choosing colours, you also have to select the right type of paint for the job. Water-based latex paint is the most popular choice. It’s also less harmful to the environment and comes in a wide range of colours. Latex paint is also easy to apply and dries quickly and can be easily removed from brushes and rollers with water.

Oil-based alkyd paint adheres well to just about any surface and yields a durable finish that resists humidity and staining. However, it has a strong odour and can only be removed from brushes and rollers with a solvent.

Matte and satin finishes make hiding imperfections on walls a cinch and are recommended for darker colours.

Velvet and pearl finishes reflect light well. Velvet paints are easy to clean and pearl finishes are renowned for their durability and colour retention. Semi-gloss and glossy paints are easier to clean than other types but require more applications and drying time to cover walls’ imperfections. These finishes stand out for their durability and ability to reflect light.