Preparing to Paint a Room and How Much Paint to Buy

Getting the room ready

Empty the room as much as you can before painting. Gather furniture that cannot be moved in the middle of the room and cover it with plastic sheeting. Covering the floor with a drop cloth saves you cleaning up drips.

Socket and switch plates, door handles and skirting boards should be protected with masking tape. If socket plates need to come off, only remove the plates without touching the wiring; if you are not sure, leave it to the pro.

Make sure the room can be aired well before painting. Being able to open the windows matters for the smell to clear and the paint to dry properly; drying takes longer in very cold or humid weather.

Surface preparation

Cracks, holes and damage in the wall need to be filled with filler and sanded once dry. Bubbled or peeling old paint should be scraped off. If greasy, sooty or dirty surfaces are painted without proper cleaning, the paint may not stick well.

Damp and mold are the biggest enemies of a paint job. Moldy surfaces should be cleaned first and the source of the damp investigated. Paint applied before a damp problem is fixed usually fails again soon.

• Fill cracks and holes with filler.
• Sand the dry filler and remove the dust.
• Scrape off bubbled old paint.
• Clean greasy, sooty and moldy surfaces.
• If there is damp, fix its source before painting.

When do you need primer?

Primer helps paint stick to the surface and gives a more even finish. It is usually recommended on newly plastered walls, large areas repaired with filler, when going from a dark color to a light one and when painting over a different type of paint.

On a sound, clean surface previously painted with the same type of paint, primer may not always be needed. Which primer to use depends on the surface and the chosen paint; the recommendations on the can are a good guide.

Measuring the area to paint

To work out the amount of paint, first find the total area to paint. Multiply each wall's width by its height and add them up. If the ceiling will be painted, add the room's floor area as well.

You can subtract the area of doors and windows. For small openings, though, not subtracting them leaves a natural margin. The paint calculator on this page works out the total area and approximate amount of paint from these measurements.

Coverage and number of coats

The coverage, meaning how many square meters one liter of paint covers, is usually printed on the can or the technical data sheet. It can vary with the type of paint, how absorbent the surface is and how the paint is applied.

Walls are usually painted with two coats. Going from dark to light or painting absorbent surfaces may need a third. For a rough figure, multiply the total area by the number of coats and divide by the coverage on the can. Leaving a small margin for touch-ups and waste is a good habit.

Buying all the paint from the same production batch reduces the risk of shade differences, especially with tinted paint. Mixing paint from different cans in a large container before applying also helps keep the color even. If you label and keep leftover paint, you can use it for touch-ups later.

Working with a painter

For large areas, high ceilings, exterior walls or jobs that need serious surface repair, working with an experienced painter saves time and gives a neater result. Before hiring, make clear whether surface preparation, primer and the number of coats are included in the quote and who buys the paint.

By posting a free request on Senin Ekip, you can get quotes from painters in your area and compare the ratings and reviews of pros whose identity and tax details have been checked. Adding room measurements and photos of the walls to your request gets you more accurate quotes, and you can clear up details by messaging in the app before hiring.