How to Paint a Room: Complete Tool and Supply List

Prep and Protection

Drop cloths. Canvas for floors (absorbs drips, stays put), plastic for furniture (covers more area, cheaper). One 9x12 canvas drop cloth handles most rooms. For furniture, 1-mil plastic sheeting works. Don't use newspaper because paint soaks through.

Painter's tape. Blue tape (3M ScotchBlue Original) for masking trim, ceiling lines, and window frames. Green tape (FrogTape) if you want sharper lines and are willing to pay more. Apply tape and press the edge with a putty knife for a tight seal.

Putty knife (2 and 4 inch). For filling nail holes, dents, and cracks with lightweight spackle. The 2-inch fills holes. The 4-inch feathers the patch smooth. Sand lightly with 120-grit after the spackle dries.

Sanding block or pole sander with 120-grit paper. For smoothing patched areas and lightly scuffing glossy existing paint so the new coat bonds. If the walls have old texture you want to smooth, a pole sander with 100-grit saves hours versus hand sanding.

TSP (trisodium phosphate) or TSP substitute. For cleaning greasy kitchen walls, smoke-stained surfaces, and any wall where paint might not stick. Mix with water per the instructions, wipe on, rinse off. Especially important on bathroom and kitchen walls.

Primer. Covers stains, seals new drywall, provides a uniform base for the topcoat. Kilz or Zinsser for stain blocking. Regular latex primer for new drywall. Tinted primer (close to your final color) reduces the number of topcoats needed, especially with dark or saturated colors.

Brushes and Rollers

Angled sash brush, 2 to 2.5 inch. For cutting in along ceiling lines, trim, corners, and around fixtures. Nylon-polyester blend for latex paint. Natural bristle for oil-based paint (rare for interior work now). Buy a decent brush ($8 to $12, not the $2 variety pack) because cheap brushes shed bristles into the wet paint.

Roller frame, 9-inch. Standard size for walls and ceilings. Buy a frame with a threaded handle socket so you can attach an extension pole.

Roller covers. Nap length selection: 3/8 inch for smooth walls and ceilings (most new drywall), 1/2 inch for lightly textured walls (orange peel), 3/4 inch for heavily textured walls (knockdown, skip trowel), 1 inch for rough surfaces (brick, stucco). Buy 2 to 3 covers per room because they wear out or get stiff if paint dries on them.

Roller tray and liners. A metal tray lasts forever. Plastic liners ($1 each) make cleanup instant: peel out the liner, throw it away, drop in a new one for the next color.

Extension pole, 4 to 8 feet. For rolling walls and ceilings without a ladder. Attaches to the threaded socket on the roller frame. An adjustable pole (twist-lock or flip-lock) covers everything from low walls to standard 8-foot ceilings.

Mini roller (4-inch frame and cover). For tight spaces: behind toilets, inside closets, around window trim. Also good for doors if you don't want brush marks.

Extras That Save Time

Paint can opener (5-in-1 tool). Opens cans, scrapes loose paint, cleans rollers, sets nails, and spreads putty. The $5 tool that replaces a flathead screwdriver and does the job better.

Stir sticks. Free at the paint counter. Stir thoroughly before pouring, especially if the paint has been sitting. Pigment settles.

Pour spout or paint bucket with screen. A cut-in bucket ($3) lets you dip the brush without lugging the gallon can around. A 5-gallon bucket with a screen ($8) lets you load the roller directly, which is faster than the tray for large rooms.

Damp rag. For wiping drips immediately. Latex paint wipes clean when wet and becomes permanent when dry. Keep the rag in your back pocket.

Step stool or step ladder (2-foot). For cutting in along the ceiling line. Extension poles handle the roller, but cutting in with a brush requires being close. A small step stool is more stable and less cumbersome than a full ladder in a furnished room.

The Order of Operations

Move or cover furniture. Lay drop cloths. Remove switch plates and outlet covers (put the screws back in the plate so you don't lose them).

Prep walls: fill holes, sand patches, clean with TSP if needed. Let everything dry completely.

Prime any bare drywall, stain spots, or dramatically different existing colors.

Paint the ceiling first (if painting it). Roll the ceiling edge to edge, maintaining a wet edge. Ceiling paint is flat sheen so lap marks are less visible, but working quickly helps.

Cut in the walls: ceiling line, trim edges, corners, around fixtures. Then roll the walls while the cut-in edges are still wet so the brush strokes blend into the roller texture.

Paint trim and doors last. If using the same sheen as the walls, tape isn't needed because you're painting trim against already-dry walls. If the trim is a different color, tape the wall-to-trim edge.

Two coats minimum. Even with primer, most colors need two coats for full coverage and consistent sheen. Let the first coat dry fully (2 to 4 hours for latex) before the second.

Frequently Asked Questions