How to paint a room in 5 easy steps

Step 1

Cover your floors with canvas and tape down the edges. Be sure to use painters tape — most work on a number of different surfaces and won't leave residue or cause damage when you peel it off.

Step 2

Remove electrical plate covers and tape over outlets before painting. This will ensure you leave no paint marks on the outlets and end up with a clean paint job.

Step 3

Forget what you've been taught! Roll first, and then cut into the trim. Create a zigzag pattern on the wall using a roller, painting as high as you can without hitting the ceiling. Paint one wall at a time using this technique. We like to divide the wall up in sections. Tip: use a painter's rod instead of a ladder.

Step 4

After you've painted your wall, cut into the ceiling using an angled brush. Tackling the trim after painting the wall may seem backwards, but trust us—you'll likely find that it saves you time plus, once you've painted the entire wall, you'll know exactly where to fill in the gaps along the trim. Tip: to get excess paint off the brush, lightly tap it against the can to knock off any drips and force the paint into the bristles.

Step 5

Time to clean up! If it's a two day job, don't bother cleaning your rollers and brushes. Wrap them in plastic bags and store them overnight in a cool area. If your paint job is done, place a piece of plastic wrap over the can before you put the lid on. Store the paint upside down — the paint will act as a seal against the lid. 

Related:
The best neutral paint colours that aren’t white
Our home editor’s 5 favourite white paint colours
The most popular paint colours in Canada