Wall painting can breathe instant life into a room, making tried-and-true décor and furnishings seem brand new. It can seem like a big job, but you can split the load and renew your walls with 2 people. With one cutting in and the other rolling, you can create professional-looking walls with maximum impact for minimum effort.
If you’re using water based paint soak your brush in an inch of water for 10-15min, then remove and spin in between your hands to remove excess water. If you’re using oil-based paint, follow the same steps using turps.
Whether you’re using water-based or oil-based paints, rinse your roller in running water and run your hand up and down the roller to get rid of excess lint. Shake the roller. Attach the roller to the frame and spin it quickly off a wall or other flat surface to remove the extra water – just make sure it’s not the wall you’re about to paint!
If you’re painting a new wall rather than updating an existing one, now is the time to apply your undercoat.
TIP: We recommend using a tinted undercoat on new walls to give your finished surface that extra boost.
Start by checking your walls for damage. If there are any cracks, leaks, mould, or other damage to your existing paint, consult a professional before continuing. If there are bubbles in the paint or areas where it has flaked away, sand them down so that the area is smooth.
Tape your skirting, fittings, and power points. Use a quality, wide painting tape to ensure a clean line between your ceilings and your walls. Tape in small sections, overlapping each piece of tape until you’ve gone all around the room. If you’re only painting one wall, tape all the way around the wall, including where it meets adjoining walls.
TIP: When painting a room, use drop sheets to protect your floors from any paint splatter. We recommend removing all furniture to protect it from paint splatter and make it easier to move around.
This involves painting a margin around the edges of the
wall where the roller can’t go. Using a Monarch 50mm brush, paint away from the edge first rather than having a loaded brush against the painting tape. Then angle the brush along the tape so it is just the tip of the brush that is cutting in. With a quality brush like this one, you can paint a little over the tape if you need to.
TIP: When cutting in, use long, even brush strokes for the best finish.
Load up your prepared Monarch 12mm roller and begin, start-ing half a rollers’-width from the edge of the wall towards the middle, using a light-to-moderate pressure. Glide the roller up and down the wall from top to bottom. Keep your paint tray nearby for easy loading.
TIP: To prevent a ‘picture frame look’ on your walls, cut in and then paint one wall at a time. Having 2 people is essential – once one person has finished cutting in a section, the other can start rolling while the paint is still wet, to ensure a smooth, professional finish.
When the first coat of colour is dry, then apply your second coat. Ensuring that each coat is completely dry before the next one goes on, so the new coat won’t pull up the old one and create bubbles in your surface.
TIP: Wrap brushes and rollers in plastic between coats. This keeps them moist and ensures you don’t have to re-wash and re-prepare them between coats.
Congratulations, you’re done! Make sure you wait until the paint is completely dry before putting your furniture back in place. In the meantime, scrape any leftover paint back into the tin for re-use. Wash your brushes and rollers thoroughly so you can use them for your next project. Remember to store your roller in its plastic container in between projects.
