HOME IMPROVEMENT Interior painting: covering the basics

When painting walls, don't overlap strips.
By ROSEMARY SADEZ FRIEDMANN
SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE
If you are considering sprucing up the house for holidays and painting is on your list, here are some tips to help keep you in a holiday mood:
The usual sequence for painting a room is: ceiling, walls, woodwork. For walls or ceilings, paint the edges of sections first, where walls meet each other or a ceiling. Use the top of the brush and try not to overlap into adjacent areas.
UCeilings: Start at the window and work across in approximately two-foot square strips parallel to the window. Lay the first strokes parallel to the window, then spread the paint evenly with broad, crescent-shaped crossing strokes.
UWalls: Start at the top right-hand corner (left-hand corner if you are left handed) and work from top to bottom, again in two-foot square strips. Do not overlap the strips, but cross-brush lightly.
UWoodwork: There's a sequence to follow when painting woodwork, too: Window frames, picture rail, doors, mantelpiece and, finally, the baseboard. The reason for this order is that the areas that are easiest on your paintbrush are done first; your brush will then be well broken in but with no loose hairs by the time you get to the door. The door seems to be the most noticeable area for flaws, so you want your brush at its best there. The baseboard is last because the brush will pick up small, unwanted dust or other particles near the floor. On all woodwork, always follow the grain when brushing.
Other tips
How do you calculate how much paint is needed for a room? Measure the length and multiply it by the width to get the square footage of the room. Paint cans will have written information on how many square feet can be cover with its contents.
How do you remove brush hairs stuck to new paint? On matte latex, you can lift the hair with a razor blade from the bottom up, then lightly sand any little rim that remains. On silk and gloss, use the same razor removal method and sanding, then repaint lightly on that spot.
How do you paint with a roller as opposed to a brush? The texture of the roller leaves an orange-peel look rather than a brush stroke look. Crisscross where necessary to get an even finish. But do not go over parts that are drying.
What if you have a paint ripple on a flat gloss panel? Either take the paint off with paint remover before it is dry and then repaint, or sand it and then repaint.
Does your painted room seem to have changed colors over the years? Paint will fade, and as it fades it changes colors. You can expect the following changes over the years: Deep red fades to orange or brown; dark blues fade to gray; light yellow fades to cream; and greens fade to gray.