Interior painting tips from a P.E.I. pro

The longer days mean the sunshine is streaming into your home and perhaps the need for some fresh paint is more evident than it was in the short, dark days of winter.

But making a DIY paint job look professional can be difficult. 

CBC asked Wade Clements, who owns Mallard Painting in Pownal and has been painting professionally for 36 years, for his tips on creating a beautiful finish you'll be satisfied with for years to come. 

He said his best advice for interior painting is to "take your time and keep your lines straight." For exterior jobs he said take it "one shingle at a time."

1. The right tools

Clements said he can't do his jobs without his jet roller, which sprays and rolls paint at the same time. That's a professional tool though — he suggests DIYers use 13 millimetre or 3/8-inch microfibre rollers.

You'll also need a two-and-a-half-inch angled paint brush, he said — and get a good-quality one — that will cost about $20 or more.

Lots of drop cloths to catch splatters and a proper ladder are also musts, he said.

And "a damp rag is always a good thing" to have handy, he added. 

2. Prep your surface

Walls do need to be washed with a degreasing agent such as trisodium phosphate, then rinsed. Clements uses Krud Kutter brand degreaser. 

"Preparation is a big thing," for reaching the look you want, he said. 

"You used to get away with painting over more dirt with oil-based paints than acyrlic and latex paints," he said. But if there are spots from things like fingerprints, paint won't stick and will eventually peel or scratch off easily. 

Make sure you fill holes in the wall and get all the cobwebs from corners. 

Mallard said you can usually skip washing ceilings unless they are particularly stained or greasy, for instance from wood smoke. 

3. Tape it off

Tape off trim where you don't want wall paint, Clements advised — you'll get a nice clean line between paint and trim. 

Since his experience means he's pretty good at painting a straight line, Clements only occasionally uses painter's tape — his favourite brand is Frogtape, which he said has an "edge lock" that prevents bleeding and drips. Frogtape costs $8 or $9 a roll. 

When applying tape to trim and baseboards, his advice is take your time and pull the tape tight. 

4. Prime 'er

"Primer is very important, just like preparation," Clements said. 

"Primer lays down the foundation, it helps between colour changes, helps to build your flat paints, just give you a nice even finish under your paint."

Apply a generous coat, he said. 

5. Start at the top

"We are the only trade that starts at the top," he said. "Start at the ceiling and work your way down to the baseboards." 

One coat of paint on the ceiling is usually sufficient, Clements said. He does not bother to use ceiling paint that goes on one colour then turns white as it dries — he just keeps an eye on his wet edge. 

6. Good-quality paint

Paint can cost up to $70 for a top-quality can. Some of those claim you can get by with just one coat because they are so thick and highly-pigmented. 

"But I always recommend for people to get the paint they can afford," Clements said. Some people deride cheaper paint, he said, but it gets the job done. 

More expensive paint may go a little further and be easier to clean, he said. "It's whatever your budget can handle." 

7. The right technique

"Cut in" where the roller can't reach by painting a few inches in at the top, the corner itself and the bottom. Do this with your angled brush. 

Cut in a few feet, then roll, then repeat — maintain a "wet edge," of paint, he said. It will look better and less streaky. 

Make sure your roller is "good and wet" without dripping, he said. 

Start in a corner. A loaded roller should cover two roller-widths, ceiling to baseboard, he said. 

On the next pass, roll over the second row again, then move forward another roller width. 

Let dry according to directions, then add another coat. Two coats is usually sufficient, he said, unless he's covering a dark colour or working with red or yellow paint — those almost always require more layers. 

8. Reach for the top

Most people find the edge between the ceiling and the top of the wall the most challenging place to pull off a pro look. 

Clements can do this freehand but occasionally needs painter's tape on a tricky corner. 

"It's just experience — just run your brush along and hopefully get 'er straight," he said. Make sure your brush has enough paint loaded so that it will "slide easily," he said. 

DIYers can also try using an edging tool, which has tiny wheels that rest against the ceiling — keeping the wheels free of paint can be a struggle, and results aren't always satisfactory. 

9. Favourite shades are grey

Revere pewter is the most popular colour for walls lately, Clements said. White walls are also a popular trend. 

"It's tough to get a lot of these whites to cover up properly, but if they've got the money we got the time," he said, noting a primer plus two to three coats are usually needed for white. 

When possible, Clements enjoys listening to 80s rock music while he paints and suggests "some AC/DC if you've really got to get at 'er." 

10. Clean up

"My crew would definitely say that I can pick a drip out at 40 paces," he said. 

If you notice a drip after your latex paint has dried, Clements has a "secret": rubbing alcohol. 

Just rub the drip with a rag dabbed in rubbing alcohol and the paint comes right off. Then paint over it. "It's the best way to cheat!" he said. 

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