What Order Do You Paint A Room?

WHAT ORDER TO PAINT THE WALLS, CEILING, AND TRIM

It may be obvious to some, but even the most experienced painter using the highest quality paint cannot avoid splatter. Experience and taking your time can help avoid as much splatter as possible, but paint splatter is inevitable, which is one reason prep work is vital. But knowing what order to paint your interior surfaces can help as well.  Do you paint the trim first? The walls first? The ceiling last?  Hopefully, we can help clear up any of those questions in this post. 

Here is the following order for interior painting:

1. Ceiling
   1. Paint a 2-3 inch strip along the edge of the ceiling and the walls. 
   2. Use a roller with an extension pole to roll the paint onto the ceiling. Be sure to keep your roller wet and make long strokes to avoid lap-marks.
2. Walls 
   1. Paint a 2-3 inch strip along the edges of the walls where it meets the ceiling, crown molding, baseboards, or any other trim areas.
   2. Using a roller with an extension pole, roll the paint on the walls. The most important tip is to make sure to keep your roller wet and make long strokes from the top of the wall to the bottom.  The common “W” method is not a recommended method to avoid lap-marks.
3. Trim 
   1. Finally, paint the trim. Whether you are hand cutting or using painters tape, take your time and make sure to keep you brush wet and apply a good coat.

As we stated at the beginning of this post, the prep work is important.

Make sure to tape off what needs to be taped and be sure to cover the floors or anything else to help avoid getting paint on what you don’t want to be painted. 

Lastly, if you are looking for professional painters in the Indianapolis, consider Legacy Painting.  Our prices are fair and our craftsmanship is top-notch. 

If you would like a free interior painting quote, call Legacy Painting at (317) 426-7228 or fill out the FREE ESTIMATE form and we will contact you.

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