How to Paint Doors, Windows, and Walls

By: Bill Brockway, This Old House magazine

Shopping List

Supplies You Will Need

1. PAINT
one gallon typically covers about 350 square feet

2. MASKING TAPE (1 1/2-INCH WIDE)
for securing rosin paper to floor and protecting baseboard

3. SILICON-CARBIDE SANDPAPER
120-grit for bare wood or old paint; 220-grit for primer or between-coat smoothing

4. LIGHTWEIGHT SPACKLING COMPOUND
for filling holes and cracks in drywall and plaster

5. DUST MASK
for protecting lungs when sanding

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Tools List
Tools You Will Need
- Cordless drill, for removing and replacing door and window hardware
- Paint roller for painting walls and ceilings
- Paint pan, for loading roller with paint
- Telescoping extension pole with pole sanding head for reaching ceilings and the tops of walls without using a ladder
- Caulking gun, for filling gaps between the woodwork and wall
- Brush, roller spinner, and wire brush, for cleaning brushes
- Hammer and nail set, for recessing nail heads
- Synthetic-bristle brushes (2 ½-inch blunt, 1 ½-inch angled sash, "throwaways" for touch-ups), for painting molding, doors, and windows
- Putty knife for applying spackling compound
- 5-in-1 pinter's tool for cleaning roller covers
- Utility knife,
  for cutting tip of caulk gun
- Window scraper and razor blades, for removing paint from window glass
- Drywall sander, attaches to shop vacuum for sanding joint-compound patches
- Paint strainer, for removing impurities when paint is poured from can into pot
- Bucket, to fit with liners and hold paint
- Wet/Dry Vaccum with broom attachment
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Photo: David Carmack

Introduction
Overview
Steps:
- 1
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- 3
- 4
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- 6
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- 8
- 9

8. Paint the Walls

When baseboard paint is dry, cover the top of the molding with blue masking tape. Using a brush or pad, cut in around the window and door trim first, then cut in along the baseboard and at the ceiling or crown molding.

Paint the walls using a roller on an extension handle. Mentally section the wall off in squares roughly 3 or 4 feet wide, and work from the top down. Follow the basic steps outlined in "Technique." Once the paint is dry, remove any nubs by scraping the wall with a putty knife. For glossier sheens, sand lightly with 150-grit paper, then wipe away dust with a tack cloth. Roll on the final coat, then remove the masking tape as soon as paint has set up; pull it slowly to avoid tears.