Painting interior walls

[Jonathan]

I just got an awesome apartment downtown, in an awesome building with, at an awesome price, in an awesome neighborhood. It's pretty... rad.

This is the first place I lived, ever, that the idea of sticking around more than a year sounds good. A place I could make a home, yadda yadda.

So... they gave me the keys a month early. And I'd really like to paint the interior walls. Like, this weekend or next. But I've never painted. I don't know (a) what to buy, (b) how much to buy, (c) technique.

I know a bunch of youz do, so any tips and advice would be greatly appreciated. For reference: it's got hardwood floors, it's big, got 5 maybe 6 rooms to paint.

(I meant to post this in 'run your mouth'. oops, no coffee yet)

[Blake NWR]

First off - is the landlord ok with you painting it? If so...

Some supplies I can think of right off the bat:
-Brushes
-Rollers & roller pans
-Drop cloths. You can get either the pricey-yet-durable canvas kind, or get plastic sheets. Newspapers work in a pinch, but not desirable.
-Painter's tape. It looks like duct tape, but it's blue and isn't as adhesive, which makes it safe for walls. Tape around places you don't want the brush to touch.

I'm sure others have more detailed suggestions, but there's a start.

[Six6VI]

I hate painting more than dental work but here is what I've learned from my expiriences...

- It helps to have both sizes of tape on hand (1" and 2").

- If you're painting by brush, buy decent brushes. Otherwise you'll end up trying to pick pieces of the brush out of the area you just painted or the paint itself.

- Those little edging tools do work.

- Gloss is easier to clean than flat (regardless, I prefer flat or semi-gloss).

- Don't bother taping that plastic drop cloth to carpet. It's not going to stay.

- It's not work if you have beer in your hand.

[Drew]

When in doubt .... contract out!

(I know a guy who does it professionally if needed - my killer drummer buddy Ralph Cabral own a painting company)

[Blonde leading the blonde]

I'm going to suggest you find someone who's done it before and bribe them with beer to help you. We could describe all day how to paint, but a few things you just have to see and try. One thing not to try, however -- don't write anything on the wall with a roller in paint and then snicker and then figure you can paint over it and it won't show -- it doesn't always work. I think somewhere in Port Townsend there may still be a house with "fuck you" barely visible on the wall behind a book case.

That, and I'll second the suggestion to buy a good cut-in brush. Basically, you'll want to go all around with that blue tape, taping off the edges of stuff you're not going to paint -- along the edges of cabinets, door frames, windows, light fixtures, door knobs, or whatever. Then you grab a can and go all around with the good brush, carefully painting up next to things, in corners, along the bottom, etc. The blue tape just keeps you from splooging all over something, it won't stop some paint from creeping under the edges if you've got too much paint on your brush and you're mashing up against it. After you've used the brush, go for a third pass, this time with the roller getting all the bits you haven't gotten before. Don't go over and over and over and over and over the same place with the roller; try to keep the paint coverage even; try not to let your roller get too wet or too dry; try to roll more or less in the same direction, rather than choosing a "plaid" coverage plan; keep a damp rag handy -- latex paint is easy to get up in small quantities when it's wet, but a bitch when it's dry.

Oh, and you may need a ladder or step stool. Many ceilings are over head, and all that.

[Jonathan]

All great info y'all. Thank you!

I'm going to have five or six helpers. A few have done it before. A few of 'em drink and cannot be trusted with advice on how to paint. So, it'll be a process...

The manager is the one that gave me the idea to paint. So iz okay...

[BigHurknFrontman]

Contact TimmyCordis!

Nuff Said!!!

[Adremelech]

One word for you: Mexicans!

[Jonathan]

Yeah, co-workers said to just go to home depot, get the supplies and in the parking lot... get a couple mexicans.

But I've had a lot sick days already this year. I cannot afford to be out with the swine flu. And I think the asians still have the bird flu. So all that leaves me with is Timmy J. Is there a prog flu?

[Adremelech]

According to guys like Bloody or Pondscum, Prog IS a disease.

[PnDsCm]

Last time I checked...

[Jonathan]

... and like AIDS, it... [insert homophobic and/or racist but witty and hilarious comment here]

[BigHurknFrontman]

... and like AIDS, it... [insert homophobic and/or racist but witty and hilarious comment here]

Paint your OWN fuckin' apartment!