Painting may not be the chore it is perceived to be. There is so much information out there from the web and paint stores, that you can readily get the information you need to do a good job.

There are two main types of paint: oil based and water based paints. Water based paints use water as the thinner. They may be called latex paints in the stores and can be easily washed with soap and water. Water based paints are better for allergy sufferers.

Oil based paints use a solvent thinner. Usually these paints don’t use oil as indicated, but rather use polyester resins, called alkyds. These paints have a higher gloss finish typically. Occasionally, sensitive people can react to oil based paints. Ventilate the room when using oil based paints.

There are specialty paints that have low VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). VOC’s can add to air pollution and cause allergies. It is especially important for people with allergies, asthma, households with young children and pregnant women to avoid buying paints with VOC’s. Look for labels on the cans that say LOW VOC’S or better still NO VOC’S in the paint!!

There are different sheens of paint as well. Low sheen and high sheen paints are available. Low sheen paints have very little shine to them. They can be called: flat, mat, eggshell, satin and velvet depending on the manufacturer. High sheen paints have a shinier look to them and can be called semi-gloss, gloss and enamel.

Sealers can be used to form a base coat which keeps the top coat from being absorbed. Primers can prevent previous colors from showing through.

To estimate how much paint you should use, measure the height and width of each wall, then multiply to find the square footage. Of course, you would subtract the square footage of any doors and windows. A 4-litre (1 gallon) paint can will often cover approximately 37 square meters or 400 square feet of wall space.

If the original color is a dark color, use a primer first! The tint color of the primer should be similar to the finished color to better hide the original dark color.

It is worth buying better quality rollers and paint brushes to help make the paint strokes less obvious.

To prepare walls make sure they are clean. If there are any nail pops or holes in the drywall, use poly fill and then sand for a smooth finish.
If walls are damaged, severely stained or show mildew, it may be advisable to apply new dry wall. If the previous paint is peeling, this may indicate moisture problems. The walls need to be scraped and sanded before being painted.

To summarize and provide a few tips to get good results: If you use solvents, store in a paint container with a seal and take to a toxic waste area in your neighborhood. Paint in a well ventilated room with a window open, if possible.
Remove any lint that may be on rollers. Use the correct type of roller for the paint you purchased. Ask the store clerk for help here.
Thoroughly clean and sand the walls for the best results. Some paint stores allow you to take small samples of paint home to test the color to see if it works in your home. This is very important, as the lighting in the store can be can be very different from the lighting in your home.