Prep, primer, paint and supplies — walls, ceiling, trim and doors.
Answers
Sheet
Sheet A-1 · Paint a room
12′ × 12′ room
DIY OK
Paint
2
gallons, all products
Walls
333
sq ft
Ceiling
—
not painted
Coats
2
finish
6–8 h of work
Usually a weekend: coats need 2–4 hours between them.
Draft
The rules behind this Sheet are waiting for a licensed pro’s sign-off.
Drawing
The room, unfolded
1
Ceiling Not painted on this job.
2
Walls Net 333 sq ft after openings.
3
Door 21 sq ft deducted each.
4
Window 15 sq ft deducted each.
Walls folded flat around the ceiling so every surface you paint is visible. Floor edges are on the outside.
What to buy
7 items
Save to your jobs to check things off in the store.
Buy all of one color at the same time and mix the cans together before you start — tints can drift between batches.
Paint
Wall paint
eggshell, 2 coats
2 gallons
Interior latex.
Painter’s tape 1.41″ × 60 yd
1 roll
Masks trim and ceilings.
Canvas drop cloth 9×12
9×12 canvas
2
Doesn’t slide like plastic; reusable.
Plastic sheeting 9×12
1 pack
Covers furniture.
Lightweight spackle
8 oz
1 tub
Fills nail holes and dings; sands easily.
Roller covers 9″
⅜″ nap
2 covers
Nap length depends on wall texture.
Tray liners
fits your tray
1
One per color.
Try a color on your wall
Take a photo of the room, tap a wall, and see it in a new color with its shadows kept. On your device, nothing uploaded.
Tools
You own 0 of 10 must-haves
Tap the ones you already own. That builds your Tool Shed as you go — no setup.
Must have
The job stalls without it.
9″ roller frame
Holds the roller cover.
Extension pole
Rolls walls from the floor and ceilings without a ladder.
2½″ angled sash brush
Cuts clean lines at ceilings and corners.
Paint tray
Roller reservoir. Liners make cleanup a toss.
Step ladder (6 ft)
Reaches 8-ft ceilings safely.
Putty knife
Fills nail holes and dents.
5-in-1 painter’s tool
Scraper, can opener, roller squeegee — the painter’s pocket knife.
Sanding sponges
Low-dust sanding for mud, patches and scuffing old paint.
Screwdriver set
Outlet and switch covers come off
Safety glasses
Every cut, every nail, every time.
Nice to have
Faster or cleaner, not required.
Work light
Raking light shows holes and roller marks
Paint edger pad
Only if cutting in by hand scares you
Pole sander
Sands high and wide areas from the floor.
Order of work
6–8 h of work
01
Clear the room, cover the floor, take off outlet and switch plates.
02
Patch holes; sand smooth when dry.
Wait 1–4 h — patches dry before sanding
Lightweight spackle: about an hour for small holes; deep fills take longer. Setting compound for cracks hardens in its listed minutes — see the tub or bag.
03
Tape the edges you don’t want painted.
04
No primer needed — spot-prime patches only.
Check first
New drywall or a big color change? Prime — skipping it means blotchy flashing and extra coats.
05
Box the paint: pour every gallon of a color into one bucket and mix, so the color doesn’t shift between walls.
Check first
Every gallon of a color mixed together in one bucket before you start.
06
Cut in along the ceiling and corners with the angled brush.
07
Roll walls top to bottom in 3×3 ft sections, keeping a wet edge. Second coat once the first is dry to recoat (see the can).
Check first
Right roller: ⅜″ nap for these walls — load it lightly so it doesn’t drip.
Wait 2–4 h — walls: first coat dries before the second
Latex: usually 2–4 h before the next coat (longer when it’s cool or humid) — see the can.
08
Pull tape at a 45° angle while paint is slightly soft.
09
Put the plates back. Label a leftover can for touch-ups.
Mistakes that ruin the job
3 mistakes
1
Skipping primer when it’s needed
On new drywall or a big color change you get blotchy “flashing” and one or two extra coats.
2
Not boxing the paint
Two gallons of the “same” color can differ. Mix them together before you start.
3
Wrong nap, overloaded roller
Drips and texture that doesn’t match. ⅜″ for smooth walls, ½″ light texture, ¾″ heavy.
Plan it
The load
To haul
30 lb
from the store to the room
Helpers
0
a solo job
Heaviest
Wall paint · 2 gal · 22 lb
When you’ll finish
Pick when you can start and how many hours you have.
Hours you can work
Each weekday evening
0
h
Each weekend day
8
h
Saved for every Sheet. Waits run overnight and on days off; work only fills the hours you have.
DIY vs hiring it out
Estimate
Typical US store prices and labor rates, not a quote. A real price can differ a lot.