How to Paint a New Sheetrock Wall
DIY Selecting Painting Tools and Preparing and Painting the Drywall
This article will show the DIY homeowner how to get professional results when painting a new sheetrock wall. It also covers selecting the proper painting tools.
How to Paint a new Sheetrock Wall
Learning how to paint a new sheetrock wall is not hard, but in order to achieve a truly high-quality result, it is important to start with a high-quality new wall. To quote a wise old painter who has seen it all and done it all, “If you want to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, you have to start with a silk sow.”
With that in mind, first make sure that all the sheetrock joints, corners, and nail or screw indentations have been taped, floated, and sanded. Look at the surface carefully from all angles, first just an overview and then with a flashlight held at an angle. Any problem spots will show up in the end result. The shinier (slicker) the paint you use, the more prominent they will be.
When you're satisfied, texture the wall now if you intend to. It can dry while you shop for tools and paint. Calculate the square footage of the area you intend to paint. Generally, one gallon of paint will cover 400 square feet.
Shop for your Tools
When shopping for tools, don’t pinch pennies on brushes and rollers. Poor quality brushes won’t give you good flow and that makes your sheetrock painting difficult and frustrating. You need brushes labeled for latex work. On good quality brushes, the bristles taper from the base to the tips.
For cutting-in painting work (inside corners, at the ceiling, etc.), use a brush where the bristle tips are also tapered from left to right at about a thirty degree angle. A 2 ½” to 3” wide brush is perfect for this.
When painting large, open areas, you’ll need a roller handle, disposable rollers, and a roller pole. For higher walls you’ll need a telescoping pole instead of the fixed length one.
You’ll also need painter’s tape. This is for masking off intersections with door jambs, window casings, etc. The narrow tape will be easier on your budget. Get a pan and some inexpensive plastic throw-away roller pan liners. Finally, you’ll need drop cloths.
It’s always a good idea to use a primer when you paint a wall but it's a requirement since this is a new wall. Sure, it’s more work, but if you don’t take this step, you’ll be sorry later. Your paint won't adhere to the new wall as well and will tend to chip.
There are more colors of paint in stores today than ever before. What you need to focus on is the quality of your paint. You can buy cheap paint but you will spend more ultimately due to the extra coats you will need to apply.
Prep your Wall Painting Project
Time to get started! First, start at one end of the room and apply your painter’s tape to the edges of any trim or casing. While it’s a monotonous process, it’s a time saver in the long run. Next, lay down your drop cloths, covering everything that might get the stray drop or splatter.
Paint your Wall!
Begin your cutting-in work with your small brush where you have applied tape. Also cut in any inside corners. You may do one section of your project at a time depending upon the size of the project.
When that’s done, roll the paint on the wall over the open areas. First roll a wide letter “W” on the wall, and then roll over it up and down until the area defined by the “W” is all filled in and even. Repeat this process until you’re done.
Allow your paint plenty of time to dry. Finally, you can remove your painter’s tape. And then step back and admire your work!
