Pratt & Lambert

30 Interior Project Planner You've been obsessing over your carefully chosen color. You have a vision of that fresh new room. Make sure you get the results you want with careful planning and preparation. Gathering the right tools and supplies makes the job easier and more satisfying. Just as choosing the right products, primer and sheen are essential to achieving the look you want. Supply Checklist Having all the supplies and tools you need before you get started can save a lot of time and frustration. • Painter's tape • Paint trays • Drop cloths • Rags and paper towels • Ladder • Spackling paste and putty knife • Paintable acrylic caulk • Sandpaper • Screwdriver • Paint can opener • Gloves • Brushes — flat brush for walls, angle brush for trim • Roller covers and roller frame • Extension handle CLEAR THE SPACE Remove pictures, draperies, curtain rods and fixtures such as switch plates and outlet covers. Move furniture away from walls. CLEAN Remove any dirt, dust or grease with a mild household detergent and let dry thoroughly. REPAIR Scrape away any peeling paint. Fill cracks and holes with spackling compound or caulk; sand surfaces smooth. TAPE Mask off window trim, baseboards, door frames and any other areas not to be painted. PROTECT Cover the floor and furniture with drop cloths to protect them. Painting Once the room and the surface are ready, it's time to start seeing your vision come to life! Start by reviewing the can label for instructions and dry time. Whether you're beginning with a primer or using a self-priming paint, we suggest the method below: CUT-IN Using a flat brush, paint a 3" border around windows and doors, at the ceiling and baseboards, and in room corners. ROLLING Working in a 3' x 3' area, start rolling. Many people find it helpful to roll a large "W" or "Z" onto the surface and fill in around it. Finish the area by rolling horizontally across it. Move on quickly to the next section. Overlap the cut-in areas. TRIM Use a 1" or 2" angle brush to coat window and door frames, sashes, moldings and woodwork. Cleanup Use soap and warm water to clean latex paint from your brushes and rollers, and position them to dry in a noncompressed position. Keep in mind, oil or alkyd paints can be cleaned using turpentine or paint thinner, but always do so in a well-ventilated area. Follow manufacturer's safety recommendations when using solvents. Wait 30-60 minutes before carefully removing masking tape from the surface at a 45° angle. The paint should be mostly dry, but not completely. If the paint sticks to the tape, slip a razor blade underneath along the edges to remove. One gallon of paint covers approximately 400 square feet. To determine the size of your project, first determine the surface area. Measure the length and height of each wall to be painted or the length and width of the ceiling. Multiply the two numbers to determine the area and add the numbers together for all the surfaces to be painted. Deduct the space covered by doors (average 21 square feet) and windows (average 15 square feet). Finally, divide the number by 400 to determine how many gallons of paint you need. Sheen Selection Each paint sheen has different attributes that make it ideal for different applications and rooms. FLAT A soft, elegant finish that hides surface imperfections. Best for low-traffic areas. VELVET/EGGSHELL A soft sheen that still provides good washability and stain resistance. Appropriate for most applications. SATIN A very versatile finish with a subtle sheen. Durable, washable, scrubbable and stain resistant. Good for high-traffic areas. SEMI-GLOSS A higher level of shine makes this finish durable and easy to maintain. Used on trim, doors, kitchens, bathrooms, etc. GLOSS Creates a hard and shiny finish with excellent washability and scrubbability, as well as stain and mildew resistance. Ideal for trim, doors, cabinets, etc. To Prime or Not to Prime? Today, many interior paints are self-priming over certain surfaces. Pratt & Lambert offers several high-quality paint-with-primer products (as seen on the right). Before using this product, refer to the label for surface usage instructions and recommendations. Depending on the substrates, a primer may be needed. Calculate the amount needed the same way as for paint. See the primer label for coverage, as it may differ from paint.

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