Monday, November 9, 2009

Paint Your Formal Dining Room

Paint Your Formal Dining Room


A formal dining room is often the most elegant room in your home. One common mistake of is painting the dining room a color either too neutral or too bright. Because of the plethora of paint choices it can be difficult to choose the right one. Dining is meant to be a relaxing and enjoyable experience. The surrounding atmosphere should reflect this as well. A simple coat of paint can turn your room into the perfect place to share a meal.


Instructions


1. Choosing a paint color will depend on a few factors. If the room is large, you will want a darker color. If it is smaller you will want a lighter color. If you have a lot of light, you will want to stay away from bold colors as they tend to fade where the sunlight hits them. Remember that you are eating in this room and that choosing a color associated with food and nature is always a good choice. Light greens, blues, and yellows are all common, calming, and natural colors. Take swatches from the paint store home and tape them to the wall. Try different walls to make sure that the color looks the same in different lighting. Once you have a color you like, go to the paint store and buy your paint and tinted primer.


2. Lay plastic down over the floors and the furniture. Make sure that any seams in the plastic overlap by at least a foot. Extend the plastic to any doorways that you will be consistently through while painting.


3. Remove all pictures and decorations from the walls. Use a claw hammer to remove nails and hangers. Touch up the nail holes with spackle drywall patching compound. Use a little bit on the end of your finger and just rub the spackle in the holes. To fill cracks, use painter's caulk. Apply a thin line of caulk along the crack, wet your index finger, and drag your finger along the crack, spreading the caulk evenly. Repeat if necessary to remove excess caulk. Use the step ladder if needed for any hard to reach areas.


4. Apply painter's tape along all trim work and casings in the room. Be precise with the tape. Make sure that you fully push the tape into the corners and cover the trim where it meets the wall to create crisp, clean lines and avoid excess clean up.


5. Before opening the primer, shake vigorously for about 60 seconds to mix up the contents. You will go through a lot of primer in all likelihood, so there is no need to pour it into a paint tray. Dip the paint roller attached to the telescopic pole into the primer bucket. Use the inside of the bucket to wipe off excess primer. Roll the tinted primer onto the wall in a random pattern. Make sure that the primer covers the wall completely. Only one coat will be necessary. Let the primer dry for two to four hours.


6. Using your 2-inch paintbrush, cut in the edges of the walls around the trim and the ceiling ("cutting" is the term referred to when painting along edges). It is not necessary to be careful on the edge of the ceiling unless you have crown molding.


7. After the primer has dried, mix up the can of paint by shaking it vigorously for 60 seconds. Pour an ample amount into a paint tray. Roll the paint roller in the tray, onto the wall in a random pattern like you did for the tinted primer. Two coats will most likely be needed. Let the paint dry for one to three hours between coats.








8. Using your 2-inch paint-brush, cut in the edges of the walls around the trim and the ceiling just as you did with the primer.


9. Once the paint has dried for a full four hours, add painters tape along the top of the walls. Use a lighter colored paint for the ceiling that has a very subtle tint of the wall color. This will bring continuity to the room. Use a paint roller to apply the ceiling paint in the same manner as Step 6. Please note that priming the ceiling was not necessary. Let the ceiling dry for one hour in between coats. It may take two or three coats to get full coverage.


10. Using your 2-inch paint brush, cut in the edges of the ceiling. Do not rush this process as it is important not to make a mistake and get paint on the walls or trim. Let the paint dry for one to three hours before adding the second coat.


11. After the paint has dried for about four hours, take all the tape off the trim and the walls. Pull the tape slowly to avoid taking the paint with it. Throw the tape on the plastic on the floor. Take your supplies to their storage area, wash all brushes and dispose of the used rollers. Wrap up the garbage into the plastic on the floor as you leave the room. This will prevent any mess from being tracked in from behind.

Tags: sure that, four hours, Make sure, paint roller, tinted primer