A classy gray shade can look especially nice in a dining room, allowing your glassware, china and centerpieces to sparkle against the neutral gray background. Painting a room gray, however, takes more than just a bucket of paint and a brush. Painting a room correctly takes preparation and meticulousness. Using the right tools and methods will make the difference between a pretty good paint job and a spectacular dining room transformation.
Instructions
The Process
1. Select the shade of gray that you'd like to use to paint your . Most home improvement stores have sample color swatches to look through to help you make your decision.
2. Determine the amount of paint you need to buy, keeping in mind that one gallon covers approximately 400 square feet. Add up the lengths of your walls and multiply the sum by the room's height. For each door, subtract 20 square feet. For each window, subtract 15 square feet. Divide this result by 400. The result will be the number you need to paint one coat, though most walls will need two coats. Add an additional two quarts to one gallon for the trim and molding.
3. Remove all art and photos from the walls. Move furniture out of the room, or move it to the center and cover it with a tarp. Lay a canvas tarp on the floor. Remove all electrical switchplates, and cover outlets and switches with painter's tape.
4. Sand any scuffs and scrape off old bumps on the walls. Use a pole sander to sand the high parts of the walls. Patch any holes in the walls with a putty knife and patching compound. Sand any patched areas after they've dried. Dust and clean the walls with soap and water.
5. Paint over the patched spots on the walls with a coat of primer, and sand the spots again. If the walls are new, paint the whole room with primer. Primer should also be used if you're painting over a dark color with a light color, or a light color with a dark color. Allow the primer to dry before continuing.
6. Pour paint into a paint tray. Use an angled paintbrush to paint the edges of the walls. Paint a 2 or 3 inch band next to the molding, against the ceiling and along corners.
7. Use a roller brush to paint the rest of the walls. Dampen the roller with water before use if you're using latex paint, or paint thinner for oil paint. Make a zigzag M or W shape to start, then go back with overlapping strokes to fill in the gaps. Overlap your paint a little into the cut-in borders you painted earlier to remove any visible brush marks. After the walls have dried, give them a second coat if necessary.
8. Paint the trim and moldings using a wide straight brush and a 1- to 2-inch angled brush for the edges.
9. Allow paint to dry completely, then reattach all the electrical switchplates, fill the room with furniture and enjoy your new gray dining room.
Tags: dining room, square feet, walls with, color with, dark color