You’ve been staring at that beige wall for too long and now you’re ready to cover it with a bold color. So what do I need to paint a room? Don’t worry I’ve got you covered!
Paint is the fastest, easiest, and most cost effective way to to update a space. Repainting a room can transform a space, but if you’re new to painting you might be overwhelmed when you get to the paint isle of the home improvement store.
(Above my husband helps me transform my spare room from a pink princess palace into a sophisticated spare room my guest will love.)
Do I need a special bucket with a brush holder? (You don’t) Do you need more than one roller cage (You might) and is special tape really necessary? (Spoiler alert it is.)
Let’s break down what you absolutely need and a few things you might want to consider depending on how much painting you’re planning to do.
What you need to paint a room!
- Paint: This one might seem obvious, but it’s important to make sure you have enough paint to complete the job. Measure the size of the room you’ll be painting and paint manufacturers have calculators on their website that help you know exactly how much you need. Pick your color and brand and then go to the manufacturers website an search for calculator. I always round up the amount so I have some left over for touch ups if needed. If you’re looking for the warm gray in the picture above I had it customed mixed and shared the formula here.
- Brushes and rollers: You’ll need brushes and rollers to apply the paint to the walls. There are different sizes and types of brushes and rollers available but this basic kit from Amazon has everything you need for a basic room painting. Bonus it includes the paint tray.
- Drop cloths: Protect your floors and furnishings by laying down drop cloths before you start painting. Tape these plastic drop cloths to your baseboards to kill two birds with one stone.
- Painters tape: Use painters to tape the drop cloth over the baseboards. You can also us it to mask off any other areas that you don’t want to get paint on, like switch covers, door knobs (if you’re painting the door too) and outlets. It the ounce of prevention rule for me!
- Primer: Primer isn’t always necessary depending on the paint you buy (a lot of paint has primer built in) and the wall you’re covering. If you’re painting over a dark color or has damage like a kids room with markers on the wall, you’ll want to use a primer to make sure your paint covers.
- Stir sticks: you’re going to need stir sticks to stir you paint thoroughly. My hardware store now only give you one with a purchase so I’ve invest in packages like these from Amazon to make sure I have enough.
By gathering all of these supplies before you start your painting project, you’ll be well-equipped to tackle any challenges that come your way. Happy painting!
Don’t forget to save and share this post!
