1/ If at all feasible, remove all furniture, pictures, etc. If you cannot move items out, then place them in the centre of the room and cover well with drop sheets, leaving space to access the lights so you can paint around the fixtures).

2/ Dust thoroughly and remove any cobwebs from areas being painted. It isn’t usually necessary to wash the area as long as the surface is dirt free and intact.

3/ Preparation – Patch up any holes or cracks that are evident, ensuring they have time to dry before a light sanding.
Now that your room is ready, you can carry out the painting.

4/ Begin at the top of the room, coating the ceiling first, usually in acrylic or water based paint. Doing the ceiling first allows you to clean up drips or runs before they dry or before you paint the walls.

Start by Cutting in the cornice. This is done using a brush to carefully outline the edges. Paint the entire cornice including the bottom edge. Cut in around 50-75mm onto the ceiling to make it easier to roll up to the cornice.

Once you have finished cutting in it’s time to start rolling.

Going from one corner gradually roll an area of 1-2 metres. Then coat your roller again and continue the process until the whole ceiling is covered. The process will probably need to be repeated to make sure you gain the best coverage; Roll in the opposite way the second time for the best results.

5/ Walls. Usually walls are painted with acrylic or water based paint. Paint the edges with a brush, like you would cutting in and then roll out the middle area. Using a dry roller (i.e. with little to no paint on it) go over the same area to remove any roller lines.

6/ Trims. Doors, windows, frames and skirtings are all referred to as ‘trims’. First they need to be lightly sanded and undercoated. Usually these are painted in oil based paints because they are harder wearing and last longer on the trims. (Acrylic paints can be used but they will need repainting sooner). A brush will be required for all trims. For doors it is simplest to cut in all the edges first and then use a roller for the face of the door and ‘tip off’ the rolled parts with a brush.

For all trims you will need to use a brush to complete the job. For the doors it can be easier to cut in all the edges then quickly roll the face of the door and lightly tip off the rolled sections with a brush (this is running your brush very gently across the surface you have just coated to ensure it is smooth and level).