Painting is a relatively easy DIY project that most homeowners can do independently without a contractor's help. However, homeowners who have never painted before must know what to buy before they can get started.
Prep Supplies
Before you can start painting, you’ll need to prep the room and the walls for painting. Below are the supplies you’ll need.
Tarps
Plastic tarps are common and will do the job, but we recommend canvas tarps because they’re tougher, less likely to become torn, and they won’t stick to your bare feet.
Paint Scrapers
Paint scrapers help you scrape away old layers of peeling paint and also help you fill holes with spackling. Scrapers are essential for exterior painting, but you may be able to do interior painting without them.
Rags
Before you can paint, you first must clean your walls. Rags can be used to wipe away dirt and clear away spider webs. Rags are also useful during the painting process when it’s time to clean your hands or wipe away any stray specks of paint.
Spackling
Spackling is used to fill nail holes and make your walls smooth before painting. Many amateur painters skip spackling their walls, and as a result, their walls are pockmarked with little holes.
Sandpaper
Once spackling has been used to fill a hole, it must be given time to dry. Then, it must be sanded down to match the surface of the rest of the wall. We recommend a light-grit sandpaper for this process.
Painter’s Tape
Painter’s tape is designed to rip off the wall without damaging the surface. This tape is used to mask areas that you don’t want to be painted, but is also useful for taping tarps to furniture and other miscellaneous tasks.
Painting Supplies
Once you’ve purchased the prep supplies, the next items on your shopping list will be the painting supplies. Below are the most essential tools needed for most painting projects:
Paintbrushes
Paintbrushes come in straight-cut and angled versions. Straight-cut paintbrushes are good for covering large, open areas of the wall, while angled paintbrushes are best for painting corners and edges. We recommend a 1.5-inch angled paintbrush for corners and a 2-inch straight-cut paintbrush for standard wall painting.
Paint Rollers
Paint rollers are essential for coating large flat areas in a short period of time. If you plan to paint a ceiling, don’t forget to buy a roller with a long handle.
Paint Trays and Liners
Paint trays are necessary for people who use paint rollers. Because paint trays are such a pain to clean, some people use disposable liners to line the inside of their trays for each paint project. When the project is completed, the liner is thrown away, and the paint tray is untouched.
Stirring Sticks
Stirrer sticks help you stir paint that has begun to separate.
Paint
Once you’ve purchased all the paint supplies you need to paint a room, you’ll still need to purchase the paint.
Samples
Samples help you decide which color is right for your needs. Samples aren’t required, but we recommend purchasing samples to avoid painting your home one of these colors.
Primer
Primer looks like paint, but it’s used to prepare a surface for painting. Primer is often used when applying paint to a surface that does not readily accept paint (like metal) and when combining two incompatible types of paint (like when applying a new coat of latex over an old coat of oil).
Paint
You’ll find that there are many different types of paint. When deciding, you’ll need to consider whether to buy oil or latex, satin or eggshell, interior or exterior. If you’ve never painted before, these decisions can seem overwhelming. We recommend stopping in at our store for guidance.
