Painting a room yourself is very doable. Painting a whole house takes more planning than most people expect. This guide covers the steps our painters follow on every job, so you can decide what to do yourself and what to hand over to a professional painting team.
1. Choose the right paint for each surface
- Interior walls: water-based emulsion paint. Matt hides flaws; low-sheen or satin is easier to wipe clean.
- Ceilings: a dedicated ceiling white, which is flatter and less likely to show roller marks.
- Exterior walls: weatherproof exterior paint with anti-fungus and UV protection, built for tropical rain and sun.
- Doors, grilles and gates: gloss enamel or a metal paint over an anti-rust primer.
2. Work out how much paint you need
Measure each wall (length × height), add the walls together and subtract doors and windows. Most emulsion paints cover roughly 100 to 130 sq ft per litre per coat, and you’ll need two coats. Check the coverage printed on the can, since it varies by brand and grade.
For a quick estimate, use our paint calculator. It works out the number of 5-litre cans from your room sizes, or from the type of house you live in.
3. Prepare the room
- Move furniture to the middle and cover it with plastic sheets.
- Lay drop cloths and tape skirting, switches and window frames.
- Remove switch plates and wall fittings where you can.
- Wipe down walls to remove dust and kitchen grease.
4. Repair before you paint
Fill hairline cracks and nail holes with wall filler, let it dry and sand smooth. Scrape off flaking paint. Treat black fungus spots with a fungicide wash. If a wall is damp to the touch, find the source first: paint won’t fix a leaking pipe or a rising damp problem.
5. Apply sealer or primer
New plaster, patched areas and exterior walls need a sealer coat. It stops the wall from soaking up your finish paint unevenly and helps the colour last. Skipping sealer is the most common reason DIY paint jobs look patchy.
6. Paint two coats, top to bottom
- Paint the ceiling first, then the walls, then doors and trim.
- Cut in corners and edges with a brush, then roll in a W pattern and fill in.
- Keep a wet edge and finish a whole wall before you take a break.
- Wait for the recoat time on the can, usually 2 to 4 hours for emulsion, before the second coat.
7. Clean up and ventilate
Remove tape while the last coat is slightly soft to get a clean line. Wash water-based brushes and rollers with water. Keep windows open and fans running for a day.
When to call a professional
DIY makes sense for a single bedroom. For a whole house, a double-storey exterior, high stairwells or walls with damp and cracks, a professional crew is usually faster and the finish lasts longer. If you’re also thinking about adding panelling, our wainscoting design ideas are a good next read.
