Painting a room can be a fun first home project if you’re inexperienced. It’s also a low-cost way to give a room a second life, and increase the value of your property. But it’s also a job that can easily be messed up. One of the main issues people have is preventing paint from getting in places they don’t want it to. However, this is also an issue that can be easily avoided, as long as you take the proper precautions. Here’s how to paint a room without creating a mess.

Royalty Free Photo

Get Your Furniture Out of the Way

The more cramped up a space is, the more chances for accidents. So, the first thing you should do is get the furniture as far away from the walls as possible or get them out. If you can’t get them out or don’t want to, push them to the side and try stacking them.

However, you will need to make sure that the stack is not an obstacle. If you’re going to be painting the ceiling, do a dry run to see if you can access all parts of the ceiling. Also, cover the stack with plastic, and make sure that you secure the plastic with tape.

Cover the Floors

If you have hardwood floor, we suggest you invest in some heavy-duty surface protection materials. Trimaco X Board, for instance, is perfect for hardwood floors and can be easily rolled out on all sorts of surfaces. It is breathable, reusable, and can be installed in minutes. You can then seal it with X-Board tape. This tape is also very durable, flexible and easy to use. It will make sure that the boards stay in place and further prevent leaks. These boards are spill and water resistant as well, so people can move in and out of the room with no problem.

Cover Outlets and Switches

If you want a cleaner, more professional result, we suggest that you remove all cover plates on outlets and switches. Then cover all the switches with 2-inch masking tape. Also, make sure to remove all picture hooks, curtain hardware, or anything that’s in the way. The only exception is the thermostat; in this case, it’s just simpler to wrap it.

Use Overhanging Tape to Protect Baseboards

You don’t have to waste time by entirely tapping over baseboards if you want to protect them. A single strip of overhanging tape will be enough to catch roller splatters. Use 1 ½ to 2-inch tape depending on the width of the baseboard. Make sure that the surface is dust free before applying it if you don’t want it to slip off. Press the top of the tape down with a putty knife to make sure that it’s properly applied and stays in place.

With these few tips, you should be able to greatly minimize the chances of ruining surfaces with paint. Make sure that you have all the equipment you need for a perfect job, and start small before you move to more serious projects.