28 Painting Tips & Tricks for a Pro Level Paint Job

Choosing Paint Swatches

No need to test paint sample colors on your walls. Save time, money and mess by using a peel-and-stick color sample instead. They're repositionable, allowing you to see how a color will look without even popping the top on a paint can.
Pay attention to your light sources when choosing colors. A color looks truest in natural light. Once you have a sample on the wall, see how it looks throughout the day before making a final decision.
Always invest in the highest quality paint you can afford. A high-quality formula is more forgiving, showing fewer imperfections and holding up better over time.

Ignore that tip about vacuuming or lint rolling your roller cover. If you invest in a good quality roller, like one from a top brand like Purdy, you won’t need to, and it can ruin the nap.
Don’t mix your own spackle! Pre-mixed gets the job done faster and with less mess.
Skip the plastic drop cloths (use them instead to cover furniture) and stick to canvas on the floor. It absorbs drips and can be folded in on itself easily to avoid wet paint.
For a less experienced painter, painter’s tape is key for painting crisp lines near baseboards, ceilings and trim. The pros recommend ScotchBlue, 3M and FrogTape in the two-inch size. To ensure a strong seal, go over the tape’s seam with your thumb using a slightly damp rag.
Apply painter’s tape in 2-foot lengths so it’s easy to position. Also, remember that painter’s tape shouldn’t stay on longer than a week or two, otherwise it can remove finish from flooring or be challenging to remove in general, so do it just before you paint and remove it when the paint is still damp.
Instead of covering fixtures, remove them. It saves so much time.
Don’t forget to caulk near moulding edges, around windows and doors. It closes those pesky gaps between the wall and makes the paint job look pro-level.
For hard-to-tape corners in windowpanes, dab a little petroleum jelly on the edge of the glass to prevent paint from sticking.

Use a paint tray liner to keep more expensive roller trays cleaner, longer.
Good quality brushes like a 2-inch angled brush works great for trim, and paint rollers with 24-inch extender poles will save your back.
Buy ceiling-specific paint. It’s specially formulated to help prevent drips.
If you’re working with a small container of open paint, place a thick rubber band around the exterior and position the rubber band so it sits in the middle of the open top. Use it to wipe excess paint off the brush.

Start by painting along the edges near the ceiling and the baseboard and then roll out the walls.
Bring in extra light. If you don’t have access to construction lights, use lamps without shades to show you where you missed a spot.
Never paint horizontally with your roller. Use the W method. Paint a W with your roller across a section of the wall, then fill in that section, for a thorough finish without any missed spots. You always want to slightly overlap previous stripes.
Don’t overload the roller with paint. When you press it against the wall it will fling excess paint all over the place including the floors.

Start at the top of the trim and work your way down, with a brush.
Paint the edge of the trim first and then paint the flat front of the trim.
If you make a mistake, wait till the paint dries and sand out the space from joint to joint and repaint the whole section.

If you’re not done with your paint job just yet, wrap your brush or roller in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge until the next day. The cold will keep the paint wet.
Sometimes paint gets gummy when it’s still drying. If you’re dealing with pulling while removing painter’s tape, use a utility knife along the edge of the tape to help remove it cleanly.
To remove all the paint from a brush, use a brush comb.
Storing extra paint? Start by cleaning the can edge and using a rubber mallet to close the lid. A regular hammer can dent the edges and let air inside. Then store the paint in a spot where it won’t freeze, like a climate-controlled garage or storeroom.
Give your paint job a few days to cure before you start moving furniture back in the room.
To remember what paint color you used in a room, write the brand and name of the paint on the inside of an outlet or light switch cover with a permanent marker.