Flooring, Molding, and Walls

Before painting trimwork, patch holes with surfacing compound and apply caulk to fill any gaps between the wall and the molding. Paint the trim before you paint the wall, or use painter's tape to mask off the wall. Use a primer/sealer to lock in the original finish and prevent bleed-through.

A 3-inch angled sash brush is a good choice for painting windows or cutting in edges. Hirsch recommends using a 4-inch foam roller to apply paint to trim, then going over it with a brush to cover the edges and grooves. Paint horizontal sections of trim with horizontal strokes and vertical sections with vertical strokes. Work on each piece of molding from the bottom up.

 

To paint a wood floor, clean and sand the surface (filling any cracks with wood filler), then apply an oil-base sealer. You can use either oil-base or latex paint. Alkyd or modified epoxy latex porch and floor paint is a good choice for high-traffic areas. A polyurethane coating (a type of varnish) will help protect painted floors. Hirsch recommends water-base varnish because oil-base varnishes yellow over time.

Use a roller with a long handle to cover large floor areas, although a brush is fine for small areas. Remember to plan your escape route: Start in a corner and work toward your exit to avoid stepping on wet paint.

To paint a concrete floor, you'll need to use a hydrodynamic sealer. This special latex polymer reacts with the water in the concrete and the lime in the portland cement to seal the surface and keep moisture away from the paint. You can then apply a special masonry paint designed for floors. Santos says you can paint a vinyl floor, but he doesn't recommend it, except as a quick, temporary fix. And carpet? Just say no.

To determine whether paneling is wood or a photographic imitation, pry off the baseboard and try to bend the paneling. If it bends, it's plastic or photographic paneling and you'll need to paint rather than refinish it.

Before you paint, make sure the paneling is secured to the wall studs. Also decide whether you want a smooth surface or don't mind seeing grooves between the panels. Either way, you'll need to clean and sand the surface and then apply an oil-base sealer. Filling in the grooves involves multiple steps, which include applying several coats of exterior-grade surfacing compound and sealer, and sanding between coats.

 

Before painting walls, wash them with TSP and repair any cracks or holes. If your house was just built and your walls have not been painted before, it's a good idea to apply a wallboard sealer before painting. For old drywall and plaster, a stain-blocking primer can help hide water stains or crayon marks. Although it's tempting to apply only one coat of paint, resist the urge. "Two or three coats are better than trying to get a ton of paint on the wall the first time," Hirsch says.

It's best to remove wallpaper before painting. If you don't have time to take the wallpaper down, use an oil-base primer. Water-base latex primers will moisten the paper, creating air pockets and bubbles in the paint, Hirsch says.

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