Painting a Living Room/Family Room

Woodwork and Molding

Proper preparation is critical when painting woodwork —the touch ups you do here will create the smooth surface you seek once it is painted.

• Fill in dents and rebuild chipped corners with wood filler.
• Use patching compound on scratches and smaller cracks.
• Sand the dry surface with 180-grit sandpaper and wipe away the dust.
• Use a hand vacuum with a brush attachment to clean dust and debris from woodwork and door frames.

Tip: With contoured or intricate trim or molding, use a sanding sponge rather than sandpaper. The sponge gets at places the paper can’t reach, resulting in a more uniformly smooth surface.

Bare woodwork: Use a latex or oil-based specialty primer that is formulated to block stains.

Glossy Painted Surfaces

Prime your glossy surfaces to promote adhesion of the top coat.

There are three ways to prime a glossy surface:

1. Use a latex or oil-based primer formulated for glossy surface adhesion.
2. Use a liquid deglosser, following all label instructions.
3. Scuff the surface with 180-grit sandpaper. The scuffing will help the new paint adhere better. Before painting, wash the surface with trisodium phosphate (TSP) or substitute according to the manufacturer’s instructions; rinse with water and let dry.

“Cutting in” is a technique that helps you achieve clean lines at the corners and edges. Using an angled 2″ trim brush, make a series of short strokes away from the edges where the walls or ceiling and wall meet. Work in 3-foot sections so you maintain a wet edge.

Tip: Paint pads make cutting in around door and window frames a cinch!
They save time and deliver a reliably uniform edge. Keep the wheels very
clean to prevent marking the wall, and work in 3-foot sections to
maintain a wet edge.

Priming Stained Surfaces

Stained walls and ceilings need primer to lock the stain from migrating to your top coat. Some woods naturally bleed tannins, which are natural color compounds in wood. Smoke and water can also leave stains, which will come through the top coat no matter how many coats you apply. Select a stain-blocking primer that is best for the type of stain, either an oil-based or latex-based product.

Spot Priming

If you’ve sanded down to a bare surface, you will need to prime those spots. For some stains, spot priming is the best way to save time and lock in the stain from migrating to the topcoat. Don’t forget to feather-sand edges so the topcoat applies evenly.

Priming Glossy Surfaces

Prime glossy surfaces to promote adhesion of the topcoat.

There are three ways to prime a glossy surface:

1. Use a latex or oil-based primer formulated for glossy surface adhesion.
2. Use a liquid deglosser such as Prepaint, following all label instructions.
3. Go over the surface with 180-grit sandpaper. The scuffing will help the new paint adhere. Before painting, wash the surface with TSP and water according to the manufacturer’s instructions; rinse with water and let dry.

Learn more about multi-purpose primers.

Dramatic Color Changes

You can achieve a professional result with dramatic color changes when you use the right primer. Use a “high-hiding” primer if you want to paint a light color over a dark color.

Learn more about high-hiding primers.

Latex Paint

To remove excess paint, scrape the tool thoroughly or wipe it across cardboard or newspaper.

If you are removing latex paint, partially fill a sink with warm water and roll the applicator back and forth. You can also remove paint in a bucket of water. If necessary, add detergent to remove partially dried material. Rinse the roller until the water is clear. Let dry.

Spin the roller to release excess moisture and then place it in a clean plastic bag (food storage bags work great).

Oil-Based Paint (Alkyd)

To remove excess paint, scrape the tool thoroughly or wipe it across cardboard or newspaper.

For oil-based paint, roll the applicator in a paint tray containing mineral spirits (petroleum distillate) or paint thinner. Next, wash the roller in soapy water. Rinse thoroughly and let dry.

Spin the roller to release excess moisture and then place it in a clean plastic bag (food storage bags work great).

Latex Paint

If you used latex paint, remove the excess paint in a bucket or container while the paint is still wet. It is much more difficult to remove dried paint with soap and water —if necessary, use a brush comb to remove it. Wash off the remaining paint under running water.

If you’re going to use the brush again within a day, suspend the brush in a coffee can full of water making sure the bristles don’t touch the bottom of the can. You don’t want a brush with bent bristles. For long-term storage, hang brushes from a hook.

Alkyd/Oil Paint

Oil-based paint should be removed in a bucket or container with mineral spirits (petroleum distillate), rinsed in tap water and then washed with soapy water. Rinse the brush until the water runs clear. Keep alkyd paint containers closed when not in use. Do not transfer contents to other containers for storage or disposal. In case of spillage, absorb with an inert material such as sand or kitty litter. Dispose of contaminated absorbent, container and/or unused contents in accordance with local, state and federal regulations.

Store It

First, prepare your paint for storage. Label the paint can lid with the color and location where the paint was used. To properly store your paint, make sure you tightly seal the can. First, wipe away any excess paint from the rim. Then cover the can opening with plastic wrap. Put the lid securely in place and tap it down with a mallet. Store the can upside down. If the can is leaking, place it in a leak-proof container.

Store paint where temperatures are moderate. Temperature extremes can negatively affect paint and make it unusable. Never allow paint to freeze.

Quick reference your stored cans by brushing a small amount of paint onto the outside surface (body of can or lid) and writing the color name and number in permanent ink. You can also identify the room or wall that was painted with that color.

You may also want to create and save a file on your computer of the paints you have placed in storage; that way, if someone tosses it by mistake, you still have the information at your fingertips.

Keep paint in a safe location, away from children and pets.

Paint Disposal

Proper paint disposal contributes to a more efficient use of our landfills and, ultimately, safer groundwater and soil. We recommend the following tips:

• Check local ordinances and waste hauler regulations.
• Read paint can instructions for proper disposal.
• Get rid of properly dried latex in your regular household trash; however, follow these steps prior to disposal:
• Cans with leftover paint should be left open so that the paint dries before disposal.
• Make sure you place the drying cans in a well ventilated area. Cans with less than a quarter of the paint remaining will require a few days of drying time. Cans with larger amounts will take about a week.
• You can also add shredded newspaper, sand, sawdust, cat litter or solidifier to the paint, which will absorb the excess paint. These materials also work well in stopping paint spills from spreading on most surfaces.
• Another solution is to punch holes in the top of the can and then place it in a dry area for a couple of weeks.
• When the cans are ready to be thrown out, make sure the lids have been removed to let waste haulers know the paint is dry.

NOTE: Oil-based paints, varnish or paint thinners are considered hazardous waste. Check with your municipality about any local ordinances and read label instructions before disposal —Another good reason why you never want to spill paint on the back of your paint can label. Only dispose through your locally designated household hazardous waste program. To locate a recycling facility in your area, you can visit earth911.com and search their database. They also offer a toll-free, bilingual resource at 1-800-Cleanup.

Recycling

The Valspar Corporation takes environmental sustainability and responsibility seriously. For instance, we’re doing our part both in how we formulate and how we manufacture our paints. In addition, we have saved over a million gallons of water usage in our latex plant operations through optimization and reuse programs.

Recycling metal and plastic paint cans should always be considered to reduce landfill usage. Paint cans should be thoroughly clean and dry. Metal cans are recyclable. Plastic cans may be recyclable, if your waste hauler accepts them. Check your local ordinances or with your waste hauler to see what is allowed.

Tool Tips

Good painting tools can be reused many times —saving you money and time spent shopping for new tools, as well as helping the environment by generating less waste.

• Rollers:
• To reuse a roller the next day, place it in a plastic bag for storage to prevent it from drying out.
• With latex paint, partially fill a sink with warm water and roll the applicator back and forth. You can also remove paint in a bucket of water. If necessary, use detergent with the water to remove difficult paint. Rinse the roller until the water is clear. Let dry.
• For oil-based paint, roll the applicator in a paint tray containing mineral spirits (petroleum distillate) or paint thinner. Then wash the roller in soapy water. Rinse thoroughly and let dry.
• Spin out the excess moisture and place rollers into clean plastic bags, such as food storage bags.
• Brushes:
• With latex paint, remove most of the excess in a bucket or container while the paint is still wet. It is much more difficult to remove dried paint with soap and water. Wash off the remaining paint under running water.
• Oil-based paint should be removed in a bucket or container with mineral spirits (petroleum distillate), rinsed in tap water and then washed with soapy water. Rinse once more.
• Moist paint brushes can be wrapped in wax paper and sealed with a rubber band or aluminum foil to retain their shape. Hang the brush upside down to maintain its shape.
• DANGER: A spontaneous combustion hazard exists when cleaning up after using products that contain drying oils, such as linseed oil or tung oil. Rags, steel wool, sanding dust or waste soaked with oil-based products may spontaneously catch fire if improperly discarded. Immediately after each use, place rags, steel wool, sanding dust or waste in a sealed, water-filled metal container.
• Other Tools:
• Follow the directions on the paint label for tools used.
• Applying the excess paint to cardboard or newspaper, or carefully scraping the tool, should remove excess paint.