Painting a room? Follow these six steps

Setting aside a few hours to fully prep your room before you start painting with the help of the painters will make your project go smoothly. First, place a cloth or plastic sheet on the floor, and remove any furniture (or cover with a plastic sheet), as well as any curtains or blinds etc. Second, use masking tape to cover electrical cover plates on switches and outlets, window hardware (such as sash locks and handles) and any doorknobs, as well as the lock at the edge of the door.

Before you open any paint tins, it’s important to make sure all your surfaces are clean and ready to be painted. If you have any gaps or cracks in your walls, ceiling or woodwork, you’ll need to fill these in using a plaster filler . These areas, as well as any woodwork, will need to be sanded down to create a smooth surface – this will help the paint to stick. Don’t forget to wipe down surfaces after sanding to remove any dust – you don't want dust or dirt getting stuck to your freshly painted walls!

When you’re ready to begin painting, start with the ceiling. That way, any paint drips will fall on to unpainted surfaces and you can easily wipe them off or paint over them later.

If you’re painting your walls and ceiling in two different colours, you’ll need to ‘cut in’ the corners to achieve a flawless finish. Follow our step-by-step guide to cutting in.

Next, it’s time to paint the walls. This is for the same reason as above – any spray or paint drips can be easily wiped off the woodwork. A clever trick is to overlap the paint a few centimetres or so over the woodwork – this will create a nice clean line when it’s time for the next step.

Finally, paint your woodwork. The trick is to start in the middle of the room and gradually work your way out, so you reduce the risk of brushing against newly painted surfaces. For example, you’re more likely to touch a doorframe on your way in and out of the room than you are to brush against a air-con unit. With this in mind, the best order to paint your woodwork is the window frame, windowsill, skirting boards and, finally, the doorframe.

Once you’ve given the paint plenty of time to dry (we recommend you follow the drying time instructions on the paint can), you can begin to move the furniture back into the room. Reattach any electrical cover plates, window hardware or door hardware you removed and re-hang your curtains and blinds. Finally, relax over a cup of coffee – you deserve it!