Want to save big money and improve the quality of your life?  Paint a room in your home.  It takes less time than you think to do it right.  Getting a room painted can cost several hundred dollars.  DIYers can do it for well under $100. 

In DIY: How to Paint a Room Like a Pro (Part I), I covered doing the ceiling-- they are pretty easy.  Here in Part II will cover the walls.  Part III will cover the trim.

Here's what you need (Some items are one time purchases):

• 2-3 9x12 drop clothes (old sheets will do)
• 1 disposable roller, pan, and brush kit
• 3 disposable pan liners
• 1 6' stick for the roller
• 2 extra roller covers
• 1 3-brush set (will likely include 1", 2", and 3" brushes)
• 1 border paint pad
• 1 container of spackle
• 1 3-putty knife set
• 2 sandpaper pads (course and fine)
• 1 roll of 1" painter's tape
• 6 rags
• 1 painter's cap
• 3 pairs of gloves
• 3 dust masks
• 1 caulk gun and caulk
• 1 gallon of primer
• 1-2 gallons of paint
• 1 can of Oops
• 1 step ladder

Here is what to do:

• Move furniture into the center of the room if needed
• Cover furniture and floor
• Use putty knives and spackle to fill holes and cracks
• Let dry for 1-2 hours
• Gently sand spackle areas smooth-- start with course and switch to fine
• Use roller to apply primer over any area that was spackled or stained
• Allow to dry for 1 hour
• If I am doing a radical color change I will usually use a tinted primer coat otherwise a quick coat of primer makes for a good professional job
• Use the border paint pad or 3" brush to apply paint to the point where the walls and ceiling meet (the trick is to be real careful where the walls and ceiling meet-- you don't want to run your ceiling paint job)-- you are making a "frame"
• Use the roller on a stick to start rolling paint on the walls-- work in one direction and go up and down on the narrow
• Work one wall at a time and apply paint in 4x4 foot sections at a time
• Work quickly check from different angles to be sure you are covering everything
• Allow to dry 4-8 hours and store tray with roller in a plastic bag that is tied or taped shut to hold in moisture
• With walls it usually pays to do a quick second coat especially if you are doing a color change
• When dry-- check there are no "misses" if so do touch ups
• You are done

Now you are ready for Part III . . .

[I have a painting project planned for later in the summer-- I will add pictures to this post at that time.]

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How To . . . Posts Revisited
My DIY Projects and Savings
The Turn of the Screw and Must Have Basic Tools