Jaime and Sydney Betbeze love their historic home in Mobile, Alabama, and have done a lot of work on it over the years. Their latest project is fixing up a third floor attic room for their daughter, Virginia, to use with her friends.
Drywall Repair
Before the attic room could be painted, the drywall needed to be repaired in several places.
To make the repairs, we used a quick setting powdered drywall compound (ProForm Quick Set Lite 20) that hardens in just 20 minutes when mixed with water.
To bridge large gaps or cracks, paper drywall tape was embedded in the wet compound, and covered with a second coat of drywall compound once the first coat had dried.
When the drywall compound had hardened, it was sanded smooth using a pole sander, and the walls were wiped down with a damp cloth to remove any dust.
Joints where the trim and walls meet were caulked using acrylic latex caulk. Watch our video on How to Repair Drywall to find out more.
Painting Tips and Tricks
SureSwatch clear plastic sheets (available at The Home Depot) make it easy to test paint colors without making a mess of your walls. Apply paint to the sheet, allow the paint to dry, peel off the backing, and stick the painted sheet on the wall. After you decide on the perfect color, peel the sheets off.
Mix individual gallons of the same color paint together in a five-gallon bucket using a mixing attachment on a cordless drill to eliminate any variation in color between the cans.
The Paint Brush Cover and Roller Cover are a great way to keep from having to clean your brush or roller whenever you take a break from painting. Simply place your brush or roller in the airtight, plastic container to keep paint from drying out for days or even weeks.
A low-tech option to keep brushes and rollers from drying out is to wrap them in a plastic grocery bag. To slow the drying process even more, put the bag in the refrigerator. Watch Paintbrush Cleaning Tips to find out more.
To make it easy to put your brush down when painting, attach a magnetic clip, such as the Firm Grip 2-in-1 Paint Tool (available at The Home Depot) to your paint can to hold your brush.
Painting Stripes on Walls
To create contrasting stripes on a wall:
- Prime and paint the walls all one color.
- Mark plumb lines for the stripes on the wall using a tape measure.
- Extend the lines vertically up the wall using a carpenter’s level.
- Apply painter’s tape to the wall leaving the area that will have stripes.
- Paint the wall stripes in a contrasting color.
- Carefully remove the tape from the walls while the paint is still wet.
When painting stripes on a wall, it’s important to use a quality painter’s tape, such as FrogTape, to give clean lines and ensure the contrasting color doesn’t bleed under the tape.
Paint Colors
Paint used on the walls and ceiling of the room:
- Darker Gray Walls: Sherwin Williams Repose Gray (SW 7015)
- Lighter Gray Walls: Sherwin Williams Eider White (SW 7014)
- Purple Ceiling: Sherwin Williams Ash Violet (SW 6549)
Watch Choosing Paint Colors for tips on which paint colors look best in what rooms.
Further Information
- Tips on Choosing Paint Colors (video)
- How to Paint a Room Like a Pro (article)
- Interior Painting Preparation (video)
- How to Paint Walls (video)
- How to Paint Trim (video)
Other Tips from This Episode
Simple Solutions with Joe Truini:
Paintbrush Cleaning Tip
To keep from bending the bristles on a paintbrush when cleaning the brush by soaking it in a coffee can, drill a hole through the handle of the paintbrush and suspend the brush in the can using a piece of coat hanger wire. (Watch Video)
Best New Products with Jodi Marks:
Painter’s Tape and Film Dispenser
The 3M Hand Masker M3000 Dispenser makes masking rooms for painting easy. Simply insert a roll of masking tape and a roll of masking film on the dispenser, and then roll out both tape and film in one step. The 3M Hand Masker M3000 Dispenser is available at The Home Depot. (Watch Video)
Ask Danny Lipford:
When to Prime Before Painting
Primer promotes bonding between the finish paint and the surface and hides colors or stains to prevent them from bleeding through. Always prime new wood or drywall and prime when painting over stains, knots, and dark colors. (Watch Video)
Danny, yesterday, February 14, 2015, I watched you paint this attic on TV. I live in LaPorte, IN and I was wondering if you could E-Mail me a photo of the stairs that goes to this attic. I have to remodel my stairs going to the attic, and I’m trying to figure out how to do it. The attic stairs of homeowner Sydney Betbeze flashed on TV, but I only saw part of it. I haven’t been able to locate any contractor with a fee that I can afford. Please ask someone to E-Mail me a photo of this stairway leading to the attic if you can. I sure would appreciate it. Thank you in advance for your help.
Your tips for painting stripes on the wall has been incredibly helpful. I’m repainting my home, and I’m trying out some new designs. Do you have any tips on installing wallpaper?
Alex Jennings | Interior Paint
I’ve been trying to renovate my daughter’s room. I’ve been adding new furniture and installing new light fixtures. I’m also thinking about painter her room a different color. I always struggle with getting paint on the baseboards—do you have any tips for me to avoid that?
Thanks for posting! Your painting tips are really helpful. Our home is very important to us for it is where one gets peace of mind and comfort. We need to make to choose use simple yet elegant paint which compliment your home and style.
I’m going to be painting my bedroom soon, and I know that it’s going to be pretty hard for me because I have no idea what I’m doing. That being said, I really appreciate you sharing some tips with me on things I can do to make the painting process a little easier. Thanks a ton for the help Danny. I really hope my bedroom turns out looking good.