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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:

  1. Prime and paint the walls all one color.
  2. Mark plumb lines for the stripes on the wall using a tape measure.
  3. Extend the lines vertically up the wall using a carpenter’s level.
  4. Apply painter’s tape to the wall leaving the area that will have stripes.
  5. Paint the wall stripes in a contrasting color.
  6. 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


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)

Editorial Contributors
avatar for Danny Lipford

Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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