Interior House Paint Safety

Painting with interior house paint can be safe to work with, as long as you heed the safety instructions on the paint and solvent cans.

Open your doors and windows and use a fan when possible. Bottom line...paint in a well-ventilated area.

However, if you can't paint in a well-ventilated area, then wear a respirator mask.

Keep your pets out of all freshly painted rooms.

If you need to use strippers, solvents and cleaning solutions, wear your gloves, respirator, and goggles. Always wear safety goggles and a dust mask when sanding.

Instead of thin plastic sheets, use canvas drop cloths. They stay in place better than the plastic sheets, which tend to slide around.

Read the safety labels on your paint and thinner cans....This safety list is NOT complete!

Keep all paints and solvents away from pets and children. Don't smoke around paint cans or solvents. Avoid open flames.

Interior House Paint - How Much?

In order to know how much interior house paint you'll need, measure the area to be painted.

Add up the width of each wall. Multiply that sum by how high your walls are.

Next to be measured are the areas covered by windows, trim, wallpaper, fireplaces, etc. Subtract their total square footage if these areas end up being more than 10% of the area you want to paint.

Divide your square footage by the spread rate listed on the paint can. The spread rate of your paint will be listed on the can.

Preparing To Paint With Interior House Paint

It can be a chore to paint your home's interior. House paint can get over everything, dust from sanding can settle on all your furnishings, and plenty of time can be wasted running around looking for the right tool at the right time. To make your painting job less of a chore, believe me, you'll ned to prepare for your work. It will save you tons of time and frustration.

Proper preparation makes painting easier, reduces the possibility of making messes and mistakes that could cost hours of tedious cleanup, and helps ensure a quality, long-lasting job. Here are a few key steps you should take when painting a room:

Clear The Room

Completely remove everything from the room...art, tables, sofas, chairs, etc. Remove any faceplates from electrical outlets and light switches. Also remove register covers.

Cover the switches and outlets themselves with masking tape.

Either mask or remove any exposed hardware on cabinetry...pulls, handles, knobs, etc.

(More to be added in a day or so...)