What nap would you use for paint smooth interior walls? The walls are new drywall that are currently flat white or light brown. I’ve searched around and find a wide variation of suggestions from 1/4" to 3/4". Also, has anyone used microfiber rollers?
The reason I ask this is because of this solid deal.
1/4" for interior walls, I like the Purdy covers. 3/4 is more for stucco, cement, and rougher more rigid surfaces.
Microfiber is great, but doesn’t hold a ton of paint. I use 3/8" for anything with a sheen like eggshell. Flat paints I use 1/2". If you’re not a painter use 3/8" for every normal drywall paint job. Always do 2 coats and don’t use cheap paint.
Looking at those deals you’re going to want a nylon polyester brush for any latex paint. Stick to something that retails for >$10 in the way of brushes and you won’t be too frustrated when painting. There aren’t too many brush manufacturers in the US, I wonder who makes the brushes for Behr…
Wooster Lambswool rollers were raved about in a lot of reviews. Is it worth is to step up to rollers at $6 a piece when I can get the Behr for $1 each? I’m going to be paint the majority of the inside of the house.
I’ll be using Behr paint for everything. Any other suggestions on different brands?
Wooster lambskins really are awesome…for less expensive paints. The lambskins mat up when you get them into a 100% acrylic paint. Yes a $6 cover makes a huge difference over a $1 cover. You’d get a better finish and be happier with a $6 cover and $15 paint than a $1 cover with $25 paint.
How much is Behr per gallon?
Behr runs anywhere from $20-$35 depending on if you get premium plus or premium plus ultra.
Honestly in that price range you’d get a better gallon of paint from Glidden. Read up on some Behr reviews, it’s really difficult to work with. It’s drippy, sags and doesn’t level very well on trim. Don’t be fooled with the “primer” in the paint non-sense, any real paint company has had self priming paint for 10 years. 90% of the time you don’t even need to prime. Glidden was bought by akzo-nobel a year or so ago and they’ve got a really good mid-grade product. If you’re looking for a gallon in the mid $20 range, def. check out glidden.
If you’re looking to spend more a gallon come see me for the high end shit 
Interesting, thanks for the tips. I’m going to have to do some reading on Glidden.
From bottom to top, my choices would be behr, glidden, ppg, sherwin williams, then benjamin moore. stay clear of valspar, olympic, ici, dutch boy etc.
We’ve painted a bunch of rooms in our house with behr stuff. Its perfect because it’s so cheap that once you’re done you can just through all of it out. I don’t want junk cluttering up my house, so there is no way I’m buying $6 rollers and washing/storing them for future use. On the same token I’d feel bad to through out a $6 roller after ever time we painted.
I have to use the thicker roller because every room in our house has some sort of texture to it. Even though we use the cheaper stuff from behr it all came out looking good. I’d focus more on good masking tapes. You don’t want paint to bleed through them at all.
You wouldn’t think so, but even painting rooms adds up $$$ quick. Stick to the cheaper stuff and I think you’ll be happier in the long run. I think we spent maybe ~$200-250 in just painting 4 rooms and they all look great.
Spend the saved money on new fixtures, trim, or accessories. There is a lot to buy when you move into your first house. 
You’ll love it man.
What do you do when you bump a wall and scuff the paint? How do you do your touch ups? I wouldn’t suggest throwing it away, maybe store some in a small plastic jar with the information like color and product on it somewhere.
+1 on the using your leftover cash for replacing outlet and switches as well as the covers. It makes such a big difference and is cheap when you buy contractor packs of them.
I would focus more on investing in quality trim brushes. You shouldn’t need to tape off trim or inside corners…
I don’t want to spend my entire life painting a room. I want to spend 30 min taping it off, then maybe a few hours painting and another 30 min pulling the tape off and cleaning up. This isn’t a piece of artwork here it is a house (which will consequently be lived in). Chances are you’re going to nick it 2 minutes after its painted anyways lol. If you could in fact use a trim brush to paint the areas close to the trim quicker then taping off then I’d go that route. I can not do this so I’ll tape everything up.
That is exactly what I do. I have a series of smaller containers for left over paint, one tray, one roller frame and maybe 2 brushes. If I need to touch up something I will with the brush, if it is a larger area I’ll use a roller and toss it out when I’m done for easy clean up.
New switches and outlets are a must! It is also nice to install GFCI’s if they aren’t already in place. My house was built in 1994 and I replaces all my outlets and switches. Covers can make a room look great. The different metal finished ones rock, but are also ~$5 each.
Yeah, we just switched to all the “rocker” style ones, so they’re not your standard flip style. Such a big improvement, also spend the extra buck and get the no show screw covers.
These are the ones, some are in white but most are black with a nickel surround.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_189810-334-9501SG_4294858483_4294937087?productId=1054123&pl=1¤tURL=/pl_Dimmers%2Band%2BSwitches_4294858483_4294937087_?cm_cr=Electrical--Web Activity--Electrical_A1_Activity--SC_Electrical_Area1--19604_2
Yea, Ill give ya that. to each his own I suppose.
Oh I am finding that out. I’ve spent a good chunk of $ on shit and we haven’t even moved in yet! I don’t really have to do much besides paint and decorate. The first floor was stripped to the frame and redone. The current fixtures and such rock so they are staying. My big project is opening up that basement and finishing more of it off. Oh, and a bar mod of course.
just get a good “expensive” brush as ieatpaint said and you should be fine, if u take your time you shouldnt have a problem and probably wont have to tape off anything
and get an extending paint pole if you dont have one yet
ceiling first, then walls, cut in first, then roll
Agreed, an extension pole will make your job much nicer. Even a broomstick handle will work. Holding a roller by its handle is just asking for roller lines unless you’re super careful.
Thanks for the tips in here. I just dropped the first round of $ at Sherwin Williams on some paint. 2 rooms, $200. I do not know why the wife will not just let the walls in one room be one color. Oh well.
+1 on this
Also, the added leverage gives you way better coverage