Interior Wall Painting Techniques - Project Prep to How to and Do it Yourself

PROFESSIONAL NOTE: To achieve the best results from your interior paint project, apply the primer and base coat with good quality paint, brushes, rollers and application tools. You will be surprised how your interior paint project will be effortless in helping you to apply a thicker, more uniform coat of paint for a better-looking, longer-lasting paint job.

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Gather Materials and Supplies:

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Ladder

Plastic water bucket

Gloves

Rags

TSP (optional for cleaning oil and Grime)

liquid soap

Screwdriver

Drop cloths (plastic and cloth) or sheets

Blue painter's tape (with and without paper attached)

Old paintbrushes or china bristle brushes for dusting

Spackling compound

5-in-1 tool or wide blade

Latex caulk

220-grit sandpaper

Latex primer

Latex paint, eggshell or satin sheen

Plastic 2 gallon Paint Bucket

Paint tray, paint roller and 3/8" roller cover

2" - 3" Quality nylon/polyester brush

Paint Basics

Acrylic Paint?

Latex paints are not all the same. Now the term "latex" includes all water-based paints. High-performance interior paints are 100% acrylic; they have better color retention, better adhesion and, in the case of faux finishing the better choice for an undercoat than vinyl-acrylics.

Not to mention, manufacturers consider 100% acrylics to be their best products.

Which Paint for this room? How will the room be used?

In functional, high traffic rooms such as kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms, you want durability and easy maintenance first. In more decorative and romantic rooms, such as living rooms, master bedrooms and dining rooms, appearance is often the key factor. In a child's room, safety is critical."

Here is Final advice on paint quality.

When you buy paint, go for the reputable brands. Suit your choices to the project, but at the same time, "don't waste your time" or your money on low-quality paint. There are significant differences between cheap and quality paints, particularly in characteristics such as hiding and wash ability. Obviously, one-coat hiding is a major labor saver and well worth paying a premium to get the results.

Be sure not to forget to check the warrantee on the label--this gives you a fair measure of the differences between quality levels of various paints. Last but not least, you are also likely to find a wider variety in color choices with your quality paint lines.

Estimating PAINT COVERAGE

How do you determine the amount of paint you will need for a particular room?
The first step is to add the width of all walls in the room together. Multiply this sum by the height of one wall from floor to ceiling (or, the circumference of the room times the ceiling height). If you have a number of windows and doors, subtract the square footage of those openings. This final number will give you the exact area of wall space you will paint.

A flat surface usually requires one gallon for every 400 square feet (the product label will show the coverage). Take into account the number of coats you will need to do the job right and this depends on the color and the quality of the paint. Remember, it's always a good idea to have a little leftover paint for future touch-ups.
Once you've properly prepped your walls, the actual painting is easy.

Follow these steps in order, and don't skip any of them. Wait until the first coat dries before deciding
whether you need a second one.

Steps To professionally Painted Walls:

CLEAR THE ROOM

STEP ONE: When transforming the walls in your home, start by removing any furniture or obstructions from the room. Cover the floors and any remaining furnishings in the middle of the room, cover with drop cloths or plastic sheets. Next remove outlet covers, nails, and screws. Tape the screws to the outlet cover and store in separately marked plastic bags, for easy re-installation. Then tape over the outlets and light switches to prevent paint from getting on electric outlets and switches.

FIX THE WALL IMPERFECTIONS

STEP TWO: Scrape off flaking paint, repair holes and cracks with spackle with a wide blade or five-in-one tool. Feather back rough paint edges by sanding. Always fill the imperfection flush with the surface even if it means having to refill 2-3 times due to shrinkage. It is much easier to refill than to sand back too much spackling. After the spackle dries, finish by lightly sanding with a medium (220 grit sandpaper), dust off surface and then prime each repaired area with small roller. Re-caulk any spaces you find where countertops, baseboards and moldings meet the wall.

NOTE: Use protective face mask while sanding.

NOTE: If you are repainting a glossy surface, be sure to sand it so that the new paint will adhere better.

CLEAN THE ROOM

STEP THREE: Use an old paintbrush or china bristle brush to dust baseboards, trim and crown molding before taping them off (use painter's tape to protect the baseboards and moldings). Remove all dust from surfaces using a soft cloth or use a soft bristle broom to brush down new plasterboard. Paint doesn't stick to dirty walls so clean them with soap and water (or TSP and water), then rinse with clean water, changing water regularly.

NOTE: Wear rubber gloves, protective clothing and protective eye-wear.

TAPING

STEP FOUR: Use low adhesive blue painters to tape trim around ceiling, baseboards, windows and door frames. (If you do not have ceiling trim or crown molding, you must use safe release tape on bare ceiling). Tape over phone jacks, thermostats, and moldings. Remove tape immediately after painting, before the wall dries, so you don't peel off any paint with it.

PRIMING THE WALLS

STEP FIVE: If your walls are bare sheetrock or previously wallpapered surface, then you should use the recommended primer for that type of surface. Existing semi-gloss or gloss paints should be lightly sanded to a duller finish, and then proper primer for that surface. If the walls have not been painted in five years or longer a primer sealer should also be applied.

NOTE: Always work in areas from the top to bottom. Paint Ceiling first, then walls, then the trim or moldings. Always brush the edges (cutting in) first prior to rolling. When cutting in make sure you feather out the edges.

NOTE: When you begin start from a corner left to right, or right to left, according to the most comfortable starting point for you. With a pole attached to the end of the Roller, start from the center of the surface and roll the paint from the center towards the top and bottom of the wall. Roll the wall much like you would vacuum carpet, this will give you the smoothest wall. To avoid a patchy wall finish, make sure you finish the complete coat before walking away to avoid a patchy finish.

BASE COAT THE WALLS

CUTTING IN TECHNIQUE

STEP SIX: Thoroughly stir your paint with a stir stick. Then, pour the paint into a larger 2-gallon bucket for easier handling. Make sure you pour no higher than 1/3 full in your new paint container. With a 2" wide (or angle) brush, load by dipping 1/3 of the bristle length into the paint. You can remove excess paint from the brush by tapping the bristles against the inside of the bucket. Starting from the top corner of the wall, cut in approximately 3 inches around the top of the wall where the wall meets the ceiling and cut in the bottom of the wall where the wall meets the baseboard. Cut in the corners of the wall and around all window and door trim while always working from the non- paint area to the previously painted areas, smooth out the cut in by lightly brushing the tip of the bristles (tipping off) over the newly painted area, creating a feathered edge. Repeat steps until the perimeter of the walls are complete.

ROLLING THE WALL:

STEP SEVEN: You have the choice of pouring the paint into a paint tray or a 5-gallon bucket. Place an appropriate nap roller onto a roller frame. Attach an extension pole onto the roller frame. Dip roller cover completely into paint covering the entire nap area. When using a 5-gallon bucket, pour no higher than 1/3 full and use a bucket grid to offload the excess paint and to evenly distribute the paint onto the roller. When using a paint tray, offload the excess paint by rolling onto the ribbed section of the paint tray Starting at the top corner of the wall, place the evenly loaded roller approximately 3-4" away from the cut in area. Working in a 3' x 3' area, roll a "W" onto the wall.

Continue rolling from the top edge of the wall to the bottom cut in area. Back roll through the completed area prior to reloading the roller, creating a smooth uniform finish. Reload the roller as necessary. Continue applying the paint, each time starting with the "W" technique 3-4" away from the last section completed. Working from the top section of the wall and working down the wall. Always, back roll the width of the roller being used into the last section completed. Continue until your wall is completely covered.

NOTE: Paint the trim last. When the walls are completely dry, paint or touch up the moldings, the door and window frames with a two-inch angled brush.

FINISHED DEAR? CLEAN UP AFTER PAINTING

1. Carefully remove all tape from hinges, doorknobs, light switches, and trim.

2. Remove drop cloth coverings from floors, furniture and light fixtures.

NOTE: It is best to score taped areas where the tape meets the painted surface with a utility knife, to help prevent peeling when the tape is removed.

NOTE: Cloth Drop cloths should be taken outside to remove dust and debris, then folded and stored for future use. Place all disposable coverings and loose debris into the appropriate trash can.

3. Re-attach all switch plates, and outlet covers.

4. Vacuum, mop or clean the floor where coverings were removed.

5. Re-hang items to the wall such as pictures and mirrors.

6. Move furniture and rug back to its original position.

7. Replace all valuables that were removed from tabletops and cabinets.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PAINT SHEEN

The difference between paint sheens. What's in a name?

Once you choose color for your paint project, you have one more decision to make: the paint sheen! The names are: flat, eggshell, pearl, satin, semi-gloss and gloss. What does this all mean? The paint sheen refers to the gloss level or the degree of light reflected from the surface once the paint has dried. Each company has slight variations.

It is obvious to tell the difference between a flat and a high-gloss, but it's the levels in between, when and how we use each sheen that can get confusing to all of us. So, here we have listed the key factors in choosing a paint finish.

The glossier a finish, the more durable and washable it tends to be. Flat paint is great at hiding irregularities and surface imperfections. Pearl and eggshell paints are a compromise; they partially hide imperfections and are more washable than flat paints.

For painting interiors, the best choices are often flat paint for ceilings, eggshell and satin for walls and semi-gloss or gloss on doors and trim. The most popular paint sheen is satin, a good choice because it's not too shiny but cleans easier than flat and a perfect base for popular faux finishing techniques.

FLAT

Durability of Flat Paint: If you have children or pets, this paint sheen isn't the best choice for walls as it tends to show dirt and scuff marks easily. This sheen is not an easy paint to keep clean.

Where to Use Flat Paint: are great choice for areas with dents, dings and rough surface texture. This sheen is perfect for surfaces that do not have a lot of contact with human hands, such as ceilings.

Comments on Flat Paint: Although this sheen hides surface imperfections, stain removal is difficult. Use this sheen for a uniform, non-reflecting appearance.

EGGSHELL

Durability of Eggshell Paint: More durable and washable than most flat paints, but not as durable as Satin or Semi-gloss.
Where to Use Eggshell Paint: are great choice for wall surfaces in foyers, hallways, and Dining rooms. You can clean this paint sheen. Eggshell paints reflect more light than flat, but only slightly. The best way to describe paint is the reflective qualities of this sheen are similar to that of a real eggshell.

Comments on Eggshell Paint: This sheen resists stains better than flat paint and gives a more lustrous appearance offering a soft glow that warms up any room

SATIN

Durability of Satin Paint: are durable enough to stand up to most dirt, cleaning and are great for high traffic or food preparation areas.

Where to Use Satin Paint: are typically used for kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, kids' rooms and even some woodwork and trim.

Comments on Satin Paint: are not truly "shiny," but more like actual satin, in having subtle reflective qualities. This sheen adds just enough light to the walls to be called a slight "glow". Satin or semi-gloss finishes are easy to clean and are good for highlighting architectural details.

SEMI - GLOSS

Durability Of Semi-Gloss Paint: tend to be much more durable as they can be easily cleaned with most cleaning products and resist dirt and stains.

Where to Use Semi-Gloss Paint: are typically used for doors, cabinets, woodwork and trim. Many people find Semi-Gloss to be too shiny for walls though it works quite well on surfaces that are prone to get a lot of handprints

Comments on Semi-Gloss Paint: A semi-gloss reflects between 35 to 50 percent of the light that hits it. Which means it will have a much shinier appearance.

HIGH - GLOSS

Durability of High-Gloss Paint: While the high sheen allows for an easy surface to clean, any dents or dings in the paint will be very visible.

Where to Use High Gloss Paint: take extra precautions in choosing where you use this sheen. High Gloss should be limited to areas such as kitchen cabinets, banisters and railings, trim, furniture, door jambs, window sills and specialty uses. You wouldn't typically paint a wall with high-gloss paint because the reflective qualities create too much glare.

Comments on High Gloss Paint: High-Gloss reflects approximately 75%-80% of the light that hits it.

Interior Wall Painting Techniques - Project Prep to How to and Do it Yourself

Stephanie Tyree
Unique Designs and Decorative Finishes
12034 Madison Drive
Atlanta, GA 30346
http://www.designershistoricalstencils.com

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Identify Stakeholders on Your Project - Why Bother?

Stakeholder identification, a new PMBOK® Guide project management process, is most important for establishing an early foundation toward subsequent planning, executing and monitoring and control of your project communication information and achieving project success. This process should be done early in in the initiation phase of your project so that key outputs of a stakeholder register and stakeholder strategy will be used associatively in the associated project management process, also within the Project Communications Management, which is Manage Stakeholder Expectations.

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First, let's review some basic facts to understanding stakeholder management:

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- Stakeholders are those parties who may be positively or negatively impacted by the completion of the project
- Stakeholders stand to gain or lose through the success or failure of the project
- Stakeholders may possess different authority levels which will affect how they exert their influence over the project and its deliverables
- Stakeholders are affected by the outcome of the project

It is imperative to identify all people and organizations impacted by the project and subsequently documenting relevant information regarding their interests, involvements and impacts on project success. PMBOK® suggests using two inputs early in the project for stakeholder identification:

- The first one available is the output from Develop Project Charter, the only other process within the initiation process group. It is the project charter. The project charter may list customers, sponsors, executives, the project team, or public entities that are external to the performing organization participating in the project. It is recommended to hold a separate meeting with those identified in the charter and ask them if they knew of others who should be listed with stakeholder responsibilities.
- If the project is the result of procurement activity or based on an established contract, use the procurement documents to identify all parties within the contract that may be key project stakeholders. Suppliers, participating in the contract, could also be considered for the identification of project stakeholders. Using a contract make the process a little easier as the various contract interfaces should be listed.

These project charter or procurement documents stakeholders' indications may only yield a normal set of stakeholders. So, let's further define other stakeholder possibilities and what you need to know about these stakeholders. PMBOK® suggests using a stakeholder analysis tool and technique for gathering information to determine whose interests should be considered throughout the project. Stakeholder analysis helps to place definitions to stakeholders and their roles. The stakeholder analysis power grid is a classification model tool that helps you identify and plot the impact or support of each stakeholder could generate and then is used to classify them to define information to the stakeholder management strategy which is one of the outputs of this process.

What do you need to know about stakeholders? You need to know various levels of data about your identified stakeholders so you can properly manage your relationship with them and set your communications planning. Here are key things to gather:

- Who is the stakeholder by name? Don't identify any stakeholder as a class of people, such as functional manager or senior executive. Gather their name, contact information and organizational position.
- What is the nature of their stake in the project? Is it personal or professional? Identify what will they gain with success or lose with failure, by clearly stating how much and in what way. Capture their major requirement, main expectation and potential influence in the project or phase within the life cycle.
- What does the stakeholder expect from you? The best way to determine this is by having face-to-face meetings with the key stakeholders, such as clients or project sponsors. This can work out any differences between what they expect and what you believe they should reasonable expect.
- What to expect from the stakeholder? This is the flip side of the previous question. It is definitely needed to set expectations and realize that this is not telling the stakeholder what to do or how to act. If done correctly, you are providing the stakeholder with a description of the support you need.
- What are the stakeholder's watchdog priorities? This means which of the major elements of success and control the stakeholder most wants to monitor: schedule, cost, performance and/or quality.

Next, perform stakeholder classification on internal and external groups, and their roles within a project.

Internal stakeholders - Most of the key stakeholders are internal people within your organization:
- Internal customers - Normally these are people for whom you're doing the work and have a particular need that your project can address. Often, the internal customer pays for the project and therefore receives the business impact from the project deliverables.
- Project sponsor - Normally, this is not ordinarily a specific organizational position, rather it is a role played on project. The role of the project sponsor is typically a representative of upper management who has a high stake in the project outcome. This role can be invaluable for you when you face problems or issues that lie beyond your sphere of influence. The sponsor can facilitate decisions and assist with resource assignments. If a sponsor is formally identified on your project and it is large or complex, go and get one! Seek out a member of management who has a stake in the success or failure of the project. Describe to them their role and your expectations. After all, your organizational management should be quite willing to help you succeed!
- Core project team - Core team member roles often tie closely to the work to be done. In most cases, the core team is a relatively small group of people composed from the various departments of work needed to complete the project.
- Functional resource providers - Securing your resources can be dependent upon the functional, matrix or projectized type of organizational structure base of your project. In matrix organizations, you 'borrow' resources from other departments by your request to the appropriate functional manager.
- Project Manager's Supervisor - Your boss is a stakeholder has a big stake in you and your project success. Keep your boss informed at all times and protect him or her from being blindsided.
- Various support groups - These groups exist within your organization such as legal, accounting, data processing and human resources. Their role to your project is more supportive than active depending on the specific needs of your project. Remember to consider if any of these groups should have a representative on your regular core team meetings. When Y2K projects were implemented, a legal representative should have been considered to attend core team member meetings.

External stakeholders - This stakeholder group has their project stake more focused inwardly, although they are not a part of your organization.
- External customers - External customers are typically characterized by contracts.
- User groups - Consider user groups if your project is developing or producing a product that will be marketed and sold to consumers. You can ask this external stakeholder about likes, dislikes, preferences and choices, of consumers that perhaps their marketing strategy have isolated for future or a similarly produced product.
- Suppliers - Your project may require materials that must be obtained from outside vendor companies. Utilize a preferred supplier list, if your company maintains one.
- Contractors and consultants - There is only difference from the supplier role and that is that you use contractor and consultant stakeholder resources for labor and services, instead of materials. Utilize performance-based criteria and a verifiable track record when selecting these stakeholders.

Once you have performed your stakeholder analysis and created a power/interest grid, you need to complete a stakeholder register that will contain all details related to the newly identified stakeholders. Remember, at a minimum, to provide name, contact information, organizational position, role in the project, their main expectation, main requirement, and potential influence in the project, or phase in the life cycle. Last, include the stakeholder classification as either internal or external.

The remaining output is the stakeholder management strategy which defines the approach that should help gather support and minimize negative impacts of the identified stakeholders. A common way of representing the data is within a stakeholder strategy analysis matrix so that elements such as listing key stakeholders who can significantly impact the project, the level of participation desired for each identified key stakeholder and potential strategy for gaining support or reducing obstacles. Since your stakeholder management strategy can contain some data that is subjective and could be considered sensitive, be sure that you use discretion when doing your communications or sharing the data on the documents with read access or included in a shared document.

The stakeholder register and the stakeholder management strategy will be key inputs to the Plan Communications and Manage Stakeholder Expectations project management processes.

One last tip! Beware of other less-human project interfaces that can't be called stakeholders but can affect your project at least as much as any human interface. These include organizational policies, procedures, culture and politics! Good luck!

Identify Stakeholders on Your Project - Why Bother?

Mary Ann Crow, PMP
macrow@pciglobal.com

The use of the work PMBOK (R) Guide is this article is not a press release submission. This book is the standard for project management processes and is accepted for general practice within the industry. This article is submitted for an expanded view of one of their processes for project management productivity. Thank you for your review.

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Tips For A Successful Kitchen Remodeling Project

Naturally, everyone wants the best when it comes to their home since our homes serve as a haven or escape from the demands of reality, but they also reflect on our unpareil personal tastes. Simply put, our home reflects who we are. This is why many seek to decorate their homes in the latest style and trendy interiors, and a great way to keep it updated and stylish is by remodeling one part of the house. The kitchen is a great starting place since it is not only adds value to the home overall but is also one of the most popular rooms in the house getting a lot of attention socially.

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To succeed in renovating your kitchen, it would be a good idea to consider several things to help limit the overwhelming feel of such projects. It is easy to get overwhelmed in not only the planning process but the entire project from beginning to end. Take heed of the suggestions below to help ensure your kitchen remodel project is a success.

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One thing to decide upon is whether or not you will hire professionals such as plumbers, interior decorators and other workers to help with your kitchen improvements. Once you have decided you will do the project yourself (commonly known as a DIY project) or that you will hire others to do the work, you should establish a budget based upon the choice above.

Consider how you imagine your kitchen to look once the project is finished. Write those ideas and thoughts down on paper. This helps you not lose focus on the end result mid-way through the process as well as when purchasing materials you will need to make the project happen. If you need some ideas, check out http://www.kitchens.com for some of trendy ideas in kitchen design, appliances and decorating, among other useful information.

If you are doing a DIY project, be sure to check out your local Home Depot or Lowe's stores where you can find a lot of great information on supplies and project materials you might need. Of course, you can also purchase the materials there. Their staff can help guide you through the project and possibly also offer suggestions as to some of the more popular or latest designs and appliances. Before traveling to the stores, you can look at their websites (www.homedepot.com; http://www.lowes.com) for more information on what the stores have and also a rough estimate as to the cost of materials and supplies.

Finally, if you will be hiring professionals and want them to do the entire project, check out http://www.servicemagic.com where you can find local contractors, designers and interior decorators. This is a great source of information to help you locate the help you need for a successful kitchen remodeling project.

Tips For A Successful Kitchen Remodeling Project

Being really passionate about new kitchen and cabinets for kitchen, Ray Walberg is publishing quite a few web pages in the area. You can learn about his contributions on kichen cabinets and cabinets for kitchen at http://www.kitchen-cabinets-tips.com/

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