The first step is to gather the necessary materials. We made it easy, with our essential starter pack for you to easily shop. Otherwise, you will need: 

• Paint roller and maybe a roller extension pole
• Paint brushes
• Painters tape
• Tray for paint and maybe a trayliner  
• A putty knife, filler and sandpaper depending on the condition of the surfaces you are about to paint 
• Drop cloth or plastic covering
• A sponge, cleaning cloth, a bucket, water and mild
  detergent for cleaning
• Primer if necessary (here is an explainer for when to use primer).

 If you really want to nerd out about the details, like choosing
the correct roller, selecting the right paint brush, and applying
painters tape like a pro, we’ve prepared handy guides for those as well.

You probably want to start painting immediately, but a little preparation goes a long way:

Start by moving all furniture into the middle of the room.  

Remove all picture frames, posters, mirrors, coat racks, doorknobs, nails, screws, and anything mounted to your walls, ceilings, and doors. Place these together with the furniture. 

Cover everything with plastic cloth to ensure that your furniture will not be exposed to dust or dripping paint. 

Cover the rest of the floor with our paper cloth, to make sure paint doesn’t end up on your floors.

Check your surfaces and fill in all nail holes, cracks, and imperfections with our filler. Use a putty knife or your finger to smooth the filler. Let it dry for an hour and repeat if necessary.

Use sandpaper to smooth out the filler and any unevenness on walls, ceilings, doors, and trims.

Remember to clean all surfaces that are to be painted, including trims and woodwork, especially if anything has been sanded. Soak a cloth in water mixed with a few drops of paint cleaner, wring it out and use the damp cloth to wipe all surfaces ensuring all dust and grease is washed off. Since paint cleaner is a chemical solution, consider using protective gloves and avoid getting the mixture on skin and in eyes.

Use painters tape along all edges of the surface you are about to paint, to make sure the paint doesn’t end up in the wrong places. Make sure the tape adheres properly to the surface.

Once the prep work is done, the fun begins. You are now
ready to paint. Before you get started, read through the pro tips below. 

Consider priming

Primer is not always required but, in some cases, we do recommend using it. Read here about what primer is, how it works and when to use it.

Consider using a liner in your paint tray

Using a liner in your paint tray makes it easy to change from primer to paint, and from one paint colour to another. It also makes cleaning a lot easier.  

Start from the top 

Start by painting your ceiling. Then paint your walls. Finish off with your trims and eventually the floor. When you paint your ceiling and walls, you’ll probably splatter small drops of paint onto your trims. These will be covered if you paint the trims last.  

Paint with good light

An evening paint job with a friend and a good playlist might sound like fun. Beware of painting in low lighting, however, as you’ll probably end up with an uneven, patchy finish.

One surface—one go

Paint one surface at a time. It’s not a good idea to go for a lunch break with only a half-painted wall, as the paint will dry and leave a visible overlap when you return to it.

Breaks 

When you do need to take an extended break, be sure to wrap
your brush and roller in cling film and place the paint tray into a plastic bag. Make sure the cling film and plastic bag are airtight. This will keep your paint, brush, and roller from drying out for several hours, and up to a day or two.

Consider boxing your paint

Paint is made of natural materials, and the amount of pigment and the intensity of pigment can vary slightly with every batch. If you
have two or more containers of Blēo paint for the same surface, we recommend ‘boxing’ the paint before you get started.

Read here for how to box paint, and the reason for doing it.

Now, get ready to PAINT 

Start by cutting in: Use a paint brush to ‘cut in’, meaning painting around windows, trims, ceiling, and wall corners. When you are done cutting in the first wall, grab your roller. 

Roll in W-shapes: When you roll, start from the top of the wall and roll in W-patterns. This helps to minimise visible roller marks.

Finish one wall at a time: When you have ‘cut in’ one wall, immediately continue with the roller to paint the entire wall before continuing to the next wall. If you roll out the wall right away, while the cut-in paint is still wet, the cut-in paint and the wall paint will blend better. Consider painting a thicker border near the ceiling with your brush, to ensure your roller doesn’t hit the ceiling. 

Use the right amount of paint for your roller: Too little, and you will have to apply a lot of pressure and end up exhausted. Too much, and you will leave thick layers of paint unevenly distributed on the surface.

Paint two coats: Always paint two coats. Wait 8-10 hours between the layers. 

When you are finished painting, wait until your surfaces are dry to the touch. Then, remove the painters tape carefully.

Make sure to rinse your brushes and roller with water before they dry out. The residual water can be disposed of in the sink. If you want to be extra considerate about disposal, collect any water used for cleaning in a container and leave it out to dry in the sun. After the water evaporates, it will leave behind a thin layer of dried out paint which can be disposed of as plastic via your local waste-sorting facility. 

The cardboard box can be sorted as cardboard. And the inner plastic bag and its cap can be sorted as plastic. Both can be disposed of at your local waste-sorting facility.  

If properly closed and stored at room temperature, Blēo paint can be used for up to one year after purchase.