Any Surface: How to Paint {Part One}

Doors

Although common practice is to remove a door before painting, you might as well paint it in place — that way, you can paint all sides at once and won’t have to rehang it. First, remove the knobs and hardware, and mask hinges. Use an oil-base sealer and primer to lock in the original finish, then use at least two coats of semigloss or gloss paint.

Brick Fireplace Surround

First, you’ll need to clean the brick thoroughly. Use a wire brush and nonsudsy trisodium phosphate (TSP) to loosen grime. After the brick is clean, apply a primer. Use a stain-blocking primer to hide any soot stains. When choosing paint, consider that the higher the gloss, the more it will resist soot. High-temperature paints can be used on metal that’s part of the surround, but don’t paint the inside of a fireplace.

Molding

Before painting trimwork, patch holes with surfacing compound and apply caulk to fill any gaps between the wall and the molding. Paint the trim before you paint the wall, or use painter’s tape to mask off the wall. Use a primer-sealer combinationto lock in the original finish and prevent bleed-through.Use a 4-inch foam roller to apply paint to trim, then go over it with a brush to cover the edges and grooves. Paint horizontal sections of trim with horizontal strokes and vertical sections with vertical strokes. Work on each piece of molding from the bottom up.

Ceilings

It’s best to paint a room’s ceilings before you paint its walls. Use a roller with a telescoping handle and paint two coats: the first coat in the same direction as the major light source (such as a window) and a second coat perpendicular to the light. To make painting a white ceiling easier, several manufacturers offer paints that are pink or blue when applied but dry to a white finish. If you have a textured ceiling, expect to use 10-15 percent more paint.

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