It is amazing how fresh interior paint can revitalise a house. In this guide we will give you advice on how to paint interior walls and ceilings and tips on interior painting. The keys to success are patience and preparation.

Before starting a painting project or buying any materials, it is well worth your time to read fully through all steps to be sure you understand what is required.

Materials and Tools Required

Step One: Which Paint, Where?

There are two types of paint available for painting interior surfaces: water based or solvent based. Your choice depends on the area that you are painting.

Water based paints, or acrylics, are popular for most walls and ceilings. They are easy to apply, are touch dry in 20-30 minutes, can usually be re-coated in two hours and you can clean up in water.

A semi gloss or satin finish acrylic gives a hard surface in high traffic areas such as kitchens, family rooms, or children's rooms where frequent cleaning is necessary. Flat or low sheen acrylic or vinyls are commonly used for more formal, less frequented areas like dining rooms, bedrooms and lounge rooms where the matt finish suits the atmosphere.

For ceilings, the use of job specific "Ceiling Whites" are highly recommended. They are ultra flat in sheen and mask surface imperfections.

Generally, solvent based enamel paint is the toughest, giving the hard wearing surface you want for areas needing constant cleaning, such as doors, windows and furniture. Walls frequently subjected to damp atmosphere - kitchens, bathroom and laundries, may merit the extra time it takes to apply enamel. However, with advances in technology, water-based enamels are now replacing the traditional oil-based enamels.

Step Two: How Much Paint Will I Need?

For flat areas like ceilings, walls and doors, just multiply their length by their height, subtracting areas such as windows and door openings. This gives you the area to be painted.

To estimate how much paint is needed for frames of windows and glass doors, multiply their width by their height and divide by five.

Allow one litre of paint per coat for each 16 square metres to be painted. Add an extra 20% to this quantity for rough or porous surfaces.

Step Three: Collect All your Tools

Make your job easier by assembling all the tools and materials you need before you start. You don’t want to interrupt your work by having to dash off to your local Mitre 10 to buy the missing item.

Buy the best painting tools that you can afford.

Good brushes and rollers, properly looked after, will give years of service, speed up the job and give superior results.

The choice of roller sleeve depends on the surface you are painting as well as the paint you're using. For water based paints on smooth surfaces use a 10mm nap sleeve. For water based paints on rough surfaces use a 20mm or 22mm nap sleeve. For extremely rough surfaces, use a 35mm nap sleeve.

When rolling on solvent or oil-based paints, use a 6mm mohair nap sleeve or a 5mm foam sleeve.

Select a roller frame with a threaded handle if you want to fit an extension to it. This will take the backache out of reaching ceilings and high walls.

Step Four: Preparing for Painting

Preparation is the key to a good end result. It not only speeds up the finishing coats, but also lays a smooth base, ensuring a fine result.

New Surfaces

You'd be surprised at the number of blemishes and scuffs new surfaces can have. We recommend you sand them smooth, dust off and wash down with sugar soap. Prime timber surfaces before repairing any faults.

Check plaster and plasterboard for any nail depressions or cracks and overfill with an interior filler. Sand back to a smooth, even finish.

Now apply undercoat.

Painted Surfaces in Good Condition

If there is no flaking or peeling, wash down well with sugar soap to remove dirt, grease and smoke stains. If there's any mould use sugar soap, then treat with an anti-mould preparation.

Check for any cracks and overfill with interior filler. Sand to an even finish.

If the existing surface is an enamel paint, sand thoroughly to remove gloss. Now undercoat.

Painted Surfaces in Poor Condition

Scrape away flakes and blisters and then smooth with sandpaper. Touch up bare areas with an undercoat or primer. Really bad paintwork should be scraped right back to the bare surface. If you're unsure just how bad the old surface is, use the tape test. Scratch the paint and press on a small piece of masking tape. Then rip it off. If paint comes off with the tape, the surface should be totally stripped. You can use an electric hot air stripping gun (although not around window frames or you will break the glass) or chemical stripper to soften the old paint, making it easy to remove with a blade.

Then sand, wash down with sugar soap and treat as for new surfaces.

Step Five: Painting Interiors

If you are painting a whole room, move all the furniture out if possible. Protect the floor with plastic drop sheets.

Mix the paint thoroughly. Use a paint stirrer and stir from the bottom upwards (not just around) until all the paint is quite smooth.

Ceiling First
Start with the ceiling, cutting in the edges (leaving a fine edge) around the cornices (the mouldings that cover the line where the wall and ceiling join) with a brush.

Fill in the main area of the ceiling with a roller, working from the darkest corner of the room towards the light. Work in narrow strips so you clearly see where you stopped and started. Paint around ceiling light fittings, then complete the rest of that band.

The Walls
Start in a corner using a paint brush to cut into wall edges, window and door frames. Fill in the main areas using a roller, working along the wall evenly in an up and down motion. This helps you see more easily where you have stopped and started.

For window frames, doors and door frames, do the edges first, then the face, returning to the edges to lightly feather off any surplus paint with the tip of the brush.

Cleaning Up

Clean brushes and rollers using turpentine for solvent-based paints, or water for acrylic paints. For brushes, work the bristles in the turpentine or water until all paint has been flushed out. Make sure you get all the paint out of the handle, as this will increase the life of your brush. Clean rollers by flushing out under running water or by working turpentine through the nap. Then wash in warm soapy water and rinse well. Always store brushes flat or hanging up, never standing on the bristles. Set rollers on end or hang them, otherwise the nap of the roller is flattened.