living room paint colors behr
whether you choose a fresh clean white or deep dramatic red, there is no easierway to transform a room, than with a new coat of behr paint. painting isan affordable way to make a big impact in your home. with the right behr products, goodpreparation and application techniques, you canachieve professional results from your behr paint project and create a look that expressesyour own personal style. which behr product you choose to achieve a fantastic interior paint finish
depends upon your needs. the www.behr.com website is the bestplace to see and learn about the latest behr painttechnology, browse all our products and find the one that's exactly rightfor your project. now, you're ready to think about color. let's get started! the right color can transform a room and behr makes it easy to find yourperfect color. behr technology can help you visualize your color before you paint. download our colorsmart app for yoursmartphone or check out
colorsmart by behr online at www.behr.com for instant color gratification. the bestway to determine whether a color is right for your room; is to paint a small swatch on your wall so you can view the color in the exact space and lighting conditions. behr's 8-ounce color samples are agreat way to try several different colors in your home, before making a choice. no matter howyou find your color, we invite you to join the behr colorconversation online
through facebook, twitter or ourcolor blog www.colorfullybehr.com. after you've selected a color, you've got to figure out how much to buy. it's important to purchase enough paintto complete your project, without a large amount of leftover product. to estimate the amount of paint needed for your project; follow the steps in this section or visit www.behr.com to use the handypaint calculator. one gallon of behr interior paint isenough to cover up to 400 square feet of surface area, you may require more paint if you're painting a porous surface, a rough or textured surface, an unpainted surface
or making a dramatic color change, such as changing a white wall to a deep or vibrant color. choosing a deep or intense color may require multiple coats or the use ofa tinted primer. behr colors that require a tinted primeror multiple coats are marked with a symbol on thecolor chip. you may require less paint if you are painting a smooth surface, aprimed or sealed surface; if you are not making a dramatic colorchange or have a room with many unpaintable features on the wall, such as,window panes.
please note that specialty behr products such as, texture paint or faux finishes, haveunique application techniques and will require different amounts of product. consult the back of the label, for specifics. to estimate the size ofyour ceiling area, first, measure the width of your room. this ceiling is 12-feet wide. next, measure the length of your room, this room is 10-feet long. to determine the totalceiling area, multiply the width and lengthmeasurements. 12-feet wide times
10-feet long is 120 square feet. so, one gallon would be enough to puttwo coats on the ceiling. to estimate the size of your wall area; first measure the perimeter of the entire room. this room has four walls that are 10-feet long and 12-feet wide, that's 44-feet. next, measure the height your wall, this oneis 10 feet. to determine the total area, multiply theperimeter measurement by the height of your room. in this example, the 44-foot perimeter
times the 10-foot wall height equals 440square feet. an average window is 15 square feet and an average door is 20-square feet you can subtract doorways and windows from your wall area calculation for a more accurate estimate. to calculate the amount of paint fortrim, first, measure the total length of trim forall expanses of baseboard, door, window trim and molding. if you are painting the trim the same color; add all the lengths of trim for yourentire room for a total length. for example, you might have92-feet
trim of various types. one estimate of trim width is sixinches wide or half a foot. your trim may be wideror narrower, but this will provide a rough estimate.multiply your total trim length by 0.5-feet. in this room, there's approximately 46 square feetof trim. we'll need one quart of paint, to put one coat, on the trim. this should giveyou all the information you need, for determining how much paint to buy. remember, you can also use our online paint calculator
on www.behr.com. when choosing a paint sheen, think about the room you are painting. in general, lower sheen paints are thebest choice for minimizing surface imperfections, while high sheen paints, are best for areassubject to high-traffic, high moisture or repeated washing. flat is a low sheen paint, with a non-reflective matteappearance, that's ideal for low traffic areas and ceilings. flat enamel has a lowluster appearance
and is great for low to moderatetraffic areas, such as, bedrooms. eggshell has a soft velvety appearance and is a good choice for moderatetraffic areas; for example, living rooms. choose satin paint if you like a pearllike appearance and are painting moderate to hightraffic areas or areas that have some exposure to moisture, like kitchens. semi-gloss is a higher sheenpaint, with a radiant sleek appearance that isgood for high traffic and high moisture areas
such as kitchens and bathrooms, as wellas, trim. high gloss paint has a shiny glass-likeappearance that is ideal for high use surfaces, such as doors andtrim. if you're using semi-gloss or highgloss paint, apply multiple thin coats rather thanone thick coat to achieve the smoothest finish. these recommendations are for surfaces other than floors. floors need paintthat is specially formulated. so if you are painting a floor, check outbehr's porch
patio & floor paint. a handy sheen guide is available on the behr color displayin the home depot. so you can see an example before you choose. having the right supplies at the startof a painting project saves a lot of time. brushes should behigh-quality nylon and polyester for behr's water-based finishes. choose 3/8" to 1/2" inch roller covers for smooth orsemi-smooth surfaces
and 1/2" inch or higher for medium torough surfaces. use only high quality, lint free rollercovers to avoid shedding loose fibers that could embed in your paint finish. in general, smaller nap rollers leave a smoother finish and a thinner film, which is preferred forhigher sheens. you also need a roller frame, bucket and bucket grid, caulk and a caulking gun for filling gaps, seams and tiny holes; especially around doorsand windows,
cleaning rags, drop cloths, a ladder masking paper; approximately one roll of painters tape for every two gallons of paint, a paint tray and liners, an extension pole, patching material to fill small holesand cracks, protective apparel, a putty knife, stir sticks, a can opener, trash bags sandpaper for sanding shiny areas orsmooth and rough spots, a scraper for removing loose or peelingpaint, a screwdriver, a scrub brush and sponges. you'll find a checklist of items in the behr how-to interior: quick start guide.
after bringing paint home, protect it from extreme temperatures. do not leave it in your vehicle or outside for an extendedperiod of time; especially in very cold weather. to prepare your room for painting, create a workspace by removing items,such as, area rugs and furniture from the project area. if removal offurniture is not possible, place the items in the center of theroom and protect with drop cloths. next, remove what you can, such as
outlet covers, doorknobs, pictures, hooksand nails. when removing items that have screws,tape the screws to the back of the object to avoid losing the small parts duringyour project. when possible, removing a door from its hinges willmake painting and drying a much easier experience. protect what youcan't remove with coverings, such as, plastic sheeting and maskingpaper. now it's time to make repairs and clean. if you have cracks and smallholes,
first, remove any dust or debris from thearea. then apply patching material to theaffected area and allow the patching material to drycompletely. sand the finished area, blending evenlywith the surface. for peeling paint, scrape the area with awire brush or scraper to remove all of the loose paint. then, sand the finished area blending evenly with the surface andremove any dust with a lightly, water-dampened rag. if you need torepair gaps and seams; remove any dust and debris, applycaulking to the area
and allow to dry completely beforepainting. on glossy surfaces, such as gloss paint and metals; scuff sand or etch the area to provide proper product adhesion. a properly scuff sanded surface is no longer shiny. then, remove dust, cobwebs and dry loose material with adamp rag. for oils, grease, wax and stains, apply a mild detergent with a spongeonto a lightly dampened surface rinse with clean water and allow todry. and, if you have mildew; use a mildewstain remover as recommended.
be sure to remove all residue and allow to thoroughly dry before painting. after you have finished preparing the surface; you are ready to protect with painter's tape. painter's tape is great for protectingareas, such as trim and transition edges. when taping, select a painter's tape specificallydesigned for your surface type. check for specific use instructions andtips on the tape manufacturer's website because using the wrong tape may damageyour paint surface. make certain the surface you are tapingis properly prepared
clean and dry. tear off sections of tape thatare no longer than the length of your arm. make sure the tape is straight, then, lay the tape on the surface andpress firmly into the surface's nooks and crannies as you go. avoid stretching the tape. use a puttyknife, mini scraper or your finger to removeany air bubbles and seal the tape edge firmly to thesurface. textured surfaces may require extra time to seal. there's a techniquefor removing painters tape that we'll
cover later when we discuss cleaning up after yourproject. if you're using a separate primer, you can apply it now. when everything's clean, protected and if necessary primed; you're ready topaint. paint the room surfaces in this order:first the ceiling, followed by walls, windows, doors and finally trim. start with behr paintthat has been stirred
so any color that may have settled iscompletely incorporated. when painting with a brush, it's all inthe technique. begin by using a brush that has water-dampened bristles. dip the brush into the paint to aboutone-third of the total length of the bristles; remove the brush and dab iton the tray or the inside of the can or bucket a few times to remove excess paint. don't wipe the brush against the rim of the can, it will fill with paint and make openingand closing the lid messy and difficult. repeat this at least twiceto make certain the bristles have taken
up the proper amount of paint. if the brush is properly loaded, youshould be able to move the brush without too many drips. to apply thepaint, position the brush to the paintedsurface vertically, using the narrow edge of the brush as a guide. ideally, you want to use thenarrow edge as you would a pencil. a brush with anangled sash works best for cut-ins. apply paint in a straight line and move at a pace that would prevent the paint from dripping below the brush.
use enough pressure on the surface toensure control of your painted line but don't press hard. the bristles shouldflex slightly as you paint. work in strokes 12inches or longer, avoid stopping and starting in themiddle of stroke lengths. when painting vertically, work from topto bottom. once the brush starts to stick or skip,which is called chatter, stop and reload your brush. after applying your straight line holding the brush vertically, turn the brush 90 degrees to gentlysmooth out your paint line
with the wide edge of the brush. do notbrush back into any painted surface more than a couple of minutes after applying it. to avoid hard edgesfrom paint lines, gently smooth out or feather edges withthe brush. maintain a wet edge when painting asurface. make certain the outside edge of the paint does not dry; so it can be joined tothe next painted area.. this technique is used to avoid linesresulting from a hard stop in the coating. when painting with a roller,
first remove any lint, by lightlypressing painters tape on the roller cover. then, lightlydampen the roller and remove any excess moisture with apaper towel. next, roll the roller cover into the deepend of the paint tray. do this several times to cover theentire surface of the roller cover with paint. roll off excess paint onto theshallow end the paint tray. perform this procedure several times toensure the roller cover is entirely saturated with paint. aproperly loaded roller should not drip when moved and does not require you toapply force against a surface when
painting. the first surface you should paint, is the ceiling. to paint the ceiling, workcontinuously around the perimeter of the room and cut in to 3-4 inch wide area at thecorners with a paintbrush. smooth out the cut-in area, by lightlybrushing the tip of the bristles over the newly paintedarea, to create a feathered edge. then, place a loaded roller in thecorner of the room, approximately three to four inches awayfrom the area you just cut-in. roll in one directiontoward the opposite side of the room
in parallel lines; do not roll directlyover your head, instead, roll in a direction towardyourself. roll the first coat in a straight line pattern working quickly and continuously until theentire surface is coated. do not roll in a w or v pattern on theceiling. allow the first coat to dry completely, before determining whether asecond coat is necessary. if the second coat is needed, apply theadditional coat all in one direction; perpendicular tothe first coat, working quickly and continuously, until the entiresurface is coated.
to paint a wall with a roller, start atthe top corner of the project area, where you have cut-in a 3-4 inchwide area around the perimeter with a brush. remember to smooth out the cut-in areaby lightly brushing the tip of the bristles over the newly painted area, to create afeathered edge. place a loaded roller approximatelythree to four inches away from the area you just cut-in. working in a three bythree area; roll a w onto the wall, this willhelp place an
even distribution of paint onto the wall.the w, should not be any wider than one armlength, which is typically 24 to 32 inches. continue rolling from the top edge of the surface to the bottom. using the w technique, repeat until thewall is completely covered. if you need to stop or break during yourpaint job, stop at a natural break in the wall, such as the corner of your room or at a window edge. do not apply excessive pressure to a surface to try to squeezemore paint out, this can result in hard roller lines,drips or sags.
instead, reload the roller as describedpreviously; let the tools do the work, apply onlyenough pressure on the surface as necessary to deliver paint. as your project progresses, boxing ormixing your paint avoids slight color differences from canto can. when you're nearing the end of one container of paint, find a natural break in your project,such as a corner or the end of a section of trim. opena second container and mix it into the paint
from the first container. stir well; thiswill ensure that minute color differences due to tinting will not be detectable in your finishedproject. accidents sometimes happen, clean spills and drips using a damp clothand a little soap while the paint is still wet. if you havea drip on a painted surface that's still wet, you can feather it out using your brushor gently roll over the drip with your roller. if drips are dried; youmay have to scrape the drip off and touch up the spot with fresh paint. do not pull the drip,
instead, scrape and sand the area. avoid leaving hard lines for touch upsby feathering out the wet edges with a brush. window casings, doors and trim are most often painted with highersheens because the glossier paints are the most durable and the sheen highlights architecturalfeatures. to paint trim, start at the corner and brush the paintonto the trim area; reload the brush approximately everytwelve inches.
repeat these steps until all the trim areais complete. for doors, use a brush for painting insmall panels. you can use a brush over the entiresurface to avoid the appearance of roller stipple. for panel doors andframes use panel bordering as natural breakpoints, cutting around edges and filling in the middle. as with walls,work on the door from top to bottom. allow enough time for the paint to dryfully, before putting doors and windows backinto use; otherwise, they will stick together.
when you are finished painting; you can carefully pull up the painter's tape before the paint has dried completely, if you are using water-based paint.remove tape using moderate speed and pull the tape back over itself,regrasp the tape, so that you are not more than 12 inches awayfrom the pull. if your paint has completely dried and the tape begins to lift the paint, gently score the top edge with a utility knife
to release the film before pullingfurther. if possible, you should allow your painted bathroom to dry and curefor three days before subjecting it to high moisture, such as the use of a shower. the moretime you allow your paint to dry in high moisture areas before use, the less likely you are to encountercolor bleed or a tacky surface. when you're finished painting, propercleaning and storage will extend the life of your tools.
for latex or water-based paints, clean with soap and lots of warm water. for oil-basedproducts, clean with mineral spirits. use a paintcomb to clean the bristles of your brush. after cleaning, always shake out excess water from yourbrushes and squeeze and shake your roller dry. hang the brush by the handle to allowwater to drain down and out of the metal portion. once the paint is fully dry, carefully remove all protectivecoverings from the project area
and reattach items, such as lightfixtures and outlet covers. before storing leftover paint, clean theoutside edge and interior rim of the paint can. do not let your paint freeze. store leftoverproducts in a dry location avoiding extreme temperatures. contact your household refuse collectionservice to dispose of empty containers and unused product. tomaintain your beautiful interior, you may wash the walls afterapproximately four weeks or when the paint has fully cured. keepin mind, that some detergents;
especially detergents with abrasives maydamage the paint finish. a mild non-abrasive soap and watersolution rinsed with clean water is recommendedfor cleaning your walls. when cleaning, use light pressure toavoid creating shiny spots, called burnishing. now, step back andenjoy your new interior! the best results come from the highestquality products. good. better. behr.