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The short version
Interior painting is the most popular home project in 2026 — about a third of homeowners are planning it, and for good reason. A gallon of paint is the cheapest transformation in the house. The difference between a DIY job and a pro job isn’t talent, it’s prep and the right tools. Here’s the whole thing, in order.
Prep and tape
Cut in the edges
Roll the walls
Second coat
Prep and tape
Do the boring part first
Fill nail holes, sand them smooth, wipe the dust off the walls, and take the outlet covers off. Then tape. Tape is what makes the lines sharp — skip it and you’ll see every wobble.
The standard for masking trim, ceilings, and baseboards. Press the edge down firm with a putty knife so paint can’t creep under it, and pull it off while the paint is still a little tacky.
TIP — Tape stays on up to 14 days, but don’t leave it that long. A day or two, then pull it.
Cut in the edges
The brush matters more than the roller
Cutting in is painting the edges — along the ceiling, around trim, in the corners — where the roller can’t reach. This is the one place not to cheap out on the brush. A good angled sash brush holds paint, cuts a straight line, and doesn’t shed bristles into your finish.
Purdy XL Glide Paint Brush, 2-1/2 in. — about $14.50
The 2-1/2 inch angled sash brush. Every pro painter will tell you the same thing: buy the good brush, clean it right, and it’ll last you years.
Roll the walls
The right roller cover
For smooth interior drywall, you want a 3/8-inch nap. Thicker nap is for textured walls — on smooth drywall it leaves stipple. Load the roller, roll it out on the tray until it’s even, and work in a W pattern so you don’t get roller marks. Keep a wet edge — don’t let one section dry before you roll the next one next to it.
The pro pick for rolling walls without roller marks. Three covers in the pack, so you have a fresh one for the second coat.
Second coat
Don’t skip it
One coat almost never covers, especially going over a darker color or a new drywall patch. Let the first coat dry fully — check the can, usually 2 to 4 hours — then roll the second coat the same way. That’s what makes it look like a pro did it.
…Quick and to the point. Subscribe to this express blog for more tips.