Property How to paint a room
Decorating · Beginner
How to paint a room
Affiliate disclosure: This guide contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products that are genuinely useful for the job. Prices were checked on 14 November 2026 and may change. Shop links go to a product search on a local store for your country. Until a tracking tag is in place they are ordinary store links, not tracking URLs. See our full disclosure.
A fresh coat of paint is one of the most satisfying DIY jobs you can do, and you do not need to be an expert to get a tidy finish. This guide walks you through painting a typical UK bedroom or living room: walls, ceiling and woodwork, at a weekend pace, with a clear shopping list so you can buy what you need in one go.
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At a glance
Your call
Go or no?
Fancy doing it yourself this weekend, or would you rather call in a decorator? There’s no wrong answer.
Right then. Here’s the kit, then the steps. Take it at a weekend pace.
No problem. We’ll show you how to find a local decorator — and traders can advertise a featured spot on this page.
Shop the full kit
You can buy each item separately below, or start with a ready-made roller and brush set and add the paint and prep bits around it. Typical UK prices are shown so you can budget before you shop. The “Cheapest store link” column will show live shop links once they are added — do not treat the named stores as the only option.
All-in-one kit
If you do not already own brushes and rollers, a boxed decorating set saves time and usually costs less than buying every tool loose.
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A Harris or GoodHome roller and brush set from B&Q or Amazon UK — check price. Look for a set with a 9-inch roller, tray, a couple of brushes and, ideally, an extension pole. We are not linking to Screwfix, as that UK affiliate programme is closed to new applicants.
- GoodHome Interior Decorating set, 8 pieces — £8 at B&Q (listed at this price but showing as out of stock when checked on 14 November 2026).
You will still need paint, filler, sugar soap and (if you do not have one) a small step ladder.
Free printable
Get a painting checklist
Tick off prep, tools and each coat as you go. We’ll email you the PDF once this is live.
Before you start
A little preparation makes far more difference than an expensive tin of paint.
Safety
- Open windows and keep the room ventilated, especially while cleaning and while paint is drying.
- Use a proper step ladder on a firm, level floor. Do not stand on the sofa, a dining chair or a pile of boxes.
- If you plan to take down light fittings or switch plates, stop. Leave fittings in place and paint carefully around them, or get a qualified electrician to remove and refit them. Do not attempt electrical work yourself.
- Wear old clothes, and consider gloves and safety glasses when using sugar soap or sanding filler.
- Keep children and pets out of the room until the paint is dry and the ladder is put away.
- Check the tin for drying times and any ventilation advice. Do not paint if the room is very cold (many emulsions should not be applied below about 5–10°C — follow the tin).
Prep that is worth doing
- Move out as much furniture as you can. Push anything left in the middle of the room and cover it.
- Take down curtains, blinds and wall hangings.
- Fill holes and cracks and let the filler dry fully, then sand it smooth.
- Wash the walls with sugar soap to remove grease and dust, then let them dry.
- If the walls are new plaster, you need a mist coat (watered-down emulsion or a plaster sealer) before your colour coats. Ordinary paint on bare plaster can flake.
- If you are covering a dark colour, gloss, stains or stains that have bled through, use a primer or an extra coat rather than hoping two coats of emulsion will hide everything.
Tools and materials
Prices below are typical UK shelf or website prices, checked on 14 November 2026, and include VAT as shown by the retailer. Offers change, so treat these as a guide and follow the live link when shopping. Where a reliable current price was not confirmed, the cell says “check price”.
| Item | Why you need it | Typical UK price range | Cheapest store link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt emulsion, 5L (walls and ceiling) | One 5L tin is usually enough for two coats on the walls of a typical 3m × 4m bedroom. Dulux quotes about 13m² per litre. Buy a second tin if you are also painting the ceiling in the same colour, or if you are covering a dark shade. | £30–£40 for Dulux Matt 5L at Wickes (often £30 on offer, £40 regular). Budget option: Crown Matt Pure Brilliant White 10L at Wickes, £17 regular or £11 on offer. Dulux Pure Brilliant White Matt 2.5L was £20 at B&Q. | |
| Tester pots of your shortlisted colours | Paint a patch, or better, a large piece of paper, and look at it in morning and evening light before you commit to a big tin. | check price | |
| Woodwork paint, 750ml (eggshell or satinwood) | For skirting boards, door frames and window sills. Water-based quick-dry eggshell is easier for beginners than traditional gloss. A 750ml tin is usually enough for one room’s woodwork. | £23 for Dulux Quick Dry Eggshell Pure Brilliant White 750ml at Wickes. A 2.5L tin of the same paint was £34 at Wickes, or £23 for Wickes’ own-brand 2.5L. | |
| Primer or undercoat, 2.5L (only if needed) | Use on bare wood, stained patches, or when going from a very dark wall to a light colour. Not always needed on walls that are already in sound, similar-coloured emulsion. | £23 for GoodHome Universal White Multi-surface Primer & undercoat 2.5L at B&Q. | |
| Ready-mixed filler, 1kg, and filling knives | Fills holes from old picture hooks, cracks and dents so they do not show through the new paint. | £5.75 for Wickes All Purpose Ready Mixed Filler 1kg; £8.70 for Polycell Polyfilla 1kg at Wickes. A pack of 3 filling knives was £4.50 at Wickes. | |
| Sugar soap, 1L | Cuts through kitchen grease, fingerprints and dust so the paint keys properly. Wiping with plain water is not always enough, especially in kitchens or around light switches. | £6 for Wickes All Surface Sugar Soap Liquid 1L. | |
| Sandpaper or a sanding block (medium and fine) | Smooths dried filler and keys old gloss or shiny woodwork so the new paint sticks. | £5 for a Wickes sanding block and 10 assorted sheets. | |
| Masking tape | Protects skirting, frames and the edge of the ceiling if you want a crisp line. Press the edge down firmly. | £3.50 for Wickes Multi-Surface Cream Masking Tape, 48mm × 50m. | |
| Dust sheets | Cover the floor and remaining furniture. A polythene sheet is cheap; a fabric sheet stays put better. | £4 for a 3.65 × 3.65m polythene dust sheet at Wickes. | |
| Roller, frame, tray and sleeve (9 inch, medium pile) | The quickest way to get an even finish on walls and ceilings. A medium-pile sleeve suits most standard UK walls. | Included in a decorating set, or about £5 for a Harris Trade 9" deep-ridge tray at B&Q; a Harris 9" sleeve was £2.19 at Homebase. | |
| Cutting-in brush, 2 inch | For edges, corners, around frames and along the ceiling line, where a roller cannot reach. | £2.49 for a Harris 2 inch Essentials Walls and Ceilings brush at Homebase; £3.19–£3.69 for Harris “Seriously Good” or “Ultimate” 2 inch brushes at Homebase. | |
| Mini roller (optional) | Speeds up skirting, panels and the wall behind a radiator. | check price at B&Q or Amazon UK | |
| Step ladder, 3 tread | Lets you reach the ceiling and the tops of walls safely. Borrow or hire one if you only need it once. | £39 for a Mac Allister 3-tread aluminium step ladder at B&Q. A foldable Mac Allister 3-tread was on clearance at £23 (was £45) when checked. | |
| Decorators’ caulk (optional) | Fills the hairline gap between skirting and wall for a neater finish. | check price |
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Step-by-step
Work in this order: prep, ceiling, walls, then woodwork. If you paint the skirting first, splashes from the walls will land on your fresh finish.
Clear and cover the room
Take down pictures, curtains and blinds. Move furniture out, or into the centre, and cover the floor and anything left behind with dust sheets. Unscrew shelves if you can. Leave light switches and sockets in place.
Fill and sand
Rake out loose bits from cracks, press in filler with a filling knife, and leave it to dry as the pack directs. Sand the patches flush with the wall and wipe away the dust. Lightly sand shiny woodwork as well, then wipe it clean.
Wash the walls and woodwork
Mix sugar soap as the bottle says, wash the surfaces, and rinse with clean water. Let everything dry completely. This is the unglamorous step that stops paint peeling later.
Mask the edges
Run tape along the top of the skirting, around window and door frames, and along any edge you want to keep clean. Press the edge of the tape down so paint cannot creep underneath. You can also cut in freehand once you have had a little practice.
Prime if you need to
Bare plaster needs a mist coat: mix emulsion with water as the tin or a plasterer’s guide suggests (often about 10% water — check the product). Bare wood, stains or a big colour change may need primer. Let it dry fully.
Paint the ceiling first
Cut in around the edges of the ceiling with a brush, then roller the main area in overlapping strips, working towards the window so you can see what you have covered. Keep a wet edge so you do not get stripes. Leave it to dry for the time on the tin (often 2–4 hours for emulsion).
Cut in the walls
With a 2 inch brush, paint a band around the ceiling line, down the corners, and around frames and sockets. You do not need to be artistic; you just need a strip wide enough for the roller to meet.
Roller the walls
Load the roller in the tray and roll off the excess so it is even, not dripping. Work from the top down in a shallow W or M pattern, then lightly roll over the same patch in one direction to flatten the finish. Do one wall at a time. When the first coat is dry, apply a second. A third coat is only usually needed for a strong colour change.
Paint the woodwork last
Stir the eggshell or satinwood well. Brush along the length of the skirting and frames, in the direction of the wood, with a lightly loaded brush. Two thin coats beat one thick, drippy coat. Allow the full recoat time on the tin (Dulux Quick Dry Eggshell, for example, lists 6 hours).
Peel the tape and tidy up
Take the tape off while the last coat is still slightly tacky, pulling it back on itself at an angle. That gives a sharper line than waiting until it is rock hard. Stand back, touch up any missed bits, then wash brushes and rollers in warm soapy water if you used water-based paint. Let the room air, and wait until everything is dry before hanging pictures or shoving furniture back against the walls.
General guidance only. Check our disclaimer.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the wash and the filler. Paint will not hide grease, and every hole shows once the wall is a fresh colour.
- Using too little paint, or one coat only. A single coat almost never looks even, especially over a different colour.
- Recoating too soon. If the first coat is still soft, the roller will drag it and leave a mess. If in doubt, wait longer, particularly in a cold or damp room.
- Overloading the roller or brush. This causes drips on the skirting and stipple on the walls. It is easier to add a little more paint than to chase runs.
- Painting woodwork before the walls. Ceiling first, then walls, then skirting and frames.
- Standing on furniture instead of a ladder. It is unstable and a common way to twist an ankle or put a foot through a chair.
- Painting in a cold, steamy or dusty room. Shut the windows only if it is blowing dust or rain onto wet paint; otherwise keep some ventilation.
Upload a photo to see your room repainted
Wondering whether that soft green will work with your sofa? Upload a photo of the room and, when this is live, we can mock up the finished colour on your actual walls before you buy a big tin. The result will be an impression, not an exact match.
FAQ
How much paint do I need for one room?
Measure the perimeter of the room and multiply by the height to get the wall area in square metres, then subtract large windows and doors. Most standard emulsions cover around 12–14m² per litre, per coat. A typical 3m × 4m room with 2.4m ceilings is roughly 30–35m² of wall, so two coats usually want about 5 litres. Add extra if you are painting the ceiling, using a dark colour, or the walls are very absorbent. Always check the coverage on the tin.
How long should I leave between coats?
For typical water-based emulsion, allow about 2–4 hours, or whatever the tin says. Woodwork paints can take longer — Dulux Quick Dry Eggshell lists 6 hours. In a cold or humid room, wait longer. The surface should feel dry, not tacky, before you start again.
How many coats do I need?
Two coats is the standard for a solid, even finish. Use a mist coat plus two coats on new plaster. A third coat can help when you are covering a dark colour with a light one, or the other way round.
Do I have to use sugar soap?
If the walls are only a little dusty, a wipe with a damp cloth may do. If they are greasy — kitchens, the wall around light switches, a room that has not been cleaned in years — sugar soap is worth it. Paint sticks better to a clean surface.
What if I start and it goes wrong?
Stop, let anything wet dry, and do not keep rolling over a mistake in the hope it will disappear. Small drips can be sanded and touched up. If the whole room has gone patchy or you have run out of time, a decorator can often rescue it faster than starting again. Use the button below if you would rather hand it over.
Would rather not DIY? Find a local decorator
If you have read this far and decided a professional would be easier, that is a perfectly good outcome. A decorator will bring the ladders, protect the furniture, and usually finish in fewer days than a first weekend attempt.
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This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.