What order to paint a room: ceiling, walls, doors, and baseboards
The work sequence saves more time than it seems. If the ceiling is being refreshed too, it is usually easier to finish it before the final wall coats.
Article palette
Prepare the whole room before thinking about color
First clear and protect the space, repair surfaces, sand, and remove dust. It is much easier to finish messy work before fresh coatings appear.
If you are painting the ceiling, start at the top
The ceiling is usually painted before the walls. Accidental splashes and the cut-in line can then be covered when the vertical surfaces are painted.
After that, the order depends on the trim
Some painters switch the order of walls and trim depending on their cutting-in technique and tape. More important is to choose a consistent sequence and allow each coating to dry before the next contact.
- ceiling;
- main walls;
- windows and doors;
- trim, moldings, and baseboards.
Plan drying pauses as well as application
The can or technical data sheet states the recoat time. It may differ from “dry to touch.” Building those pauses into the schedule prevents rushing the coating.
Try it in practice
Plan material quantities
Calculate wall area and an estimated paint quantity before work begins.
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