Give that dorm room personal touch with paint

Q: I moved into my first dorm room earlier this month, and my roommate and I have decided that the drab beige walls have got to go. What’s the fastest way to paint a room (without damaging the furniture, since we paid a deposit)? — Kate B., Carrollton, Ga.

A: Before you start, check the college’s rules on remodeling dorm rooms — you may have to clear the paint project with your RA or another school official.

•Preparing the room to paint is the key to getting the job done quickly. In the days leading up to the job, clear away clutter and remove posters and pictures from the wall. Wipe away dust and dirt from windowsills, wall molding and door frames.

•Measure the square footage of the wall area to be painted (for example, if a wall is 13 feet wide and 11 feet high, multiply those two figures together to equal 143 square feet). A gallon of latex paint covers about 350 square feet, so the measurements are important to make sure you buy the right amount.

•Head to the home-improvement store a day before. Select your paint color and the amount to buy, and while the paint is being mixed, buy the other items you’ll need. These include blue painter’s tape (to mask off areas you don’t want painted), a metal roller and extension pole, roller covers and tray, dropcloths and a paint shield. Pick two trim brushes, one angled and one straight, for painting into corners and along the trim. Toss in a screwdriver, a scraper/putty knife, cleaning rags, a bucket and sponge, and stirring sticks (available for free at the mixing counter).

•The day of the project, move all the furniture out of your dorm room. If that’s not possible, shift it all to the middle of the room and cover with dropcloths and old sheets. Finish masking off and cleaning the paint area. Open the first paint can and stir well to mix. Carefully pour the paint into the roller tray, about a half-inch deep. Push the roller across the tray to collect paint, and roll paint onto the wall, going up-and-down first and then side-to-side.

•Use the trim brushes to paint into the corners without getting splotches in the wrong place, like the ceiling. If this happens, keep a damp rag close by to immediately wipe away the error.

•A small dorm room, prepped beforehand, should take only an hour to paint. Additional coats will take more time. Be sure to keep the room well-ventilated for at least three hours while the paint dries.

Home Tip: Purchase good-quality paintbrushes and take care of them — quality brushes work better and last longer than bargain-basement equipment.