Interior painting is where most painters spend the majority of their time. Done right, it looks effortless. Done wrong, every flaw is visible every time the light hits the wall.
The professional sequence — always follow this order
Protect floors, furniture, and fixtures
Remove outlet and switch plate covers
Complete all surface prep (patch, sand, caulk, prime)
Paint the ceiling first
Paint the walls (cut in first, then roll)
Paint the trim and doors last
💡 Always paint top to bottom, trim last. Drips from the ceiling get covered when you do walls. Drips from walls get covered when you do trim.
Cutting in — the skill that defines your quality
Load your angled brush — about 1/3 of the bristles into the paint, no more
Start about 1/2" from the edge and work toward it, letting the bristle tip do the work
Use a steady, smooth stroke — don't rush
Keep a wet edge — if your cut line dries before you roll, you'll see a visible line
Practice on cardboard before your first job
Rolling technique
Load roller fully — roll out excess on the tray grid until evenly saturated
Apply in a top-to-bottom motion — don't change direction on the same wall
Maintain consistent pressure — don't press harder in some areas
Keep a wet edge — always roll back into the section you just painted before it dries
Finish with light vertical strokes to eliminate roller marks
Common problems and fixes
Problem
Cause
Fix
Brush marks
Overworking paint or poor brush
Quality brush, maintain wet edge, don't overbrush
Roller marks
Wrong nap or dry roller
Match nap to surface, keep roller loaded
Drips and runs
Too much paint
Reduce load, catch and brush out immediately
Lap marks
Edges drying before overlap
Work faster, maintain wet edge
Flashing / uneven sheen
Unprimed patches or inconsistent pressure
Always prime patches, consistent pressure
Watch — the complete 4-step interior series
Step 2 — Painting the Ceiling (John Burbidge, 2.3M views)
The ceiling always goes first. Technique, wet edge, cutting in at the ceiling-wall junction, and rolling without marks.
CeilingsWet EdgeStep 2
Step 3 — Painting the Walls (John Burbidge, 1M views)
How to cut in at the ceiling line, roll walls without marks, maintain a wet edge, and get consistent texture throughout.
WallsCut InRollingStep 3
Step 4 — Painting the Trim (John Burbidge, 616K views)
Trim always goes last. Brushing with the grain, cutting clean lines at the wall-trim junction, painting doors and windows.
TrimDoorsWindowsStep 4
Step 5 — Touch Up & Clean Up (John Burbidge)
How professionals finish a job — touching up missed spots, removing tape correctly, cleaning tools for reuse, leaving the space cleaner than you found it. This step gets you rehired.
Touch UpClean UpProfessionalismStep 5
📝 Chapter Complete?
Ready to walk into a room and paint it correctly start to finish?
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Chapter 7 Complete!
Great work. Keep going — every chapter brings you closer to getting hired.