Paint a Kid’s Playroom

A playroom should be inspirational and foster imagination. Bright hues of primary colors are fun for a kid’s playroom. Choose a color scheme. Here are some tips on the way color affects moods and perceptions:

• Green. The color of nature, green is said to reinforce self-esteem and suggest hope, restfulness and calmness.
• Blue. Shades of blue, like the ocean and the sky, evoke feelings of calm, tranquility and spirituality. They’re good choices for a restful bedroom.
• Red. Used as an accent to neutral colors, red can add some brightness to a kid’s room.
• Yellow. Cheerful and dynamic, yellow is a great choice to brighten and warm any room. It’s also said to be the color of intellectuals.
• White. White represents peace, faith, joy, cleanliness and purity. It reflects light, so it can make a room appear bright, cool and spacious. But it’s also the hardest room color to keep clean with little ones around.
• Purple. Various shades of purple evoke different feelings. Children typically respond to the energy of bright purple.

Don’t forget that if you’re changing the wall colors in the room, you may also need to update playroom furniture. You can do this by updating it with a little paint.

Before painting, you need to prepare the playroom for painting. Remove all furniture, toys and other items from the room before you start. If you can’t get everything out, move it to the center of the room and cover it with drop cloths. Place drop cloths or tarps on the floor and remove window coverings, switch plates and outlet covers. Use painter’s tape to protect windowsills, baseboards, door hinges and the ceiling perimeter.

Properly cleaning and repairing the walls is extremely important when painting since paint doesn’t adhere to dirt. Using a sponge or cloth, wipe down your walls with mild detergent and water, letting them dry completely. If the walls have any cracks, holes or other damage, apply spackling compound with a putty knife and then sand with fine sandpaper once it dries. Sand any rough areas and scuff sand any glossy surfaces. Remove any dust with a damp cloth and allow it to dry completely.

Helpful Tip

If you need to make repairs, add an extra day to your plans to give the compound plenty of time to dry.

Apply a coat of True Value EasyCare® Ultra Premium Interior Primer/Sealer with a roller, and paint widthwise in 6' sections, using a zigzag pattern of overlapping “W” strokes. Move from right to left, then left to right, spreading evenly with vertical strokes. Let it dry thoroughly.

Safety Alert!

Open the windows to make sure you’ll be priming and painting in a well-ventilated area.

Apply True Value EasyCare® Ultra Premium Interior Paint using the same technique you used for priming. Surface dries in 2 hours. If necessary, apply a second coat after four hours.

Helpful Tip

Use True Value’s paint calculator to estimate how much paint you need before you begin the project.

Use a paintbrush to do wall brushwork in areas your roller can’t reach. An angular sash brush works best in the corners and next to the doors, windows and molding.

Pick up your drop cloths or tarps and close up your paint cans. Dispose of used paint cans appropriately. Cleaning paintbrushes and other tools can be made easy with warm and soapy water. Thoroughly rinse your roller covers and brushes in water until the water runs clear, then place them in a brush/roller spinner, if you have one, to remove excess liquid. After they have dried, store brushes or roller covers in their protective sleeves or hang them on nails or hooks. Pick up drop cloths carefully, making sure you don’t spread around any paint that may have gotten on them. Next, remove painter’s tape at a 45-degree angle to avoid removing any fresh paint. Remember that the longer it stays on, the harder it is to remove.

Great job! You’ve painted a colorful and inspiring place in which your children can play.