I rank indoor house painting among the most boring and tedious projects. That’s reason enough to get the job done quickly and efficiently so that there are no snags along the way. Stopping to drive to the nearest home-supply store to pick up a quart of paint or roller can add a couple of hours to the project, not to mention interrupt your work rhythm.

All it takes is organization and planning. It doesn’t matter whether you’re painting one room or the entire house, it’s the same process. Using past painting projects as a guide, items that I’ve run out of because I swore I had them in my supply cabinet were blue masking tape, rollers, and latex gloves.

Don’t assume you have everything on hand by relying on memory. Write down everything needed, and then check to see what’s missing.

Common mistakes made by inexperienced do-it-yourselfers who decide to take on home-painting projects in order to save money is cheeping it on essential materials, such as paint, brushes and rollers. As I stressed in prior columns, you get what you pay for. If you want a quality job, use quality products and tools. The proof is excellent results you can be proud of.

Consider these helpful tips

Buy large quantities of paint. A five-gallon container actually costs less than buying five individual one-gallon paint cans. It pays to estimate how much paint is needed and then purchase the appropriate amount.

Here’s an easy way to calculate how much paint is needed. Measure the area you plan to paint. A gallon of paint covers approximately 450 square feet. To be safe, figure one gallon of paint covers 400 square feet. To determine how much paint is needed to cover a wall, multiply height of wall by its length and divide by 400. That translates to a gallon of paint covering a 10 X 15-foot room. To get good results, plan on two coats (or two gallons) of paint.

Quality paint is cheaper in the long run. A top-quality paint that lasts a long time is more expensive than low-quality paint. A good paint requires one stroke; a cheap paint requires two and three strokes. In the long run, more money is spent on cheap paint because you wind up using twice as much paint. Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish.

Determine type of paint. While type of paint is a personal call, keep in mind that paint types vary dramatically in price. Flat paints are cheap, glosses are considerably more money. However, the type of paint used impacts end results. Before purchasing, study paint charts and you’ll see the difference in paints. Also consider that you’ll need a different textured paint for trim and mouldings. As a general rule, I prefer eggshell (rather than flat) paint for walls and semi-gloss for mouldings and trim. Painting contractors typically use flat paint for walls and semi-gloss or eggshell for trim and mouldings, because a five gallon container of flat paint is considerably cheaper than semi-gloss or eggshell in the same quantity. While eggshell is more expensive when covering large areas, it not only looks better than flat paint, it lasts longer. And smudges and marks can be wiped off, and the paint looks good as new. Again, you’re ultimately saving money in the long run.

While the type and quality of paint used is critically important, so is the type of brushes and rollers, and your painting technique. Stay with me. Next column, I’ll cover these important topics.