How to Paint Finishes

Mask off areas you do not want to paint, such as ceilings and adjoining walls, with masking tape. Pour the flat base paint into a paint tray. Paint the area with a roller, coating it well with multiple coats if necessary to cover other finishes. Allow the paint to dry, and clean out the roller and tray.

Pour satin or eggshell latex house paint into the cleaned paint tray. Wet the sponge in the sink, making it damp but not soaked. Dip a corner of a sea sponge into the paint, and dab away the excess on the tray strainer.

Start from the middle of the area and work your way to the sides, one at a time. Lightly blot the sponge onto the wall, alternating the position of the sponge constantly to make a random paint pattern. Work toward one wall, then the other, stopping an inch or so away from the edges to avoid getting the paint on any surface you do not want to paint. Take care not to push firmly or swipe with the sponge to avoid smears and drips.

Cut a few small pieces from another sponge, some with flat edges for sponging the corners. Dampen these pieces with water, and use them as needed to cut in the paint into corners or around obstacles. The pieces cut with a flat edge will prove useful to access the tight corners without getting paint onto other areas.