Painting Over a Dark Red Wall

Measure the walls that you'll paint. On average, one gallon of paint will cover 450 square feet of wall space. However, you may need extra paint to completely cover over the red color. Buy an extra gallon for each gallon that you require.

Cover the floors and the furniture that you've haven't moved out of the room with tarp.

Wash the walls and allow to dry.

Sand the walls lightly. This allows the primer to adhere to the wall.

Tape areas such as windowsills and door frames. If there's any chance of the windows getting paint on them, cover them with brown butcher paper. Use painter's tape to avoid marring the walls.

Tint the primer. You'll find primer tint in the paint section of the store. Avoid tinting the primer with paint. Rather use a substance that was intended for primer. The primer won't break down if you use the proper tint. Choose a color that's close to the top coat of paint you're applying over the dark red walls.

Apply the primer to the wall and let it dry according to the instructions on the can. If the wall looks dull, this is an indication that some of the red is seeping through. If so, add one more coat of primer to the wall.

Pour the paint into a paint pan.

Start painting. Cover large areas using the paint roller first. Tight corners usually require that you paint that area with a brush.

Allow to dry according to the instructions on the paint can. Apply a second coat if necessary.