How to Paint a Walk-in Pantry

Remove all shelves and fixtures from the pantry walls that can be removed. Use a screwdriver to loosen the screws holding them up or remove nails from the wall with the pry bar on a hammer. Depending on the shelving units, you may be able to lift the shelves out and then remove the wall brackets. Take down any light switch or electrical plug plate covers by removing the screws and taking the plate off.

Tear strips of painter’s tape and tape off the doors and permanent fixtures. Use strips as long as possible. Also, tape over remaining light switches and electrical plugs. If there are baseboards or crown molding in the pantry, tape those off as well. Keep the tape as close to the edge of what you tape as possible.

Stir the paint thoroughly with a paint stick to blend the color and stir up settled pigment. Pour the stirred paint into a paint tray.

Dip a paint edger into the paint. Get the edger wet but not dripping. Rub the edger along the corners, floorboards and ceiling to coat the corner areas first. Reapply paint to the edger as needed.

Dip a roller pad into the paint. Rub the roller pad against the textured slope of the paint tray to further coat the roller and thin out the paint on the roller. Repeat the process until the pad is coated. You want the roller pad covered but not dripping.

Put the roller on the wall. Start with an upward motion angled slightly to the left. Once you’ve almost reached the ceiling pull the roller straight down. When you almost reach the floor, move the roller over about three-quarters of its length to the right and repeat the same motion. Continue painting this way until the entire wall is completely covered, adding more paint to the roller as necessary. Repeat the process with the other walls.

Let the paint dry overnight.

Remove the painter’s tape once the paint is completely dry. Rehang all fixtures, plate covers and shelves.