How to Paint Interior Walls in Damp Weather

Drying the Air

• 1

  Close the windows and doors of the home. Keep the windows and doors closed as much as possible.

• 2

  Set up a dehumidifier in each room where walls will be painted.

• 3

  Turn on every exhaust fan in the home to remove humid air from the interior.

• 4

  Turn on all ceiling fans and set up floor fans to circulate and dry out the air throughout the house.

• 5

  Inspect the walls for moisture. Wipe the walls with paper towels to remove excess moisture and then wait until the walls are completely dry before painting.

Painting the Walls

• 6

  Pour paint into a handheld paint holder and dip the bristles of the paintbrush into the paint until the brush is loaded with paint.

• 7

  Cut in the boarder of the wall with the paintbrush. This is done by painting a straight line around the boarder edges of the wall. Paint the border 4 inches wide. Cut around window and door trim and along the upper edge of baseboard trim and the lower edge of crown molding trim if the wall is so equipped.

• 8

  Pour paint into a 5-gallon bucket and insert the paint roller screen so it hangs from the inner lip of the bucket. Dip the roller in the the paint and roll it up and down on the screen until the nap fibers are loaded with paint.

• 9

  Walk to the left corner of the wall and paint up and down and from left to right in a zigzag pattern. Overlap each previous zigzag with a new zigzag pattern until the entire wall has been rolled with paint. Even out all roller lines with the roller and keep paint on the roller throughout the process by re-dipping it in the paint bucket.

• 10

  Ensure the fans and dehumidifying devices stay on until the paint has dried for at least 48 hours; longer if need be.