Two-Tone Paint Ideas

Get the room ready for Painting. Remove furniture from the room or place it in the center of the room and cover it with drop cloths or tarps. Cover the floors at the base of the walls with drop cloths or tarps and secure them to the floor with painter’s tape. Remove fixtures, window coverings, switch plates and outlet covers. Use painter's tape to protect windowsills, baseboards, door hinges, the ceiling perimeter and anything else that you don't want to get paint on.

Properly cleaning and repairing surfaces is extremely important when painting since paint doesn't adhere to dirt or damaged areas. Use a sponge or cloth to wipe down your interior walls with an all-purpose household cleaner and water, and then allow it to dry. If your wall has any cracks, holes or other damage, apply spackling compound with a putty knife. Once the compound dries, sand the repaired area with fine-grit sandpaper. For extensive drywall damage or larger drywall repairs, see Patch Holes in Drywall for repair instructions.

To achieve a two-tone paint effect you need some kind of border or dividing line between the two wall sections. If you don’t have molding or another permanent feature that does this naturally, you can create a clean, distinct line by masking the wall with painter’s tape.

Using a yardstick or measuring tape and a level, mark where you want the line to be using a pencil. The middle of the wall (horizontally) is an ideal, general location. Measure up from the floor about 36” to 40” and place a mark at this spot. Hold your yardstick or measuring tape horizontally against that mark with one hand while placing a level against your measurer. Adjust until your horizontal guide is level and trace a line with your pencil along the top of the measuring tape. Continue creating this line in the same way across the length of the wall. Place painter's tape along your pencil line. For example, if you start with the bottom of the wall, you will place the painter’s tape above the line you marked.

Score the outer edge of the tape with your fingernail or the dull edge of a small knife so the paint will not bleed under the tape. Keeping each color from bleeding into the other is essential for a neat, professional-looking job.

Now it’s time to start painting. With a brush, paint pad or roller, apply True Value EasyCare® Ultra Premium Interior Paint widthwise, starting from the top of the first section you’re painting, going down, using a “W” stroke. Once at the bottom of the section, load the roller and start at the top, rolling down to the bottom again, and then repeat, filling in the “W”. This ensures that all of the paint has been “faced” in the same direction, providing even coverage across the wall. Use an angled brush to paint in corners and other areas where you need smaller strokes and attention to detail. If necessary, apply a second coat, following the recommended drying times on the label. You don't have to let the paint completely dry between coats, but your results will be better the longer you wait.

Safety Alert!

Make sure your work area is well ventilated. Use fans to circulate air and open windows where you can.

Once you paint one color or “tone”, remove the painter’s tape carefully at a 45-degree angle. Before painting the next section, let the one you just painted dry completely and then reapply painter’s tape on the other side of the line using the same technique you used for the first section. Then begin painting the second area as you did the first.

Pick up your drop cloths or tarps and close up your paint cans. Dispose of used paint cans appropriately. Clean your brushes and other tools with warm, soapy water. Thoroughly rinse your roller covers and brushes in water until the water runs clear. Store them in their protective sleeves or hang them on nails or hooks. Pick up drop cloths carefully, making sure you don't spread around any paint that may have dripped on them. Next, remove the final strips of painter's tape at a 45-degree angle to avoid removing any fresh paint. Remember, the longer the tape stays on, the harder it is to remove.

Looks great! Your walls’ new two-tone makeover really makes your rooms sing.