- 1). Mix 1/2 cup of TSP into a gallon of water. Use this solution to thoroughly clean the wall. Wear gloves as you do this, due to the caustic nature of TSP. Wait for the wall to dry before you continue.
- 2). Lightly sand the wall with the 200 grit sandpaper. Wipe down the wall with the tack cloth once you are done.
- 3). Apply painter's tape to anything on or adjacent to the wall that you don't want to paint.
- 4). Open the can of primer and mix it up. Apply some primer to your paint brush and cover the outside edges of the wall, about 3 inches in from the edge. Also cover the area around any light switches or sockets on the wall.
- 5). Pour the primer into a paint tray. Roll your paint roller into the tray to cover it with primer and then roll the primer onto your walls. Once you have one complete coat of primer, let the wall dry according to the directions on the primer can.
- 6). Open up the can of the lighter of the two colors. Repeat the exact steps to apply this paint to the entire wall as you did with the primer. Wait until this paint layer is completely dry before you continue.
- 7). Measure the height of the left side of the wall and make a mark on the very edge in the exact center. Do the same thing on the right side. Have a friend help you run a chalk line between these two marks, then pull up on the line and let it snap down, creating a perfectly straight line on the wall. Repeat this process with the ceiling and floor, creating an "cross" in the exact center of the wall.
- 8). Mark off 12-inch squares, or whichever measurement you require, working from both sides of the center horizontal line. You will have a lesser measurement in the corners.
- 9). Make vertical lines to the left and right of the vertical center line as well, creating a grid on the wall. The last box on the left and right side may be cut off, but this is not an issue since if you started on the center line, it will be symmetrical.
- 10
Place painter's tape over the outside edge of every other box, starting with the box in the top left corner. This will leave you with only the squares you will fill in with your dark color fully exposed. Use the knife to cut the tape to ensure it doesn't cover up any squares where you will be painting. - 11
Open the darker color paint and mix it up. Use a paint brush to apply the paint to the exposed squares. Ensure you have filled in the square completely, and then remove the tape as soon as you have finished. Once the paint dries, use your tack cloth to remove the excess chalk.
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