How to

Tradie Gal shows you how to paint a laundry

Let’s face it, the laundry isn’t many people’s favourite room. It certainly wasn’t Tegan Williams’ when she first moved into her 1980s do-up. The professional painter – also known as Tradie Gal – says her unrenovated laundry was not only a place for time-consuming household chores, but it was also a non-functional eyesore.

“The original laundry was fugly and was also an unusable space,” says Tegan. “We couldn’t fit a washer and dryer side by side or even a laundry basket! It still had the original layout from the 80s and was painted in a dated yellow colour. It had to change!”

Luckily, Resene makes it easy to transform any room and Tegan was more than ready to show her laundry some love. But first, some room reconfiguration was in order. Armed with sledgehammers and other tools, Tegan knocked out a non-functional linen cupboard, replaced some plasterboard and fixed up a water-damaged area .

The new walls and ceilings needed to be prepped, and Resene Broadwall Surface Prep & Seal is ideal for jointed and stopped walls. Once the walls were ready, it was time for sealing and painting.

First, Tegan sealed the wall with Resene Waterborne Sureseal pigmented sealer. Resene recommends applying Resene Waterborne Sureseal in wet areas such as kitchens, bathrooms and laundries before painting to create a waterproof hydrophobic barrier to protect the plasterboard from moisture. If not sealed, condensation can be drawn into the paint film and through to the plaster, causing damage.

To apply the sealer, Tegan cut in around tricky areas like light fittings and corners using a 63mm brush, before using a 230mm Dacron roller to seal the remaining spaces.

For the topcoats, Tegan used Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom, a special paint with added MoulDefender and antibacterial silver. “I chose Resene SpaceCote Kitchen & Bathroom as this is good for wet areas,” says Tegan. “It’s also easy to wipe away any moisture or sink splashes without leaving marks on the wall.”

After prepping her new walls, Tegan got started on the sanding to get the surface ready for sealing.

Tegan used a 63mm paintbrush to cut in around the edges corners of the walls and ceiling before using a roller to cover the rest of the surface with Resene Waterborne Sureseal.

When it came to choosing the colour of paint in the laundry room Tegan decided to replace the 1980s yellow with Resene Quarter White Pointer, a dusty off-white which pairs well with blues, reds and greys.

“I like it because it’s not a clinical white or a bold white and will make the laundry look fresh,” says Tegan.

To paint the room, Tegan followed the same method as when she was applying the Resene Waterborne Sureseal, cutting in first before using a roller to cover the larger surfaces.

“When cutting in, make sure there’s not too much paint on the brush and always start halfway between the start and finishing point of the wall so you don’t get a big build-up of paint at one end,” she says. “Hold your brush on the side using the thin end to cut in – don’t use the wide flat part of the brush.”

To roll the wall, Tegan starts in the middle of the wall, working from left to right.

“Load up the roller with paint and start in the middle of the wall at least one roller width out from the edge and work your way towards the other side,” says Tegan. “Use long vertical rolls up and down the entire height of the wall. When you start running out of paint on your roller, lightly roll your way back over the section you have painted − this is called back rolling. This will help you pick up any excess paint which you can then roll onto unpainted sections,” says Tegan.

Allow the first coat of paint to dry before applying a second coat. Then celebrate your hard work and enjoy your redecorated room.

“I love our laundry so much. I’m so happy to have a new space to work that is light and bright and a much more usable space with room to move around,” says Tegan

A great tip when using a roller is that when you start running out of paint on your roller, lightly roll your way back over the section you have painted − this is called back rolling. This will help you pick up any excess paint which you can then roll onto unpainted sections. Ceiling and walls painted in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom in Resene Quarter White Pointer.

Tegan loves the light, bright and usable space. Ceiling and walls painted in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom in Resene Quarter White Pointer.

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NB: Porous surfaces and shapes (ie corrugated iron) will require more paint.

Laundry tips and tricks

Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom is ideal for laundry walls and ceilings. This waterborne paint is ideal for wet and steamy areas due to its added antibacterial silver and MoulDefender. This highly durable paint is also Eco Choice approved.
If your laundry features old lino on the floor, give it a new lease on life with Resene paints. First, clean the floor with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner. Then seal the floor with Resene Waterborne Sureseal, before painting with Resene Walk-on, a special ultra durable paint designed for floors. Allow to dry before applying Resene Concrete Wax. There are lots of different types of vinyl, so it’s best to check the paint finish in an inconspicuous area first to make sure it works with your vinyl.
Paint windows and door architraves in wet areas such as laundries with Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroom. This hard-wearing waterborne paint is ideal for the trims in wet rooms as it has enamel-style toughness with the added benefits of antibacterial silver and MoulDefender. The semi-gloss finish makes it nice and easy to wipe clean. If you prefer a higher gloss finish, use Resene Enamacryl gloss waterborne enamel instead. The glossier the paint the brighter and cleaner your paint will look.
Finish your ceiling in Resene SpaceCote Flat. This is a waterborne enamel that can be easily wiped clean.
Make use of the vertical space in your laundry by adding shelves. Prime timber shelving with Resene Quick Dry before painting with Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroom. Make the shelves a feature by painting in a bold modern colour. You can switch out the colours every few seasons without having to repaint the whole room. For a pop of colour try these laundry-loving colours from the Resene The Range fashion colours: a sunny yellow like Resene Daylight, a soothing green like Resene Aloe Vera, a splashy blue like Resene Island Time. You could even paint your laundry basket to match.

Before

After

Tegan’s laundry wasn’t only painted in a dated yellow hue, it also had a very impractical layout that wasn’t functional for modern living. Walls and ceiling painted in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom in Resene Quarter White Pointer.