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Article snippet: Painting an apartment is like going out to dinner — you can find a hot dog wagon, put down a few bucks and get it over with, or you can go to a nice restaurant and spend a bundle. It all depends on how much time, effort, and money you want to spend. For most people, though, cheaper is better, and that means doing it yourself. Assuming your walls and ceilings are in basic good shape, here’s how to do it the right way, based on my ten years of professional paint contracting experience. Figuring out the type and amount of materials you’ll need for the job is often the most challenging aspect of painting. If you bring your wall and ceiling measurements to the store, they’ll hook you up with exactly what you need. Many will even deliver paint and supplies. When considering brands, know that professional painters prefer Benjamin Moore paints, as does Wirecutter, The New York Times product review site. That paint doesn’t drip much, and it covers better than others. White and shades of off-white are generally cheapest. If you’re in a hurry, stay away from vivid colors like red; they can take two to three coats to cover a surface properly. You want to choose the right type of paint — that means water-based latex flat paint for ceilings, flat or “eggshell” finish for walls, and eggshell or semi-gloss for sills and doors. Don’t be afraid to overbuy, as most stores allow returns of anything unopened, save for custom-mixed colors. Also, don’t buy cheap brushes; nothing’s more... Link to the full article to read more