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Typically, professionals recommend two coats of paint for even coverage. However, you may be able to get away with one coat if you’re painting over a light color with a darker or similar-shade color. But if you’re going from a darker to a lighter color, like white to black, you may need up to three coats.

If you’re going from a darker to a lighter color, like white to black, you may need up to three coats. Buying high-quality paint and using primer on the walls beforehand can save you the extra labor and cost that comes with adding more coats of paint.

Yes, painter’s tape is a great tool when painting trim and walls for a number of reasons. Firstly, it protects the areas you’re not painting. Both brushes and rollers can splatter. Nobody’s hands are perfect, so covering the areas you don’t want paint to get on keeps them clean. Painters tape can also help you get nice sharp lines between paint colors or surfaces, preventing paint from bleeding into other areas. It can also save you time in the long run by reducing the need for touchups. It’s much easier to get clean, even lines the first time when using painter’s tape.

You'll need at least two coats of paint when painting your stair railings, despite some manufacturers' claims of single-coat coverage. This is necessary mostly because there are often many corners and details that make it difficult to cover all surfaces evenly with a single coat. Adding a second coat evens out the finish and provides added durability.

A professional painter will typically prep the walls to ensure a longer-lasting, smoother paint job. Prepping the walls can involve scraping off debris or flaked paint, filling in grooves or nail holes, sanding, cleaning, applying a coat of primer, taping the trim, and removing outlet covers. You should ask your painter before hiring about their process to make sure it’s in line with your expectations and needs.