How to Paint a Checkered Wall?

Hi Karan. About a couple of months ago, we moved into our new house. I was keen on decorating the guest room and went with creating a checkerboard pattern on the wall. I will be happy to share how to paint a checkerboard pattern on a wall.  You’d need a tape measure, painter’s tape and a ladder for proper measurements. The process isn’t too elaborate. Let me share the steps below.

How to Paint a Checkerboard Wall?

Here is the method you can follow to create a checkered pattern on your house wall:

1. Measure the wall size in full and divide up the square into the width to your desire.

2. Tape the squares by first taping horizontally and then moving on to the vertical.

3. When you tape, account for the tape size into the full square size. You will have to start by making rows 1, 3 and 5o of the right size. 

4. Then, you will add the size of the tape into the width of the 2nd and 4th rows.

5. Start painting every other row. On the other side, the in-between rows will have tape covered part of the squares.

6. After finishing painting every other row, begin to shift the tape around. Next is the turn to paint rows 2 and 4. 

7. Once the paint dries completely, peel it off and join corner to corner of the painted squares. You’ll have to re-tape the outline of the new squares that you are set to paint. 

That’s a wrap from my side. I believe you now know how to paint checkerboard wall.

I wanted to do something different with my bedroom. After thinking a lot, I decided to paint a chequered wall pattern. I was lucky to find a DIY method to do the same. I took help from one of my friends and we got a great result. So, I can show you how to paint a checkerboard wall. 

For the process, you’ll need two different paint colours, a painter’s tape, a roller frame, a roller pan with liner, a carpenter's level, straight edge, utility knife, a pencil and a tape measure. Now, let me get started.

How to Paint a Checkerboard Pattern on a Wall?

1. Clear the space for painting and have your tools ready. Paint the base coat on the wall with a lighter colour. Let it dry for about 4 hours or overnight for the best outcome.

2. Next, measure the wall’s length and height. Divide the length and height by the measurement of your choice of square size.

3. Mark the squares with the carpenter’s level, a pencil and a painter’s tape. 

4. After this, lay out the grid on your wall. Measure the size of the square according to your preference from the top to the bottom of the wall. Make small and light marks with your pencil across the walls.

5. Keep a horizontal strip of tape across the wall with the top edge of the tape at the position of the first measurement.

6. Press down the tape edges and use a little force to secure them in place. This will prevent the second colour from dripping into the side squares.

7. Measure the desired square’s size from the bottom edge of the tape strip you just applied. Then, apply the next tape strip.

8. Apply horizontal strips till the end of the wall. Keep a check on the lines with the carpenter's level frequently.

9. Start at the left edge of the wall and measure the size of the square across. Make a vertical cut in the tape. From that point, measure the tape’s width and make another cut.

10. Remove the tape’s cut section you made. The cut section will be the width of the tape only. This is where you will place the vertical strips of the painter’s tape to build the squares in the process of how to paint checkerboard on wall.

11. Measure across the square size from the cut section, cut and remove another tape-wide section. Do the same process for the remaining wall.

12. Place vertical strips of the tape crossing through the cut spaces you made. Repeat this till you see the chequered pattern.

13. Paint the squares. Let the paint dry before you remove the tape.

This is how to paint a checkerboard wall.