Paint Prep: Get A Perfect Interior House Painting Finish
Posted on September 20, 2019
Preparation is key when it comes to getting a great outcome on your paint job. One missed spot or a single drip of paint will be all you ever see after the job is done.
Avoid the dings and holidays by learning about paint prep to get a perfect interior house painting finish.
Empty the Room
It might seem like just more work to remove the furniture, but the extra effort will save you in the long run. If you don’t have the room to pull all of the furniture out of the room, at least move all of the pieces into the center. Cover it all with plastic to avoid drips or splashes, and make sure you tape it down.
Clean the Walls
Thoroughly dust and wipe the walls down. You might be surprised how much dust lingers on the walls. Use a vacuum nozzle or towels to wipe all of the walls. We recommend creating a mixture of 3 teaspoons of laundry detergent in one gallon of water. Use this cleaning mixture with a sponge to wipe everything down.
Repair Issues
Small cracks and bumps can make all the difference between a professional looking project, or a home-done one. Use a scraper to remove flaking paint and small bumps. Then use sandpaper to remove smaller imperfections.
Fill holes with plaster, and correct any nail-heads that show. The flatter the wall is before you start painting, the better your end project will turn out.
Gather Materials
Give your walls ample time to dry and start gathering all the supplies. Nothing slows down a job like running out for a missed item!
Bring all your brushes, paint, rollers and drop cloths into the room to save time searching around the house (potentially with paint on your shoe).
Tape it Off
Remove plates, fixtures and any other trim that you can’t tape off. Painter’s tape is needed to seal off baseboards, windows and other architectural design elements you don’t want to paint. Professional painters recommend using a putty knife to seal the tape firmly on the edges.
Prime the Walls
Primer is often overlooked in the process of painting a room. Using a high quality primer will help hide small nicks in the wall and allow for a good bonding surface for your paint.
Painting Time
Begin the paint by cutting into corners first. Next, paint in long and even strokes.
When covering the wall, use a ‘W’ pattern, repeating that until the whole wall is painted. This method helps avoid missed spots and holidays.
Need Some Help?
If you decide to do the painting yourself, great! We hope it works out perfectly.
If you would rather call a professional, we’re here for you too. Call CertaPro Painters® of Southlake at 817-377-9018 or click here for a free estimate.
