The Right Way to Prep a House for Painting

Wall Preparation for Painting

•Many people make the mistake and start painting after removing hardware and laying drop sheets and tape. But preparing your home for painting has not finished yet.

•It is very important to prepare the walls to ensure imperfections are fixed and you get the most durable hold for your paint.

•Whether you’re tackling a house painting job yourself or hiring someone, always ensure that proper paint preparation is executed before starting any house paint job

• Inspect walls for cracks and holes. Repair any damage with a spackling compound using a putty knife. Spread the compound over the defect several times and scrape off the excess.

•Allow it to dry according to the product’s instructions. Then use fine-grit sandpaper (150-200 grit) and smooth it out until there is a seamless transition to the original wall.

•Wash the walls. Washing the walls is very important to remove grease and dust which will seriously compromise the life of your paint if you ignore this step. If the walls are very dirty you may need to start with a chemical cleaner like Tri-Sodium Phosphate.

•After, rinse all walls with clean water and a sponge. Allow your walls to properly dry before applying your primer or paint.

Sweep and Dust Walls

Use a broom or dust mop to sweep dust and cobwebs from the room’s ceilings, walls, and woodwork. If there is a lot of dust in the room, vacuum as well to get rid of particles that could get stuck in the paint. Wipe baseboards and trim with a microfiber cloth.

Repair Wall Surface

Next use a putty knife and surfacing compound to fill nail holes. Thinly spread surfacing compound across each hole using an X-motion. Scrape off excess. Let it dry. For any hole larger than a screw or nail hole, use a drywall patch or drywall repair kit.

Sand Patches

Sand the patched areas with fine-grit sandpaper until it is smooth and flush with the wall. If you sanded too aggressively or your putty shrank in the hole, repeat the previous step and sand again until you reach the desired finish. Wipe away any residue with a microfiber cloth.

Wash Wall

Working from the baseboards up, wash walls and woodwork with TSP and water. Take special care to remove greasy residue; grease may interfere with paint adhesion and create a bumpy finish. Rinse walls with water and let dry fully before starting to paint.

Tape Trim

Lay down a drop cloth. Protect woodwork, ceilings, and other non-wall surfaces with painter’s tape. Adhere the tape firmly to surfaces in a straight line, making sure tape edges don’t intrude on areas to be painted.

Paint Wall

Starting in a corner, roll paint in a W-pattern across the walls. Work in small, 3- to 4-feet sections, getting even coverage before moving too far along the wall. If your reach is short, attach the roller to an extension pole. Once you’ve filled in the area, finish it with light vertical strokes to smooth the paint and remove roller marks. Alternate between cutting in and rolling until you’ve completed a wall.

Check for Flaws

Check painted walls for flaws, missed spots, texture paint, or drips; try to repair defects before the paint dries. How much time you need to allow for latex paint to dry and properly cure depends on what you intend to do with it after it’s applied.

Remove Tape

Remove the painter’s tape as quickly as possible while the paint is still tacky. This will prevent the tape from getting stuck to the wall.

Professional painting tips and tricks

Wait for Dry Weather

Humidity means drips and slow drying, so avoid painting on a rainy day. If you must paint when it’s humid, take your time — and take advantage of slow-drying paint to correct your errors before moving on to the next coat. But don’t overwork or it will show when you’re finished.

Do a Thorough Visual Inspection and Prep

Any cracked, flaking or peeling areas need to be lightly sanded or scraped (and then thoroughly rinsed) before applying new primer and paint because the weight of the new coat will pull the old paint loose. “You’ll just end up wasting your time and money if you don’t tackle that first,” says Tom Lee, Senior VP of Consumer Marketing for Behr. Greasy spots may also need a bit of washing with soap, followed by a rinse with clean water. Otherwise, wipe down with a damp cloth so that paint will have a clean, dust-free surface to stick to

Buy High-Quality Brushes, Roller Covers, and Painter’s Tape

If you’re splurging on great paint, you definitely don’t want to pinch pennies on the application. Good brushes and roller covers give excellent coverage so that you don’t waste time and paint on re-application, and high-end painter’s tape is the real deal when it comes to sealing out drips and blurs.