Preparation for Painting Your Interior Walls
The key to any good painting job is
preparation. Its also the least fun part of the job. Your all ready to get
that new color of paint on the walls, but before you rush in, here are a
few things you might want to do.
Clean Your Walls
Take a damp cloth and wipe of dust, crayon and
other marks from your walls. If you have a much older home you may need to
mix a little soap and water and wipe them down. Don't soak them, just
clean them up a bit.
Cover Your Floors and Furnishings
Cover everything. Don't count on just being
neat. Some way, and some how paint will drip on your brand new carpet or
couch. Use plastic sheeting or heavy duty painters tarps. Sheets don't
work well since paint spills will quickly soak thru them and onto your
flooring.
Fill Holes and Gaps
Now is the time to take some spackle and fill
in all of those old nail holes and cracks. Also fill in any gaps between
the woodwork and the wall with paintable caulk.
Scrape and Sand Your Woodwork
Scrape off any chipped or peeling paint.
Lightly sand your trim if necessary to remove gloss and to even the
surface.
Primer
You need to prime any exposed woodwork or
areas where you have done patches. You may also want to prime or apply a
sealant to any marks that you could not clean off. Some professionals will
go as priming every surface before you paint. It will assure a longer
lasting paint job.
Remember that painting is a lot of work.
Without the proper prep work, you are simply wasting your time and money.
If you have any doubts about your ability, consider hiring a professional
painter to do the work. |