5 Steps to Prep Your Wall Before You Paint

Prepping your wall and work area before you paint is vital to your final results. Your paint surface must be clean and your work area clear. You must also tape off any areas you do not want paint to drip on or brush over.

Here are 5 steps to prep your wall for paint.

1. Remove hardware - Light switch plates, door knobs, drape rods and any other room hardware should be removed and organized so it is easy to install after the paint drys.

2. Fix holes - Repair any damage to the wall. Use a drywall patch compound to fill in holes and make sure the compound is smooth and fully drys before painting over. Fill in all nail holes and remove any tape, nails or irregular items from the wall.

3. Clean the walls - Use a damp sponge and go over every inch of the wall to be cleaned. There is a layer of dust that you don't see on all walls and this dust must be removed if you want the paint to adhere properly.

4. Clean your work area - Make sure all trash and garbage is removed as well as anything that can get in your way while painting. Every square inch of your wall should be easily accessible. Move plants and furniture away from the wall to be painted.

5. Tape it off - Don't be afraid to use your tape liberally and be patient and precise when covering a window frame or glass. An exacto knife or box cutter will also help you make precision cuts. Use tape to also secure plastic coverings over any furniture that can't be moved and tape down drop clothes so they don't scrunch up.

Charles & Hudson | Comments () |

L Hart

should you paint walls before installing a drop ceiling

Deren Monday

This probably goes without saying, but priming the surface before painting is critical. Most homeowners know this, but it is easy to forget in certain situations.

For example, we just removed all shelving from a master closet to prepare for painting.
Well, the shelving was originally installed before the home was primed, and therefor the walls behind the shelving ledger were not primed. Priming these areas are critical for even paint application and to avoid "flashing" of the non-primed surfaces. Same does for large drywall patches; they need to be primed before you paint...

Charles & Hudson

@Allison It is amazing how many painters I've seen not take these simple steps. I think they are often pressed for time so they don't take the time to set up properly.

@Kim Thanks for the primer tip. Great advice with darker colors.

Kim

These are good tips. Another tip is if you are going to be painting over darker colors with lighter colors you may want to use a primer first. This works out very well otherwise even two coats may not be enough.

Allison1888

I'm glad you mentioned cleaning the walls. I was taught to always to this, but have yet to see an official painter EVER clean the walls. It just makes sense that you should start with a clean surface.