subject: Preparing Walls For Interior Painting [print this page] Preparing Walls For Interior Painting Preparing Walls For Interior Painting
Preparation is the key for any project you want to do, especially if it involves interior painting. Trying to paint around furniture, light switches, and on a cracked wall will make your job harder and messier. That is why you need to take some time to prepare the room and the wall so that the job goes smoothly and the finished product looks great.
Prepare the room by moving all light furniture and decorative things to another room. Then push all large pieces of furniture to the middle, covering with plastic. Electrical face plates need to be removed and tape put on switches and receptacles. For light fixtures that are fixed, cover with plastic bags. The last step of preparation is covering the floor in plastic and then with canvas drop cloths.
If you are dealing with wallpaper, you need to decide whether to paint over it or remove it. Some wallpaper can be painted over, but it should only be done if in excellent condition and not pulling away from the wall anywhere. If you remove it, make sure to clean the leftover adhesive with an abrasive clean and then rinse well. The walls should set to dry for at least a day.
If wallpaper is not an issue, then you need to prepare for stripping and scraping. Old paint that is chipping or peeling needs to be scraped. Always be gentle when scraping, you want to use enough force to remove it, but not so hard you nick the wall. For lightly flaking paint, you can use a wire brush to remove. When you must scrape use the broad scraper for big areas and hook-blade scraper for smaller ones.
Now it is time to examine the wall to see where you need to repair it. With joint compound, you can fill any small holes, cracks, and cover surface blemishes. Before you begin, brush the dust away from the problem areas, and wet. When you are done patching, let the compound dry thoroughly and then smooth things over. A professional should be used to repair any extensive damage to a wall.
If you did a lot of scraping and patching, then you will want to sand the walls down. Using a fine-grade sandpaper will give the walls a nice smoothness and can actually help paint to stick better. If you have glossy surfaces, you may want to use a liquid deglosser. Always rinse thoroughly when done and let it dry overnight.
You are almost ready to paint; you just need to make sure the walls are clean first. Use a cloth to dust and then wash them down with a sponge. That will take care of any dust and grease. Depending on the size of your walls, it should take about a day for them to dry.
A good paint job can transform any room, so it is well worth the time and effort put into it. That means that you have to think about what you are doing and actually prepare first. Taking the time to get the area ready for interior painting can mean all the difference in how fast and how smoothly it goes.
