Our Guide To Surface Preparation Before Painting Your Home
Are you getting ready to paint your home? Don’t touch the brush yet! You’ve got to do surface preparation before painting!
It may seem like another thing to do, but surface prep is necessary for ANY painting project. Whether you’re painting fresh drywall or repainting the outside of your house, doing surface preparation before painting makes a huge difference between professional and amateur-looking results.
In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about surface preparation before painting your home. Now, let’s get into it!
What Is Surface Preparation?
Surface preparation is the process of getting a surface ready to paint that involves a list of things you need to do before painting. It’s the best way to ensure professional-level results and longer-lasting paint.
Why Do You Need To Do Surface Preparation Before Painting?
Surface preparation before painting is a MUST. It prepares your walls for painting by creating a smooth, clean surface. Having a prepped surface helps paint apply more evenly, dry perfectly, and last longer.
What’s Involved In Surface Preparation?
Surface prep usually involves the following six steps:
Removing old paint or wallpaper
Fixing or filling holes in the wall
Sanding down the walls
Cleaning up the dust and other dirt
Lay down painter's tape and protective sheets
Applying primer to the wall
How To Prepare Your Walls For Painting
Here are the six steps to getting your walls ready for painting.
Step One: Remove The Old Paint/Wallpaper
First, you’ll need to remove the old paint or wallpaper with a scraper. It’s not always possible to get everything, but you should get as much off as possible. The fresher the base, the easier the next steps will be.
Step Two: Repair The Walls
Next, you need to patch up the walls. Remember, paint can’t cover up drywall damage, no matter how pretty the color is. Even tiny little pinholes made by picture hangers should be filled.
Step Three: Sand The Walls
After the drywall putty from the repair stage is dried, you’ll need to sand those patches and any remaining paint or wallpaper so that the whole wall is as smooth as satin. If you don’t, the texturized spots will be as evident as if you had never painted.
Step Four: Clean Up The Dust
After all that sanding, the walls will have a lot of dust still clinging on that can ruin the paint if you don’t get rid of it. Vacuum or wipe the walls down with a damp rag to remove the dust. If you’re using a damp rag, make sure the wall is dry before moving to the next step.
Step Five: Lay Down Painters Tape And Protective Sheets
The best way to avoid a mess is to cover the area with protective sheets and apply painter's tape to the edges of each wall. That ensures there are no transfers or other mishaps while you paint.
Step Six: Prime The Walls
The last step before painting is to apply primer. Again, this coats and seals the wall, creating the perfect canvas for any color. You can skip this step if you use paint that has primer mixed into it.
Davison Painting Has Your Surface Prep Covered!
Want to know how you can save yourself from prep work before painting? Hire a pro painter! Davison Painting is here to take the stress of surface preparation and painting right off your shoulders! Contact us to learn more.
