Have you ever marvelled at the final product of a professionally painted wall? The secret to that flawless finish is all in the prep work.
When many people think of painting a room they think of applying the actual color to the walls. This is actually the final step in a sequence of steps necessary to achieve a perfectly smooth finish though. Professional painters understand the work that goes into the process, and once you do you will be one step closer to getting the high-quality finish you desire.
Preparing Your Work Space
- Remove as much furniture and extra items for your room as possible
- Items too large to be removed should be pushed to the center of the room
- Remove everything from your walls, including HVAC covers, electrical faceplates, and picture nails
With your work area free of clutter you can begin the process of inspecting your walls for any imperfections that will need to be repaired. Look for cracks, dents, or holes and fill them in with a lightweight spackling compound using a putty knife. Be sure to blend the edges of the spackle into the surface of your wall. Once the patched spot is completely dry sand it with extra fine sandpaper until smooth. Wipe your walls clean with a damp sponge or cloth and allow them to dry. Finally, remove any remaining dust from your walls with a tack cloth or duster.
Final Paint Preparation
Painter’s tape is an easy way to make sure all of your edges a clean and crisp. Apply it in short, overlapping strips along the ceiling and trim, being sure to press the edges down firmly. Protecting your floors with drop cloths is always a good idea. Drop cloths should be taped down along the edges to prevent tripping hazards.
Next you will want to prime your walls, especially any patched spots. Unprimed spackle will soak up your paint resulting in an uneven finish. When priming and painting if you really want to get that beautiful finish: work one wall at a time. Cut in the perimeter of your wall and roll on paint while everything is still wet before moving onto the next wall. Working with wet on wet allows the paint edges to blend together for a truly seamless finish.
