How to Prepare a Room for Painting
Clear the room of all furnishings, decorations, light and outlet covers., Move anything that can't be removed to the center of the room and cover it in plastic to protect against splatters of paint., Give the room a thorough cleaning., Put paper all...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Clear the room of all furnishings
The more you can get out of the room, the easier you'll be able to move around...and the less you'll have to worry about ruining with paint. -
Step 2: decorations
Make sure it is covered completely, because paint has a habit of getting into places you don't expect it. , Vacuum or mop floors.
Wipe down any woodwork with a damp cloth.
Remove cobwebs and dust. , A disposable roll of paper can be bought at Home Depot.
You can also put some big pieces of plastic over big areas.
You can get that at Walmart, if you cannot find it at the 99 cent store. , Allow to dry per manufacturer's instructions (usually 2-4 hours) then sand flush.
Apply a second coat and sand if necessary. , This is especially important in kitchens and bathrooms, where different residues are commonly built up on the walls.
A simple solution of dish-soap and water works wonderfully.
I have found that a sponge headed mop is the easiest tool for scrubbing walls.
Finish the walls with a quick rinse of plain water to remove any soap residue. , If your walls are already covered in a low gloss, water-based paint, such as "builder's white"
you can simply paint over the old paint.
If you are painting over oil-based paint or a gloss or semi-gloss surface, you should prime.
Also, whether you choose to prime your entire walls or not, you should always spot prime any areas which you spackled, else they will show up as "shiny" areas in your finished paint job.
There are also primer/paints that only require one coat and it does not need priming. , This keeps the old color from showing through if your tape line doesn't exactly match the old line. , A good quality tape in important here.
You will also need do burnish
- lightly rub down the edge
- the edge of the tape that will be painted.
Electrical plug covers and switches are easier to remove and put on afterwards.
Door knobs also can be removed easily. -
Step 3: light and outlet covers.
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Step 4: Move anything that can't be removed to the center of the room and cover it in plastic to protect against splatters of paint.
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Step 5: Give the room a thorough cleaning.
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Step 6: Put paper all around the edges of the room.
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Step 7: Fill in any nail holes
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Step 8: small dents
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Step 9: hairline cracks
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Step 10: with a lightweight spackle.
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Step 11: Clean the walls/surfaces to be painted.
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Step 12: Priming is another important step in preparing walls for paint.
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Step 13: Cut in about an inch from the ceiling and baseboard with matching color (typically white).
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Step 14: Finally
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Step 15: tape off all adjacent walls
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Step 16: woodwork
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Step 17: light switches
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Step 18: with painter's tape to protect adjacent surfaces.
Detailed Guide
The more you can get out of the room, the easier you'll be able to move around...and the less you'll have to worry about ruining with paint.
Make sure it is covered completely, because paint has a habit of getting into places you don't expect it. , Vacuum or mop floors.
Wipe down any woodwork with a damp cloth.
Remove cobwebs and dust. , A disposable roll of paper can be bought at Home Depot.
You can also put some big pieces of plastic over big areas.
You can get that at Walmart, if you cannot find it at the 99 cent store. , Allow to dry per manufacturer's instructions (usually 2-4 hours) then sand flush.
Apply a second coat and sand if necessary. , This is especially important in kitchens and bathrooms, where different residues are commonly built up on the walls.
A simple solution of dish-soap and water works wonderfully.
I have found that a sponge headed mop is the easiest tool for scrubbing walls.
Finish the walls with a quick rinse of plain water to remove any soap residue. , If your walls are already covered in a low gloss, water-based paint, such as "builder's white"
you can simply paint over the old paint.
If you are painting over oil-based paint or a gloss or semi-gloss surface, you should prime.
Also, whether you choose to prime your entire walls or not, you should always spot prime any areas which you spackled, else they will show up as "shiny" areas in your finished paint job.
There are also primer/paints that only require one coat and it does not need priming. , This keeps the old color from showing through if your tape line doesn't exactly match the old line. , A good quality tape in important here.
You will also need do burnish
- lightly rub down the edge
- the edge of the tape that will be painted.
Electrical plug covers and switches are easier to remove and put on afterwards.
Door knobs also can be removed easily.
About the Author
Brian Castillo
Brings years of experience writing about hobbies and related subjects.
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