How To Prepare a Wall For Painting

Wall For Painting is one of the most crucial tasks that might seem exciting in the beginning but can be quite daunting if not done correctly. Whenever it comes to redecorating a room, painting walls with refreshing color is always at the top of the to-do list. The only thing that plays a vital role in painting project is that how it is being carried out.

It won’t be wrong to say that painting is a technical task that one mustn’t do without making proper preparation beforehand. To achieve a smooth finish and desired the look of the room, it’s necessary that walls are being prepared for painting. Damaged, dirty and uneven surface needs to be amended before the application of fresh paint.

In this review, we’ll provide you a quick guide to preparing a wall for painting. Following every step smoothly will help you achieve an even and flawless finishing. There will be no need for additional coats or final touchups because of proper wall preparation is done before the paint application.

There are multiple items you’ll be needing for wall preparation. In devices, you must have:

• Duster –to scrape away peeling paint.
• Bucket –to put other items or paint.
• Sponge –to clean the wall.
• Filling knife or scraper– to make the uneven surface even for paint application.
• Small paint brush –to reach tricky corners and fill the cracks.
• Sandpaper– for sanding to let paint adhere to the wall easily.
• Vacuum Cleaner –to clean the wall after sanding.
• Dust sheets –to protect carpet and furniture from paint and dirt.

In the materials, you’ll be needing:

• Sugar soap –to clean the wall surface and remove old paint.
• Filler –to fill the cracks and holes in the wall surface.
• 80 Grit Sandpaper –sandpaper comes in different sizes, but the medium is always better as it can be used for multiple types of surfaces.
• Masking Tape – to cover the areas such as door and window trims that you don’t want to paint.
• Plaster sealant –to seal the freshly plastered wall and protect it from absorbing moisture.
• Basecoat – for damaged walls to get an excellent base for paint application.

When it comes to painting the walls, removing all the hardware from the room is always in the best interest. Having an open space with no furniture allows painters to move around quickly and carry out the task freely. It also eliminates the chances of damaging valuable articles by dropping paint over them.

Start clearing the room by taking out all furniture. Try to remove everything for the room but if there are a few items heavy enough to lift, drag them to the center of the room and cover with a dust sheet to protect it from paint or dirt.

Afterward, take out the curtains and blinds as you don’t want them to get stained. If possible, also remove the railings and poles so they must not get paint on them as well. Remove the lights and detachable shelves and drawers as well. Store all removed items safely so you must not lose anything.

To enjoy a smoother final finish, it’s necessary to clean the wall before painting. Dirt and grease make it difficult for paint to adhere the surface, therefore make sure you wash it properly. With the use of sugar soap, you can wipe the surface and make it grease-free and dustless.

Begin the wall cleaning by dusting the surface including the walls, ceiling, door and window frames, and coving. You can use a long stick and tape the duster with it to reach far off places easily and dust them. Dusting will help you remove all dirt particles from the area you want to paint.

Once you are done with dusting, take the bucket and pour some water. Mix the sugar soap in it and use this dilute solution to wash the walls. Coating the surface will remove the grease stains and make it clean enough to be ready for new paint application. Don’t forget to wear painter gloves while using sugar soap because it might cause skin irritation due to active substances added to it.

After the cleaning, the wall with sugar soap, take the sponge and dip it in clean water to wipe off the surface.

Damaged walls must be fixed before paint application if you want to enjoy the best results. Cracks and holes in the wall make it difficult to achieve the goal of a flawless finish. But worry not, you can always deal with such issues by putting in a little more effort. Minor cracks and holes in the wall surface can be fixed easily with fillers. You can find many cartridges in the market from different brands. Use them to fix minor wall surface defects and give sufficient time to dry it out before getting started with painting.

When using a filler, make sure you access the damage first and then start fixing it. First of all, scrape away all the excess plaster so you can have a better look of the area. You can use filling knife or scraper to do that. Don’ be too harsh when scraping as you don’t want to make the damage worse. After that, take a small paintbrush and wet it with clean water to dampen the crack. It is because wet area allows the filler to dry slowly and reduces the chances of shrinkage.

Once the area is dampened, take some filler on the knife and put it in the crack. Press the filling blade gently in one direction to let the padding cover the surface evenly. Make sure there is no excess filler left over the surface as it will make paint application uneven and flawed.

Once the filling has been done, now wait for it to dry completely. After it’s dried, you can use sandpaper for sanding the surface and remove the excess material from the wall. Use the 80 grit sanding paper that offers suitability for plastered walls as well.

Another thing you can use to fix wall defects is the basecoat. Basecoat helps you get a smoother surface for the paint application. It covers minor cracks and holes and allows paint to adhere firmly. Basecoat can be used even after the filling process. It includes the entire surface evenly and provides a smooth surface for paint application. For light colors, basecoat is highly recommended as it reduced the visibility of crack fillings. Use basecoat after sanding and make the wall ready for final paint application.

Many people think that sanding is optional, well it is not if you want a perfect final finish. You need to create a flawless foundation for the paint application which is only possible with proper sanding. It helps you smoothen the surface by making it even and more adherent.

Sanding creates friction on the surface and makes it a little rough to let the paint adhere to it with firmly. It encourages a long-term adherence of color to the wall and reduces the chances of early paint peeling. Take an 80 grit sandpaper and move it in a circular motion against the wall surface. It will smoothen all sorts of bumps and lumps present in the wall and make it even for the paint application.

After sanding, use a vacuum cleaner to remove all the debris and dust from the area.

Once the surface of the wall is ready for paint application, it’s time to make some final minute preparations.

Take the dust sheet big enough to cover the entire floor of the room. Spread it onto the floor and use masking tape to tape it from the corners so it must not move while you are working on the walls. Massive dust sheets don’t run efficiently hence taping them is not necessary, but polythene sheets might move easily so tape them to carry out the task smoothly.

Aside from floor and furniture, there are many things you need to cover before paint application. Switchboards, shelves and wooden work done in the room that cannot be detached must also be protected from paint and dust. Cover all such things with masking tape to keep them in their original form.

Apply the tape in long sections and go for repeated coverings. If you get the paint on the tape, it’s better to remove it instantly and apply new tape. If you remove the tape after the paint has dried, it might pull off the entire layer. Just make sure that you cover the areas with masking tape neatly and use a knife to make the edges straight.

After covering all the fixed items in the room, it’s time to take off lights and detachable shelves and drawers. Remove all the fancy lights from the room and use battery lights to paint the room. You don’t want the paint to cover the lights or other decorative details. This way you will also be free to move around and paint the entire surface without worrying about damaging anything.