The key to successfully painting a room lies in your preparation. For an easy task, smooth application, and an even finish, you need to spend some time preparing your room. Understanding the preparation you need to carry out can be tricky, especially if it is your first time painting, but we are here with our top tips and preparation guidelines to ensure your room is ready for the perfect painting job!
Preparing Rooms For Painting: What You Need To Know
To prepare your room for painting, follow these steps. Not all of these will apply to you, depending on the room you are painting, but most of them will apply:
- Remove furniture: where possible, remove all furniture from the room to make painting easier. If this isn’t possible, use plastic sheeting to cover your furniture and rearrange it to clear a pathway through the room
- Remove hardware: including window locks and lifts, strikes, doorknobs, light fixtures, and electrical cover plates. Store these and their screws in a secure space for reinstallation
- Protect the floor: use painters’ tape and drop cloths to prevent paint from seeping through to your floor. If you are planning to install a new floor or make any changes to the current flooring, you can skip this step
- Fill cracks, holes, and gaps: in your walls. Dents, holes, and dings can be patched with ready-mix spackle or wood filler. Joint compound and mesh tape can be used for plaster walls, and any gaps around your trip can be filled with caulk, ensuring you are not adding too much.
- Sand and remove dust: for any walls, windows, and doors that are uneven. The grit you need depends on the material: 120 grit for walls and 220 grit for mouldings, floors, and windows. If you are painting over or sanding paint that is over 45 years old, test for lead first
Do I Need a Primer?
Applying a primer is not always essential, especially if you are repainting walls and trim that have been previously painted in a similar shade or formulation. If you are adding paint to fresh plaster or drywall, then a primer is needed to seal the surface and prevent the new paint from bubbling or cracking. You will also need primer if the previous paint is damaged or has deteriorated, or if you are adding a light colour over a dark one. The primer you need can vary, and we recommend the following:
- Bare wood trim – needs an oil-based primer to fill and seal pores for your paint to adhere evenly
- Clear-coated wood trim – should be primed with shellac primer if polyurethane or varnish were previously used
- Masonry – should be sealed with water-based latex primer before adding any paint
- Metal – ferrous metals with iron need an oil-based primer to prevent rust, while nonferrous surfaces need a water-based latex primer
- MDF – needs shellac or oil-based primers, as these won’t cause the material to crumble or swell
- Painted wood trim – a water-based latex primer can be used over latex paint. If you don’t know what paint was used, opt for an oil-based primer
- Plastic – needs a bonding primer, which will stick to slick plastic surfaces, like laminate
- Walls – need a general-purpose, water-based, 100% latex formula
Tips for Easy Painting
Everyone has a different method for painting, whether they use a roller, brushes, or spray the walls. To ensure your painting is easy and you are satisfied with the finish, we recommend the following tips:
- Start with cutting in – running your brush along edges and corners for a smooth finish
- Paint top to bottom – starting with your ceiling, before moving onto walls and your baseboards, trims, or floors
- Paint in a W pattern – roll paint in a large M or W shape before filling it with even strokes. Use a wet edge throughout to avoid any lap marks for an even finish
- Use thin coats – instead of one thick coat. This provides a smoother finish and reduces drying time
- Don’t recoat quickly – ensure the paint has fully dried before another coat is applied, following the guidance from the brand of paint
- Remove tape sooner – any painters tape should be removed just before the final coat dries, or just after, to avoid removing any paint and providing clean lines
Enjoy a Smooth Finish in Your Home
By following these painting tips, you can ensure that your interior walls achieve a smooth, even finish, reducing how often you need to repaint. To ensure that you are always satisfied with your paint job, we recommend hiring professional painters and decorators, like those at DC Decorators. Not only will they ensure your interior paint is smooth and even, but they also take all the stress out of painting for you! Contact these Brisbane painters to see if they can help you today.
