Taking a little time to make necessary preparations before painting a wall is worth your time in the long run. By preparing the walls for paint, you will achieve the best possible results; a smooth finish and an attractive appearance. Little preparations such as cleaning, sanding, and priming make the difference in the final results.
Follow these simple tips on how you can prepare walls for painting before you get rolling.
Clean the walls
Cleaning walls is a key process in preparing walls for painting. While there is no best choice for cleaning a wall, most DIYers use a soft sponge and warm water to clean their walls.
For surfaces that have long been exposed to grime, grease, and oil, use a grease-cutting detergent and water solution to clean them. Finish your cleaning process by wiping the walls clean using a clean piece of cloth.
Always ensure your walls are dry before going to the next step. Otherwise, you are risking conditions such as blistering.
Remove Mildew
It doesn’t matter which room you are preparing to paint. Whether the wall is newly installed, remodeled, or just painted, you cannot ignore this process. If you skip the process and opt to paint over mildew, it will grow through the paint.
Cleaning mildew is simple. Use a sponge and a ¾ solution of water with ¼ bleach. Apply the solution and let it settle for some minutes before scrubbing the area with a brush. Rinse the area with clean water and allow it to dry.
Sand properly
While sanding is not necessary for every painting project, removing the rough spots on the wall before painting ensures you achieve flawless results. Whether new or have previously been painted, Walls need sanding to achieve the smoothest results after painting.
Use sandpaper or a sanding block to remove the uneven surfaces and remove the dust using a wet sponge.
Priming
Primer is the foundation of painting. To get the most out of your paint, use a primer before applying the paint. Primers can cover walls that are porous and have surface stains.
They remove the imperfections on a wall and create a smooth surface for your paint. Primers also ensure a uniform finish, no matter what you are painting.
Just ensure you are using the correct primer on your material.
Avoid painting over wallpapers.
While you may find it hard to remove permanent wallpapers on your wall before painting, it is not an excuse to paint over it. The paint will most likely not cover the imperfection, and the wallpaper will soon be visible.
We recommend that you hire a professional if you are finding it hard to paint.
Need painting service?
Golden State Drywall Repair Pros in Oakland has a team of professional painters to help you when you need the best results.
Whether you are painting drywall or plaster, we can paint all types of walls.
Call us today at (510) 250-5447 for inquiries.
