How To Prep Your Room for Interior Painting

As the saying goes, if you don’t prepare, you’ll prepare to fail. This is especially true when it comes to painting walls. You’ll get a much smoother finish if you learn how to prepare a room for painting. It is well worth investing a little more time and care at the outset.

Learn how to prepare a room for painting to go one step closer to your goal of painting like a pro.

 How To Prepare Your Space for Painting   

These are some preparation tips to consider before you grab your paint roller.

 Phase 1: Clear the Room 

1. If possible, move the furniture out of your way.

You can have someone assist you in moving furniture from one room to another. Bring your bedding and mattress out if you’re painting your bedroom.

If you don’t have enough space, you can move the items to the middle of the room. Cover them with plastic and stack them together. Do not attempt to move heavy furniture yourself. You can ask a family member or friend to help you.

2. Take down wall and ceiling decorations.

Take down any artwork or framed photos hanging on your walls and place them in a safe area. You can remove the light fixtures or cover them with plastic, before attaching them with tape. Use a claw hammer to remove any nails that are sticking out. 

3. Remove outlet covers and switch plates.

To remove switch plates and outlet covers using the appropriate screwdriver, place the screws in a plastic bag. This will make it easier to reinstall the covers and switch plates when you are done.

Use painter’s tape to cover the switches and outlets. Pro tip: Leave the outlets and switches exposed until you start painting to allow you to turn on your lights.

 Phase 2: Safeguard Your Floor and Fixtures 

1. Cover large furniture with plastic.

You can cover heavy furniture with plastic if you cannot move it to another room, and be sure to secure the base. Choose heavy-duty canvas or cloth that are lined or backed with a plastic covering when choosing drop cloths to preserve carpets or floors.This will protect them from paint that might splatter or drip. Furthermore, plastic drop cloths are a smart and inexpensive solution for covering windows and built-ins from paint that may splash down when rolling paint onto a ceiling.

2. Tape the baseboards and windows.

You can use painter’s tape to cover any trims that you don’t wish to paint. Secure it with your fingers or a putty knife. Purchase a variety of painter’s tape sizes so you’ll be prepared for any taping task. You can either use one long or multiple shorter strips, depending on what works best for your needs.

3. Drop cloths can be used to cover the floor.

You can use drop cloths to cover your floors so that the paint doesn’t damage them. Use painter’s tape to secure them.

 Phase 3: Clean and Fix the Walls 

1. Spackle the holes and let them dry.

Cover any uneven areas or holes in the wall you’re painting with spackling paste. Take a small bit of drywall spackle on your finger and put it into the nail or tack holes.

Use a putty knife to apply the drywall spackle in larger holes properly. It’s advisable to leave the holes if you’ll hang the frames and curtain rod holders in the same spot.

2. Use a sanding block or sandpaper with a 220-grit rating.

Wear a face mask before sanding the walls to avoid breathing in the dust. Take the time to rub the walls and use spackle to level the areas. To get to high places, use a ladder.

The walls will hold the primer and paint better if you sand them.

3. Use soapy water to clean your walls.

Use a sponge to clean the walls in a pail of warm water with dish soap, then wring the sponge out, so it doesn’t cause a mess.

Wash the sponge occasionally to keep the dirt and stains from sticking to the walls. Allow the walls to dry before applying the primer and interior paint.

 Phase 4: Use a Primer for the Walls 

1. Apply the proper primer.

According to jeffschultzpainting.com, use an oil-based primer if you’re painting with oil-based paint. On the other hand, use a latex-based primer for all other types of paint. Suppose you’re covering a dark paint-colored wall, it’s required to use a primer to prevent the existing dark paint from showing.

2. Paint the baseboards and trims using a paintbrush.

Use a 1-2-inch angled or square paintbrush with nylon bristles for baseboards and trims.

3. To paint the walls, use a roller.

For walls, a nine-inch paint roller is ideal. To get the best coverage, make a W-pattern, and don’t soak the roller too long to avoid drips. Allow it to dry for a day.

Apply another coat of paint if the first one is uneven. Use a ladder or a paint roller with a longer handle for difficult-to-reach locations.

After you’ve cleaned, patched, protected, and made the necessary preparations for your room to be painted, you’re ready to tackle the easiest portion of the job, the painting. However, it’s also crucial to prepare your paint for your walls. You can do a few things to improve the performance of your paint in various sections of your home. You can benefit from some additives for insulation, mildew resistance, and fireproofing.

By following all the tips and techniques mentioned, you’re now good to go to put some color into your space.

 Key Takeaway 

Painting interior walls takes a lot of time. However, if you take the time to prepare the room beforehand, the painting will go as planned, and operations will flow more smoothly. Starting with a clean slate, allowing lots of elbow room, protecting surfaces, and creating flawlessly patched surfaces are the crucial phases needed to be done efficiently to prep your room for your painting project. But if you don’t have the time or you’re not confident to pursue this painting project by yourself, you can research painting service providers online within your area to ask for advice or assistance to finish your home renovations successfully.