Painting Prep Work Ideas

Proper interior painting prep of your walls and ceilings before painting will often encompass more work than the actual painting. Up to 75% of the work can be getting a surface ready for painting.

Wall preparation for painting is more than covering the floor.

The amount of painting preparation needed depends on three factors;

Many of the basic interior painting preparation steps are relevant to all situations, whether a room is in good shape or needing extensive repair. Interior painting and the steps involved can release dust or particles into the air and there for onto all surfaces of a room. There are environmental concerns with any scraping or sanding of the existing finish.

Lead paint safety is a major concern when painting. Many painted or finished surfaces can contain lead and protecting yourself and your family needs to be a first priority.

Lead was used as a pigment and drying agent in “alkyd” oil based paint. “Latex” water based paints generally have not contained lead. About two-thirds of the homes built before 1940 and one-half of the homes built from 1940 to 1960 contain heavily-leaded paint. Some homes built after 1960 also contain heavily-leaded paint. It may be on any interior or exterior surface, particularly on woodwork, doors, and windows. In 1978, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission lowered the legal maximum lead content in most kinds of paint to 0.06% (a trace amount). Consider having the paint in homes constructed before the 1980s tested for lead before renovating or if the paint or underlying surface is deteriorating. This is particularly important if infants, children, or pregnant women are present.

Interior Paint Preparation for a Room in Good Condition and Previously Painted

The easiest rooms to paint are in good condition needing only minor wall preparation for painting. Covering and protecting non-painted surfaces is always a good place to begin.

This includes moving the furniture away from the walls toward the center of the room. If possible, remove as much furniture from the room especially if you are going to paint a ceiling as well. The less obstacles the easier the room is to paint. Masking the perimeter of the room with a masking paper if you are painting the walls only, or the whole floor if you are painting the ceiling.

Repair can be pulling a few nails no longer needed for hanging pictures and filling small holes with light weight spackle. Minor cracks in the walls can be filled with the same spackle.

Now is a good time to check the caulking around windows and where the trim meets the wall, this includes all of the base and casing. If the trim is painted re-caulk with a good siliconized acrylic caulk or elastomeric caulk (elastomeric caulk is recommended for working cracks due to its elasticity).

Minor stains on the surfaces needing paint should be washed with mild soap and water or primed with a stain blocking primer if they can’t be removed by washing. Now the interior painting can start. If you are applying the same color and type of paint sheen over the existing color you will need one coat as this is considered a repaint. For any color changes or sheen changes we advice you apply two coats to achieve the solid coverage, also if the existing paint color is dark and you are changing it to a much lighter color you should prime the surface first.

Interior Paint Preparation for a Room Showing Signs of Wear and Needing Repair

This is where the work is, we’ve seen a lot of rooms needing extensive interior paint preparation. Most painted surfaces will show signs of wear such as minor holes or major cracks in the walls or ceilings, chipped paint on the trim or water stains and possible water damage.

Some interior paint problems can be caused by poor preparation the last time it was painted. Interior paint preparation is the foundation for the entire job. If done correctly it can make your paint perform to its fullest potential. If done incorrectly or incompletely the best paint can crack, peel or chip easily.

If major or extensive drywall repair is needed it is best to empty the room of furniture as much as possible. Move all remaining items to the center of the room and cover completely with light weight plastic. Cover and protect unmovable objects plus areas not needing painting. Dust can cover all items, completely protect everything and save time cleaning after the room is painted.

All repairs need to be fully accomplished and primed before proceeding with the application of the finish paint. Priming drywall repairs or raw wood is necessary before painting.

Interior Preparation for New Construction – Unpainted Walls and Ceilings

Interior paint preparation involving new unpainted surfaces are the easiest to deal with. Depending on the situation and how the primer and paint will be applied mask and protect windows and installed doors and trim. Painting the interior of a new home can be very quick at first until all the details need finishing, like painting wood trim and doors. Those items will take more time.

Walls and ceilings textured or not, will require priming with a drywall primer. The technique used for applying the primer is the same for applying the paint. You can roll or spray the paint. After the primer is applied check the corners for minor cracks or defects and caulk where necessary.

If a room has been re-textured, treat it as a new surface. Usually trim and doors are not installed until the walls and ceilings are painted. The trim and doors can be pre-finished before installation to save time.

What Did You Do To Get It Ready for Paint?

So many surfaces can be painted! We are showing many of the basics but you will eventually find a situation that is unique. What did you do? We would love to know.