How to Prep a Room to Paint
With summer right around the corner, now is the time that most of us find ourselves with a list of projects to get done. One of the most exciting projects is getting to repaint parts of your home. An important but overlooked step in painting is preparing your room and wall
If skipped you may end up with paint splatters on your flooring and light fixtures, or paint on your ceiling. Though when done correctly, it will make the entire process smoother and will leave your walls looking amazing! Whether you are thinking about selling your home or are just putting on a fresh coat, here are some of our top tips for prepping your room to paint like a pro.
1) Clear the Room
Take everything out of the room. This includes all of your furniture, curtains, blinds, art, electrical outlet switch plates, shelving, rugs, etc. You don’t want to accidentally get paint on any of your home furnishings so try to move everything into a different area of your home.
2) Cover the Flooring and Fixtures
Lay down a tarp or drop cloth on top any of the furniture that you were unable to move out of the room and lay the tarp on top of all of your flooring to protect it from any drops of paint. Cover lighting fixtures with plastic or tarp and wrap plastic bags around doorknobs and hooks using rubber bands.
3) Clean the Walls
You may not realize how much dust, dirt, and pet hair accumulates on your walls. Use a sponge and a mild soap to clean all of the walls that you are painting. During this step, you also want to check for any cracks or holes that need to be filled with caulk or spackle and be sure to sand the area down to create a smooth surface for applying paint.
4) Apply Painter’s Tape
Using painters tape will ensure that you get clean, straight lines when painting and will help stop drops of paint getting on any molding. First, you want to clean your moldings to get rid of any dust buildup. Otherwise, the tape will not stick well and will become a hassle to keep in place. Next, lay the painters tape on top of your molding and cover the entire base of the wall you are painting. You will also want to tape around window frames, vents, and along the ceiling line. Once you lay down the painter’s tape you want to go back over the edge of the tape that is against the wall and press it down to ensure there are no air bubbles and it is as tight as can be.
5) Prime & Paint
You are now ready to begin priming your walls and painting!
Sources
https://www.familyhandyman.com/painting/tips/using-masking-tape-when-painting/
https://www.houzz.com/magazine/how-to-paint-a-room-prep-to-painting-stsetivw-vs~71374323