Paint can work wonders for revitalizing a tired home, and since it’s a budget-friendly alternative to more in-depth home renovation projects, its popularity is no surprise. But creating a seamless, attractive finish on your new paint job takes more than grabbing a brush and applying a few coats of paint.
It takes careful preparation to achieve a transformative, aesthetically pleasing result. While these steps aren’t difficult, they take time. Here’s what you’ll need to do.
6 Steps to Prep Your House for Painting
Adding a new coat of paint isn’t quite as simple as slapping on paint and calling it good. Instead, you’ll need to follow a few steps to ensure a stunning result.
Pick a Week With Good Weather
While it’s not the end of the world if you prep your home for painting on a rainy or cloudy day, it’s best to prime and paint on clear, warm days without a chance of rain. This way, you can avoid problems mother nature might inflict on your newly painted home, like heavy rainfall running down the sides of your home.
Of course, if you’re painting the walls inside your home, you can paint on any day, regardless of the weather outside. However, try to avoid painting on overly humid days, as excessive moisture in the air can slow the drying process.
Test for Lead
Older homes may have lead paint coating the walls. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned lead paint in 1978, but if your home was built before then, the walls might be coated in lead paint.
Since this paint can be harmful to you and your neighbors, family, and pets, it’s important to test the paint before you start working. You can easily test the paint for lead with an at-home test kit or by sending a simple to a testing lab.
If the paint contains lead, you’ll need to take precautions and follow careful steps, such as wearing a professional-grade respirator and a microporous protective suit to protect your body.
Clear the Area
While you wait for good weather to arrive, clear the area around the surface you plan to paint. Inside, move furniture toward the middle of the room or, if possible, clear the room entirely. Outside, move furniture, tools, and other objects away from the exterior walls.
This will give you plenty of room to work and minimize the amount of juggling you have to do when priming and painting to access each wall.
Wash the Walls
Once your good weather arrives, begin by thoroughly cleaning the walls. If you’re painting exterior walls, you can speed up the process with a power washer unless your home is clad in softwood shingles or siding. In this case, it’s best to handwash it with mild detergent and water.
Powerwashing interior walls isn’t exactly an option, so the best cleaning method is to handwash it or use a flat mop to speed up the process. Use elbow grease, mild detergent, and a soft cloth to work away caked-on grime.
Sand and Patch
After cleaning the surface, it’s time to sand and patch the walls. Sanding is a crucial part of painting exterior walls, as it helps create a bond between paint coats. In addition, it helps a new coat of paint stick to a surface previously coated in glossy paint.
Next, you’ll need to patch any gaps and holes. Walk along the walls, looking for small gaps or holes left from pictures and other items hung on the wall. If you’re painting exterior walls, look for gaps around doors, windows, and trim. If you find holes, seal it appropriately with caulk, spackle, or an applicable material.
As you walk around looking for gaps outside your home, pay attention to the condition of the siding. If your home has wood siding and certain pieces are rotting, replace them before moving on.
Prime the Surface
Your last step before painting is priming the surface. Primer helps prepare the surface and adhere the paint to the walls. It can also aid in concealing vibrant colors to minimize the number of coats needed to cover it.
Once you’re done, it’s time to paint!
Enlist Help From the Experts at Image Painting for Your House-Painting Project
Painting your home is a massive undertaking, regardless of whether you’re painting inside or outside. It can be an excellent way to give your home a facelift, but given the number of steps involved in creating a beautiful finish, it can be daunting.
This is where our experienced team at Image Painting comes in. We take pride in our work and our stalwart commitment to quality, outstanding customer service, and attention to detail. If you’re looking for a reliable house painter to revamp your home with a fresh coat of paint, we can help. Get started today by requesting an estimate!