Room Painting Prep

Have you ever noticed small imperfections, dents or cracks on the wall after painting? While it’s a common problem, it’s also one that can easily be prevented by sanding and adequately prepping the surface before applying paint. A little bit of pre-work can have an impressive impact on the long-term quality and finish of your wall.
 

1: Why repair and sand if I’m just going to paint anyway?

Painting can be a quick and simple way to breathe new life into a space; and, by taking just a few extra minutes to evaluate the condition of your wall, you can preserve the quality and longevity of your work. Paint has a tendency to highlight all the blemishes on a wall, making it imperative to tackle peeling paint, nail holes and imperfections before applying your first coat of primer or paint. This way you can be sure you are pleased with the final results with your time and energy well spent.

2: Safety Considerations

Since the process of sanding involves the removal of material, it creates airborne dust. We recommend safety glasses, work gloves, and an approved dust mask or respirator.

Caution: Be aware that if your home is very old, there is a chance that there may be lead paint on the walls and trim. The dust you create when sanding releases the lead and could be a health hazard. Protect yourself accordingly.

3: Remove loose/peeling paint

Using a standard paint scraper or a hand pad, remove any old paint that is loose, peeling, or otherwise unattractive. The goal is to bring the wall back to its original flatness, while taking care not to over scrape.

4: Fill dents, cracks, depressions

If during the removal process the wall surface reveals cracks, dents or depressions fill them using spackle or joint compound. Let the joint compound dry for 4-8 hours depending on temperature and humidity. To determine if the joint compound is thoroughly dry, run a piece of sandpaper over the joint compound. If the surface balls up and is soft to the touch, it is not ready to be sanded.

Once the surface is thoroughly dry, carefully sand the surface by hand using an 80 or 100 grit sandpaper, 120 grit sanding screen, or a medium grit sanding sponge.

When hand sanding large flat areas, you may also want to use a rubber sanding block to support the sandpaper to make sure the sanding surface is completely flat.

5: Address popped nail heads/screws and nail holes

From time to time, nails and screws will work their way out of the wall and will need to be reinserted or removed altogether and replaced by another fastener - often the best long-term solution. Nails or screws used to hold the drywall in place should be set beneath the surface of the drywall so the joint compound will sufficiently cover the entire head of the nail or screw. If any portion of the fastener can be seen or felt, after applying compound, it must be set deeper into the drywall.

This is also a good time to address small holes left in the wall from hanging frames and décor by filling with joint compound.

Apply a healthy amount of joint compound to the submerged nail to cover it thoroughly. Let compound dry. Nail or screw holes will probably take two coats of joint compound to properly fill the indentation.
Once the joint compound has dried thoroughly, carefully sand the surface by hand using an 80 or 100 grit sandpaper, 120 grit sanding screen, or a medium grit sanding sponge.

6: Preparing the surface for paint

Using a clean rag or microfiber cloth, wipe down the wall surface to remove any dust left from sanding. It is important to let the wall dry after cleaning if any amount of water is used, otherwise you may find the moisture may get trapped by the paint and cause bubbling or other problems later. Once the surface is clean and dry, your wall is ready for paint.

Before painting, lay down drop cloths or plastic sheeting and apply masking tape to trim and baseboard molding to prevent paint from getting on furniture, woodwork and flooring.