Proper preparation of your walls allows for an even texture and long-lasting finish. Read the below tips to see what we would suggest! The below is a procedure for preparing walls that have previously been painted walls.
- Remove plates, art pieces, furniture and anything that will get in the way of your paint job.
- If necessary, clean the walls! This is useful in cutting grease and removing oil and grime. If you notice these on your walls, grab a sponge, a cleaner (general purpose cleaner, wall cleaner & degreaser or TSP*) and water. You don’t have to wipe everywhere but any areas that are stained, soiled or greasy will need to be wiped down before painting. Make sure you rinse with clean water to finish off.
- If you have water damage or smoke damage there will be additional cleaning to do in addition to applying stain blocking primer to seal in the smoke and water stains. Call us at Larry’s Painting GTA for more information and a quote if necessary.
- Painter’s tape may be used around the desired area to prevent spill over OR if you’re experienced you can just cut* the walls by hand. Note that even if you do use tape to mask off the areas to be painted, care must be taken to not apply excessive paint and thus have paint bleed through the edge of the tape.
- Sand down the walls lightly to create a more even and smoother texture. This will also provide a little roughness on glossy walls to allow the paint to adhere to and resist peeling.
- Repair bumps by scraping them flat with a metal scraper. Finish by sanding and spot priming before painting.
- Repair holes, scratches and gouges by filling with plaster or spackling. Finish by sanding smooth and spot priming.
- Repair nail pops* by gouging out the bump with a scraper, driving in the nail or screw securely, then filling the hole with spackling* or plaster. Sand and spot prime once dry.
- Once you have all your walls clean and primed, you can now start painting.
GLOSSARY
*Cut: To paint a straight line at a corner or crea se with a brush, by hand.
*Nail Pops: Bumps on a wall caused by screws and nails loosening and working themselves out of the wall. They push against the wall board or plaster to make noticeable bumps.
*TSP: Trisodium Phosphate. A chemical compound formulated for use in cleaning surfaces in preparation for painting and for cleaning up paint splashes and stains. It is available in both liquid and powdered forms.
*Painter’s Tape: A type of tape for masking off surfaces for painting. This tape can be removed from the surface without ripping or damaging the surface unlike general masking tape which will rip the surface of painted wallboard. The typical colour is green but blue is also available. Check with your local hardware store for the appropriate one to buy.
*Spackling: a compound used to fill cracks in plaster and wallboards and produce a smooth surface. Spackling is typically thicker and faster drying than regular plaster.
Stay tuned for our next #LarrysLesson where we will cover the steps you should take for painting walls, once prepped. For professional painting services, give us a call! We are a family-owned professional team of painters, who have been in the business for over 35 years. It is our pleasure to help you make over your home, with quality, clean, friendly services.
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www.larryspainting.ca
(416) 690-3890
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