Wall Preperation for Paint

 

Great looking finishes, both paint and decorative, look best when the walls and ceilings have been prepped to achieve a smooth as possible surface, clean corners, holes filled, baseboards, door and window casings caulked, and older paint stipple sanded.

I find there are two levels of prep, new construction and re-paints. Each of these categories then can be broken into there own levels. Not all new construction is created equal, usually determined by the drywall finisher, and for re-paints, depending on neglect or personal taste.

Re-Paints

I start by pole sanding all areas to be finished. This knocks off any imperfection and starts a level playing field. Wear a dust mask. No need to get crazy, just want to knock off some of the stipple of the previous paint. I then fill holes, dings and dents with a lightweight spackle. We prefer Crawfords Vinyl Spackle. While the spackle is drying (dries fast), clean dust and loose old caulk from baseboards, door and window casings and re-caulk. Sand spackling and prime as needed and paint.

New Construction

If there was a good drywall finisher, your job is easy. I first clean all dust off the walls and ceilings and floors. Generally there is always some areas that will need filled and for this I use Lightweight Setting Joint Compound, 20 minute or 45 minute. You may also need to use a square sanding pad and “clean” up the corners which also may need some of the JC. Sand, clean dust and then I like to prime. This usually will show up some areas missed which can be filled and spot primed. After the priming of new drywall, I then caulk areas. This too is flexible, for if there is new wood casings and baseboard, I prefer to prime them also prior to caulk. Then proceed to paint. I prefer to paint ceilings first. Because of gravity, I paint from highest area to lowest!