Prep work for painting is just as essential to its success as applying the actual coats of color. Proper surface preparation helps ensure improved adhesion, durability, and an aesthetically pleasing result.
Preparing the room for painting depends on the project and materials involved, but usually involves cleaning, scraping, sanding, patching and priming. local painters
Clean the Surface
Surface preparation is key to any successful painting project, as it ensures that paint adheres to materials beneath it and creates a durable and long-term finish.
To properly prepare a surface, it must be free from dust, dirt, oil, rust and mildew – these substances may cause paint to crack, flake, bubble or peel over time. Depending on its nature, additional methods may be required such as abrasive blasting or solvent-based chemical cleaning.
Cleaning surfaces may be accomplished using soap and water or degreaser, removing hardware such as wall vents and light switches before lightly sanding them with fine grain sandpaper for the best results. Also important is purchasing enough products to finish this task in full as running out halfway can be expensive and produce unanticipated outcomes that do not match up with finished appearances.
Remove Any Debris
Paint needs a smooth, clean surface in order to look its best and last as long as possible, so before taking up painting projects of either interior or exterior nature, make sure any nails, tacks or staples are removed and plastic covers any areas which should not be painted – both inside and outside! This applies for indoor/outdoor projects alike.
Washing surfaces with mild detergent solution and rinsing them thoroughly usually suffices, but for tough stains or grime use a melamine foam eraser such as those found on Magic Erasers or scouring pad. For metal surfaces you may wish to consider TSP (trisodium phosphate) but make sure that you abide by all label instructions regarding its safety use.
Wall preparation involves removing outlet covers, wall heating vents, light fixtures and any other hardware that won’t be painted. If redecorating an interior room, move furniture to the center or cover it with protective sheets before beginning painting.
Prime the Surface
Priming is an integral component of painting surfaces. Priming provides tooth to help paint adhere, coverage enhancement and can make final coats appear more vibrant.
Primer seals the pores of surfaces to prevent paint from seeping into drywall or wood surfaces, saving money in the long run as unprimed walls may absorb much of their colour before it has time to cover them up.
Prime any brand new drywall and porous surfaces like old wood paneling or untreated plaster prior to painting; it will help your paint job last much longer while saving expensive paint from being wasted on multiple coats of wall covering as it soaks right in.
If you are painting non-porous surfaces such as laminate or vinyl, such as shelving units or furniture, primer may not be necessary; however, it is a good idea to conduct a small test area so as to ensure proper adhesion of the product.
Apply the Paint
Painting requires more than simply buying a can of paint and covering surfaces with it; there must be preparation done first to achieve quality results that won’t look shoddy and adhere properly to surfaces. Otherwise, results could look patchy.
Before painting begins, any furniture and items in the room that will be painted should be moved out of its path or covered to protect them from becoming dirty or damaged during the painting process. Furthermore, any cracks or holes must be filled so that paint adheres properly to surfaces.
Before painting, most painters lightly sand or use deglossing chemicals like Wilbond to roughen up surfaces in order to increase paint adhesion. Some primers claim that their adhesive properties will adhere to glossy surfaces; it’s wiser to be extra cautious and degloss any questionable surfaces first before priming and painting. Also be sure that all primer dries completely prior to proceeding with further steps.