Wall Painting | 3 Steps To Prepare Your Wall Surface For Painting
Painting is an excellent way to infuse a fresh life into any room, so you'll want to revive your walls occasionally. Perhaps you've decided to leave your wall painting to the professionals or maybe you've decided to undertake this task on your own. Either way, if you're planning to prepare your walls for painting, then you will need to follow these steps. Good preparation will ensure that the paint adheres better to the surface.
Clean The Walls With Soap Water
Clean walls will enable the paint to stick better to the surface. Cleaning also gets rid of stains and blemishes. This will prevent them from being exposed through your new paint. In a spray bottle mix some water and dishwashing liquid together until a foamy solution is formed. Put on your gloves and use a lint-free cloth to wipe down your entire wall surface as thoroughly as possible. Once you're done, dry the walls using a clean rag.
Remove Flaky and Loose Paint From Walls With A Paint Scraper
Once the walls are dry, utilise a paint scraper to remove all the flaky and loose paint from the walls. A paint scraper is a handy tool available at any painting, hardware or home improvement store. This will ensure that you have a more even surface to work with –– allowing the new paint to adhere better to the surface. Keep in mind that the aim is to remove any loose paint no longer bonded on the wall surface. If the old paint still adheres to the surface, let it stay because trying to pry it loose with the scraper may end up damaging the wall.
Use Filler For Any Holes Or Gaps
Gap filler is easily available at most local home improvement stores and is designed for sealing holes and gaps in surfaces. These gap fillers are usually available in a paste form and simply need to be pushed out of their tubes to fill any gap. You may want to choose a flexible gap filler formulation because it is ideal for surfaces like walls and skirting boards where expansion or contraction sometimes occurs. Rigid gap fillers may end up cracking and falling out. Apply this gap filler to cover all the holes and gaps in your wall surface and wait for it to dry by following the manufacturer's instructions. Make sure you tackle all corners and wipe off excess gap filler with a cloth. Once dry, use medium-grit sandpaper to smooth the surface. Your walls are now ready for painting.
Good preparation is the key to a good painting finish. Follow these steps diligently if you're undertaking the wall painting preparation on your own.