Tips on Preparing Your Room for Painting

Painting your interior is a great DIY project that can instantly transform any room. That said, there are risks involved. Amateur paint jobs are easy to spot because they usually leave signs of paint spatter or mottled color. For flawless results, Handyman Connection of Matthews suggests following these expert tips before painting your walls:

Remove Any Wall Hangings

To save time, some homeowners make the mistake of leaving artwork on the walls and painting around them. While this approach certainly works, all it takes is a little shift in the painting to expose the cut corner. Additionally, cutting around your wall hangings risks damaging them, as well. We recommend taking everything off the wall and bubble-wrapping them for protection. This is also the perfect opportunity to reconfigure where you hang your clocks and pictures. Simply remove the nails and hangers, fill in the holes with spackle, then let dry.

Thoroughly Clean the Walls

A clean, uniform surface is key to having smooth, professional-looking results. Dark smudges show through a coat of paint while oil and other substances can change your paint’s consistency. Be sure to clean your walls with water and mild detergent before every paint job. For tougher smudges like soot or kitchen grease, mix bleach with trisodium phosphate. Rinse the walls thoroughly and allow them to completely dry before painting. You can also use fans to speed up the drying process.

Protect Your Floor

Protect your floor before getting to work. Having sheets of newsprint under your roller tray isn’t enough to keep paint off your entire floor. Instead, we recommend using professional-style drop cloths throughout your room. Plastic sheeting is a more affordable alternative, but it tends to shift, exposing areas of flooring. For overall protection, invest in a heavy canvas drop cloth to keep paint from being tracked through your home.

With these tips, you are one step closer to achieving expertly painted walls. While it can be quite rewarding, this DIY project is also time consuming. For high-quality, immediate results, turn to Handyman Connection of Matthews. Contact us today at (704) 255-5626 to request an estimate.