Interior Painting Anchorage, KY: How to prepare a wall before painting it?

Are you planning for an interior home painting project in Anchorage, KY?
Painting is the easiest and most inexpensive way of refreshing your interior and increasing the value of your investment.

It’s relatively easy and doesn’t require many materials and complicated tools.
However, for an optimal result, many DIYs forget that painting a wall cannot be done without suitable preparation.

In this article, we will be sharing the most important surface preparation steps required when doing interior repainting.
Here we go;

1. Plan a full day to prepare.

You can easily spot the walls that were painted in a hurry: you can see drips, irregular lines, and the color is duller than it should be.
If you want your work to look professional, depending on the size of your project, allow a full day to prepare before you start painting.

2. Choose a color.

You have endless choices, which can make it hard for you to choose. When choosing a color for your walls, consider the following;
• Choose the color according to the main décor feature in the room. It could be on a carpet, table, or even upholstery.
• Go from lightest to darkest between the ceiling and the floor: light colors go to the top (on the ceiling, for example), medium colors go to walls, and darker colors go to the floor or the carpet.
• Use a color wheel. In general, colors that are close to each other on a color wheel go well together. Colors that are distant from each other on the wheel may be more difficult to match together aesthetically.

3. Prepare The Floor Before Painting.

Start by placing the canvas on the floor so that it completely covers it.
Secure the canvas in place with masking tape and make sure it does not move.
Also, protect stationery items in the room.
Remove the covers from the switches and electrical outlets and cover them with masking tape.
Apply masking tape to all other fixed elements on the walls.

4. Sand the walls.

Sanding results in a more even layer of paint. Wear a dust mask when sanding.
Use a manual sander on a handle with 120 grit sandpaper.
Pass it over the walls using horizontal movements and work your way up and down.
Try to apply the correct degree of pressure to the sander. Do not press too hard or too aggressively.

5. Clean the walls.

Use a vacuum cleaner to clear the wall of dust and debris that has accumulated during sanding.
It will be much easier to paint a clean wall, and the result will be much better.
Mix a little detergent with lukewarm water and wash the walls lightly with a sponge dipped in the mixture.
Scrub the oily or particularly dirty parts well. Once you are done, rinse the entire wall with a sponge dipped in clean water.

6. Fill in the holes and the damaged parts.

Examine the condition of the wall. Are there any holes or cracks in the moldings that need to be repaired? If so, use a little putty or a filler.
Fill any damaged part in the moldings with putty. Press the product into the holes with a damp finger and smooth it to obtain an even surface.
Use a putty knife to fill all the holes in the wall with a suitable product.
If it is a plasterboard wall, use grout. If it is a plaster wall, use filler.
Once the plaster is dry, smooth it with 120 grit sandpaper.

7. Cover the wall with a coat of primer.

The primer is a thin coat of paint that absorbs colors well. It is advisable to use primer in the following cases.
• To paint a new wall that has not yet been painted.
• If you have repaired holes and other damaged parts in the wall.
• If the wall is shiny.
• To paint over a darker color than the one you are using.

Need help with interior painting in Anchorage, KY?
If you need any help to choose the paint colors and repainting your home’s interior, Serious Business Painting can help.

We are serving the areas of Louisville, Shelby County, Oldham County, Anchorage, Prospect, and Jefferson Town, Kentucky.

Book a FREE estimate below or call us on 502-641-7969 if you need any more information.