Step 2 - Part 1 - Preparation

Preparation is the most important step in the whole painting process. It’s important to take your time and to thoroughly prepare any surface you are going to be working with. Preparation is the key to good-looking, long-lasting results. A properly prepared surface is clean, solid and dry, without cracks and imperfections.

Here’s how to prepare several different surfaces:

Bare Wood

·         Fill nail holes, joints and cracks with patching mud

·         Sand smooth and remove access dust with tack cloth

·         Prime all bare wood and patch areas with a primer

·         Easy-to-clean latex semi-gloss or gloss would be the best choice for the finished coach

New Plaster Walls

·         New plaster walls must be clean and completely cured

·         Textured or swirl types and soft, porous or powdery plaster must be treated with a solution, repeated until surface is hard, rinse with water, allowed to dry and apply primer

·         Latex is a great topcoat since it’s so easy to work with

New Drywall

·         Panels must be secured

·         All panel joints must be taped and filled before painting

·         Once joint cement is dry, sand smooth, and make sure to clean any dust away

·         Latex is the best choice for drywall

Wallpaper

·         Always remove wallpaper! To remove wallpaper you can either use a chemical remover or a steamer, depends on the condition of the wallpaper

·         Make sure to clean off all adhesive, wash and allow walls to dry

·         Previously Painted Surfaces

·         Make sure all remnants of build up are washed off, use appropriate cleaner, rinse and allow walls to dry

·         Remove all loose paint and dust

·         Patch holes and cracks with patching mud, allow mud to dry, sand smooth

·         Glossy or nonporous surfaces required you to lightly sand to a dull finish or use an abrasive cleanser

·         Remove dust and cleaner residue

·         Ensure you prime all bare areas prior to applying the topcoat. Try to avoid “spot-priming” this will hinder your end result

Masonry, Concrete, Cement or Block

·         New surfaces must be cured, allow approximately 30 days. If painting cannot wait 30 days, allow the surface to cure 7 days and prime surface with masonry primer

·         Remove all form release and curing agents

·         Rough surfaces can be filled to provide smooth finish

The basics of preparation apply to every surface, for the best results make sure the surface is clean, solid and dry before starting. If you have any questions regarding a surface don’t hesitation to give us a call, or send us an email we’d be happy to assist you.