Helpful Tips to Consider Before Your Next Painting Project

Nothing can make a room feel more brand new then a fresh coat of paint. But, before you go crazy and reach for the paint brush, there are some things to consider before you slap on the first coat of paint.

Paint alone will not cover all of the blemishes that can appear on your walls, so in order to make sure that you get the end result you're looking for, it's necessary to do a little prep work before you ever pick up that brush. It's a good idea to plan on spending as much time doing wall repair as you will actually spend painting, but the time spent is well worth the effort and your friends will insist that you paid a professional to do the work.

The first step in preparing your walls for a new coat of paint is to wash them down with a phosphate-free wall cleaning agent and then rinse the wall with a sponge until the water runs clear. Once you've finished cleaning the walls, it's time to inspect them for any damage like nail holes, cracks, or gouges. Pay special attention to seams in the wall and the area around windows and doors.

Repair all of the damage that you've located. There are several ways that you can repair damaged walls; here are a few different options.

Caulk

Use caulk to fill small cracks, transitions from wall to molding, and down the corners of the room. Smooth the caulk with a wet finger so you have a nice transition from one surface to the next, and then allow to dry completely.

Surfacing Compound

Surfacing compound is a different composition from joint compound, which is used in drywall construction. Use surfacing compound to patch damaged areas in your wall such as gouges or cracks.

Glazier's Compound

Glazier's compound is the putty that holds windows in place and it's designed to stick in place and dry quickly. This makes it an excellent product to use for filling nail holes or other small defects in your walls.