​How to Prepare Your NJ Home’s Walls for Paint

Have you ever wondered how professional painters achieve such a high-quality finish? Using high-quality tools and paint is part of their secret, but the other part lies in the prep work. Most people think that painting simply involves applying the color to the walls, but this is actually the final step in a series of steps that are needed to achieve a perfectly smooth finish.

Preparing Your Workspace and Walls

Start by removing as much of the furniture and extra items for your room as you can. Anything too large to be removed should be pushed to the center of the room and covered with drop cloths. Don’t forget to remove HVAC covers, electrical faceplates, and picture hangers. Once your room is cleared:

• Inspect your walls for any imperfections like cracks, dents, or holes and fill them in with a lightweight spackling compound.
• Once the patched spot is completely dry sand it with extra fine sandpaper until smooth.
• Wipe your walls clean with a damp sponge or cloth and allow them to dry.
• Remove any remaining dust from your walls with a tack cloth or duster.

Few people have a steady enough hand to cut in without wavy paint lines or drips. We recommend using painter’s tape to keep your edges crisp and clean. Apply the tape in short, overlapping strips along the ceiling and trim and press the edges down firmly.

At this point you may be itching to see your color up on the wall, but there is one final step that will ensure your walls have a smooth, even finish. Any patched spots must be primed prior to painting otherwise the unprimed spackle will soak up your paint which will result in an uneven finish. (Check out our tips for picking the perfect paint finish.) When priming and painting if you really want to get that beautiful finish: work one wall at a time. Cut in the perimeter of your wall and roll on paint while everything is still wet before moving onto the next wall. Working with wet on wet allows the paint edges to blend together for a truly seamless finish.

Painting Your NJ Home

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