When it comes to giving your home a fresh look, painting the interior walls can make all the difference. However, before you pick up that paintbrush, it’s crucial to ensure your walls are properly prepared to achieve a flawless finish. This guide will take you through the essential steps to prepare your interior walls for painting.
MATERIALS & TOOLS REQUIRED
Materials
- Interior wall paint
- Wall paint primer*
- Cleaning supplies (soap, water and sponge)
- Filler/ plaster/ jointing compound*
*Optional materials
Tools
- Paintbrushes and rollers
- Painter’s tape/ masking tape*
- Large cloths or plastic sheets*
- Sandpaper
- Filling knife
*Optional tools
STEP 1: CLEAR THE AREA
Remove all furniture and fixtures from the room or push them to the centre and cover them with large cloths or plastic sheets. This will protect your stuff from paint splatter and dust. The covering step is of course optional but it is really helpful as no matter how hard you try, a bit of splatter will land where you don’t want it.
STEP 2: CLEAN THE WALLS
Use a mixture of mild soap and water to clean the walls thoroughly. Please pay special attention to areas near cooking surfaces, as they may have accumulated grease and grime. Rinse with clean water and allow the walls to dry completely. This step is important as leaving residue such as grease on the walls may mean that the new paint doesn’t stick properly. It’s also especially important if you remove something like wallpaper or artex from walls. When I’ve done this recently, I used a watered-down sugar soap solution to thoroughly clean the walls.
STEP 3: REPAIR THE WALLS
Inspect the walls for any cracks, holes, or imperfections. Use a filling knife to fill these areas with a jointing compound or filler. Once it dries, sand the patched areas until smooth and blend seamlessly with the rest of the wall. If your walls have considerable damage, filling them with a filling knife may not be enough. You may need to fully or partially skim the walls using plaster or jointing compound. Check out our guide to the differences between the two here.
STEP 4: SAND THE WALLS
Once the imperfections are hidden, lightly sand the walls with fine-grit sandpaper or a sanding block to ensure a smooth and even surface. This will also help to remove any remaining imperfections and create a surface that’s more receptive to paint and primer.
STEP 5: PROTECT AREAS YOU DON’T WANT TO PAINT
Apply painter’s or masking tape to protect the skirting boards, window sills, ceilings and any other areas you don’t want to be painted. This will ensure clean, crisp edges. This is optional – if you have a steady hand, you can cut in around them by hand. Personally, I find it much quicker and easier to just use a small brush to cut in around all the edges without applying tape.
STEP 6: APPLY PRIMER
Primer is useful for sealing the wall, ensuring good paint adhesion, and achieving a uniform finish. Apply a coat of primer and allow it to dry thoroughly before proceeding. Primer is optional if you haven’t had to repair much of your wall, but if you have plastered or filled large patches of the wall with a jointing compound, priming will help make sure your paint doesn’t go on patchy. You can buy ready-made primer or make your own by watering down matt emulsion.
STEP 7: PAINT THE WALL
Once the primer is dry, it’s time to paint. Stir the paint thoroughly before applying it with a brush or roller. Start with the edges and corners and then move on to larger areas. Apply multiple thin coats rather than one thick coat for a professional-looking finish.
STEP 8: REMOVE THE TAPE AND CLEAN UP
If you did use masking tape, before the paint is completely dry, carefully remove the tape at a 45-degree angle to avoid peeling the paint. Clean your brushes and rollers.
STEP 9: REASSEMBLE THE ROOM
After the paint has dried completely, usually within 24 hours, you can start moving your furniture and fixtures back into the room. Be careful not to scruff your newly painted walls!
Remember that proper preparation is the key to a professional-looking finish, so take your time, and the results will be worth it.
