Interior Paint Preparation
The Foundation of a Beautifully Painted Room

Choosing the right paint color might be the most fun part of your painting project, but it is far from the only (or even the most important!) step. Preparing the painting surface often takes more time than the painting itself does; in fact, interior paint preparation can make up 75% of the project!

The First Steps: Preparation for All Rooms

Many of the basic preparation steps are the same, no matter what condition the room is in. The room should be as empty as possible; this will save you a lot of cleanup at the end.

• Remove as much of the furniture as possible. If some large items remain, move them to the center of the room.
• Put down drop cloths. For furniture, use lightweight plastic; on floors, butyl-backed drop cloths are best. Paint has a way of finding its way to uncovered surfaces, no matter how careful you think you're being. It's better to be safe than sorry!
• Remove pictures, clocks, and anything else you have hanging on your walls. You can leave nails in place if you'll be putting everything back in the same place. Otherwise, remove the nails and fill the holes with spackle.
• Clean the surface. Light soil can be removed with mild soap and a damp cloth. For heavily soiled or greasy areas, like the kitchen, use trisodium phosphate to quickly remove dirt and residues.
• Remove switchplates, outlet covers, and light fixtures. Replace the screws so they don't get lost.
• Mask off trim, windows, doors, and fixtures that cannot be removed. Blue painter's tape will help you get a clean edge and won't leave adhesive behind.

Interior Paint Preparation For
A Room in Good Condition and Previously Painted

The easiest rooms to paint are in good condition needing only minor wall preparation for painting. Covering and protecting non-painted surfaces is always a good place to begin.

This includes moving the furniture away from the walls toward the center of the room. If possible, remove as much furniture from the room. The less obsticles the easier the room is to paint.

Repair can be pulling a few nails no longer needed for hanging pictures and filling small holes with light weight spackle. Minor cracks in the walls can be filled with the same spackle.

Now is a good time to check the caulking around windows and where the trim meets the wall, this includes all of the base and casing. If the trim is painted recaulk with a good siliconized acrylic caulk or elastomeric caulk.

Minor stains on the surfaces needing paint should be washed with mild soap and water or primed with a stain blocking primer if they can't be removed by washing. Now the interior painting can start. Apply the same type of paint that is on the surface or choose a good interior primer that is compatible with the finish paint.

New Construction/Unfinished Rooms

If your room has never been painted before, or has recently been re-textured, very little additional prep work is necessary. Just prime the ceiling and walls (make sure your primer is compatible with the paint you plan to use!) and allow it to dry. Pre-finishing your trim pieces, before installing them, will save you time at the end of the project. You can do this while you wait for the primer to dry.

Our article on interior painting should tell you everything you need to know to complete the project!

Previously Painted Rooms: Good Condition

Previously painted rooms in good condition are the next easiest to deal with. In rooms that already have one or more coats of paint, it's important to identify what type of paint was used in the original paint job.

Use a clean white cloth, painters rag, and denatured alcohol. Apply the alcohol to the cloth and gently rub the surface. If any paint is softened or removed then the finish is an acrylic or latex paint. If no color is on the rag and the finish is still unaffected then it is an oil base.

Acrylic/latex paints cannot be applied over alkyd/oil- based finishes without being primed first. Alkyd/oil based paints, however, can be applied over acrylic/latex finishes with no additional preparation.

Check the caulking around windows and where the trim meets the wall. If it's in poor condition (or nonexistent!) you should replace it with a good siliconized acrylic caulk or elastomeric caulk.

Repair minor cracks or dings with a light spackle, allow it to dry, and sand it smooth. Check for stains; if they can't be removed by light scrubbing, you'll need to prime the area with a stain blocking primer, such as Kilz.

If you're painting a light color over a darker one, you may want to prime the whole wall at this point.

Previously Painted Rooms: In Need of Repair

Not all paint jobs are simple and straightforward. Occasionally you'll encounter a room that has peeling or flaking paint, damaged walls, or other sins that must be dealt with. Don't skimp here; surface imperfections will show through the paint and even make it less durable. In fact, there's a good chance that the damaged finish you're dealing with now is the result of poor prep work.

Repair and Prime
The Second Part of Interior Paint Preparation

Now it's time to examine all the walls and ceilings for paint problems, such as stains, holes, cracks, peeling and other imperfections. Interior paint preparation is providing a perfect backgroung for the finish paint.

Stains; water, rust, or mildew stains are an indication of bigger problems- a leaking room, plumbing problems, or poor ventilation. It's critical that the cause of the stain be addressed; otherwise, the problem will recur and ruin your new paint job. Clean off any mold or mildew, then prime the area with a stain-killing primer.

For difficult stains, like nicotine, smoke damage, permanent marker, or makeup, you may need two coats of primer to keep the damage from showing through the new paint. Check out recommended interior primers for more info.

Peeling paint must be scraped or sanded smooth before the project can proceed. This is common in older homes; it's important, if your home was built before 1978, to practice lead paint safety.

Patch any holes in the drywall; small imperfections can be sealed with spackle, but for large openings, a drywall patch may be necessary. If corners are cracking, apply a paintable caulking to smooth the area. Paintable caulking should also be applied along the painted base and casing.

Prime all repairs and any raw wood before painting.

All repairs need to be fully accomplished and primed before proceeding with the application of the finish paint. Priming drywall repairs or raw wood is necessary before painting.

Whatever your situation, make sure that you use high quality materials, and don't be afraid to take your time with prep work. After all, doing it right will save you time and hassle in the long run- and produce more beautiful results!

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