How to prepare for interior wall painting

Danny Lipford demonstrates how the key to a successful paint job is prep work. Watch this video tutorial to see how to prepare for interior wall painting.

Painting is one of the most popular do-it-yourself projects for homeowners. While we all want to see how the color we picked will look on the walls, it’s important to remember that the key to a good paint job starts long before you open the first can of paint. If the room isn’t prepared properly, the results may be less than you had hoped for and could lead to problems that are hard to repair.

Start by removing the furniture from the room and covering the floor with a drop cloth. Next, clean any dust and cobwebs from the walls with a broom then wipe down the trim with a damp cloth. A degreasing cleaner may be needed in the kitchen and other areas if the surfaces feel greasy to the touch.

Sand any rough spots and peeling paint. A flexible sanding sponge works great on moldings and other curved surfaces. Fill nail holes and dents with lightweight spackling, and caulk any cracks. After the spackling and caulk have dried, you are finally ready to start painting.

Use a brush to paint around the windows, doors, corners, baseboard, and ceiling before painting the walls.