How to Prep for Interior Painting

Before you can put your paint brush to the wall, there are a few things that must be done first, no exceptions. With indoor obstacles like furniture, carpet and limited work space, it’s difficult to know where to start an interior project. By properly preparing your room for the job, you will save major time in the long run, as well as stress. Sure, interior painting projects may seem a little daunting at first, but by following these steps, the process can be painless, and maybe even enjoyable!

Step 1: Move Furniture

The first step when painting an interior is to protect the furniture. The best way to do this is to move everything to the center of the room, away from the walls you’re about to paint. Then, once everything is together, use painters plastic to cover it all. This way, your furniture is out of the way and protected from potential paint drips. This step also includes taking pictures off the walls (take a picture of the room before to reference when piecing the room back together).

Step 2: Cover Floors

Once your furniture is covered, it’s time to protect your floors. You can use several products to cover the floor. Some painters prefer plastic, some use paper, and others use painter’s cloth. Regardless of what you go with, make sure that the floor beneath each wall is covered securely with no exposed carpet. Sometimes it may even be smart to tape down your covering so that it doesn’t slide around as you work.

Step 3: Tape

When everything valuable is protected, it’s time to prepare for the actual painting process. At this point you will want to get blue painter’s tape and apply it to any edge that you don’t want painted. If you’re just painting walls, apply tape along the edge of the trim so that you can paint freely while conserving a clean edge. If there are any outlets in the room, either remove the coverings or tape them off. Removing them is easier for most people.

Step 4: Repair Drywall

Once everything is taped, take a look at the drywall around the room. It is important to patch holes, nail pops, or any other imperfections before applying paint.

Step 5: Apply Paint

The next step is to add paint! No matter what brand you go with, we recommend using two coats on each wall. Cut in with a brush, painting the edges where the tape is, then go through with a roller and fill in the middle of each wall. Depending on the room size and how many rooms you’re painting, you could finish your project in one day.

Step 6: Clean Up

Once you finish painting the walls and have given them time to dry, remove the tape. Be careful when pulling away tape, as it can bring some of the good paint with it. Be prepared to make small touch ups if necessary. Once you remove the tape and the covering, return the furniture to its rightful place.

Contact a Professional

If you still feel unqualified to paint your interior, or maybe just don’t feel like doing it yourself, Elite Pro Painting can help. We’ve painted thousands of homes over the past fifteen years, so we know a thing or two about preparation and execution. Let us give you a hand! Contact us for a free quote today.