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Giving any room within your home a quick lick of paint is an easy way to transform the space. The only problem is these paint jobs aren’t as quick and easy as they look! To achieve a professional look, you have to prepare the space correctly. Good preparation is the key to a perfect finish, but where do you begin? Read our essential guide to preparing your room for painting…
If you’re preparing to paint freshly plastered walls then you should be able to skip this step. Older, previously painted or wallpapered walls however need a little more TLC.
Make sure every last bit of wallpaper has been removed from the wall. All you need is a stripping knife to score the walls and a sponge and hot water to soften the wallpaper in order to remove. If your wallpaper isn’t budging, consider using a wallpaper stripping solution or a steam stripper.
Once the wallpaper has been removed, fill any holes and cracks with a flexible filler. Flexible filler is used to not only fill and conceal cracks and gaps but absorb movement that tends to happen in all buildings over time. Once the filler is dry, smooth filled areas and the rest of the wall with fine sandpaper.
The surface you intend to paint should not only be smooth, it should be free from dirt, debris, grease and grime. Sugar soap provides the perfect solution to remove even the most stubborn stains, and can be purchased in a ready mixed formula or mixed with water. After applying sugar soap, give the walls another rinse with warm water to remove soap traces.
Whilst newly plastered walls won’t be plagued with grease and grime, a quick rinse with sugar soap will ensure any debris that’s collected on the surface is successfully removed prior to painting.
Before forging ahead with more prep, make sure your freshly washed walls are thoroughly dry. The same theory applies to plastered walls, which should have no dark, damp patches but instead be a shade of light pink or grey before painting.
It’s recommended that you prime new or bare plaster before painting to prevent the paint from soaking in and minimise the need for additional, otherwise unnecessary coats. Undercoating may also be necessary to ensure the perfect painting surface.
To enjoy a professional paint job without getting your hands dirty, use Look4 Decorators to find a decorating service that suits your requirements and budget. Our decorators will prepare and paint your room for you, so what are you waiting for? Search for a painter and decorator right here.