5 Prep Jobs To Do Before You Paint Your Walls
If you are you getting ready to paint your house, there are things that you need to do to get ready. Doing these things will make sure that your paint job is as nice and smooth as possible when you are done.
Remove Outlet and Switch Covers
Removing those covers should be pretty easy. All you need to have in order to do it is a screwdriver. In order to make sure that you don't lose the screws or covers, put everything in a reclosable plastic freezer bag. You could put each cover and its screws in a sandwich bag and then into the larger bag, if you want to make sure that each cover gets its own particular screws back.
Move All Furniture
You will need to get all your furniture away from the walls. If you can't move it out of the room, then moving it into the center of the room and covering it will a drop cloth or tarp should keep your furniture clean.
Wash the Walls
Having a clean surface will make sure that the paint gets applied smoothly. Using some water that you have put dish soap in and a sponge or rags should be enough to clean most things from your wall. You may have to use something a little stronger if you have stubborn stains. Make sure that you rinse the wall; soap residue isn't going to help the paint lay down well.
Tape Everything Off
When you go out to buy your paint, make sure that you pick up some painter's tape. It's usually blue, and comes in various widths. Although some people may suggest that you use masking tape, painter's tape is a much better choice because it's designed to be easily removed without leaving any residue when you take it off. You will want to tape off around window frames, the ceiling, door frames, and molding or baseboards.
Put Down Drop Cloths
Unless you are planning on painting the floor the same color as your walls, you need to make sure that you put a drop cloth down on the floor. There are some products that have tape that you can use to tape off the baseboards and then roll out the plastic that is attached to the tape so you can cover the floor.
If you are going to paint your walls, make sure that the prep work is done.
