Painting a wall seems simple enough, but did you know that you can actually make or break your paint job before the brush ever touches your wall? Preparing a wall properly before painting can prevent a good bit of painter’s remorse on the back end. So how exactly do you ensure that your wall is prepped and ready for that first coat? Take a look at some of our simple yet effective tips:

1.  Remove everything from the wall

This is not a time to take shortcuts. This means taking down photos, unscrewing and removing light switch and outlet covers (turn off the electricity first) and taking out every nail that you’re not positive you will be using in your freshly painted room.

2. Sand, scrape and smooth

Use a putty knife to scrape off any chipping paint on your wall. Then, fill in every vacant nail hole with spackling paste, making it as even as possible with your putty knife. The spackling won’t be flush with the wall at first, but allow it to fully dry and then use sandpaper to blend it perfectly with the wall. For larger holes, you may need to cut out a square in the drywall, replace it with a new piece of drywall and cover it. For this type of project, we recommend that you call professional painters and get assistance.

3. Clean and dust

The last thing you want forever memorialized in your paint job is the dust or cobweb that just so happened to be on your wall when you painted it. For a smoother, cleaner paint job, take a cloth or a duster and go over your entire wall before painting. Don’t forget to dust the corners of your room to remove cobwebs. If you’re painting a kitchen, you might want to add a little dish soap or laundry detergent to your water to cut through any grime or residue on the walls.

4. Tape it up

Once your wall is fully smoothed out and cleaned, you can choose to use paint tape if you’re not using a professional house painting company and are doing the job yourself. Be sure the tape is securely adhered to the wall, and don’t overlook the corners of your room, where you’ll want an especially crisp finish. With all of this completed, your wall is ready to prime or paint, and you can rest easy knowing you’re not going to regret painting over a messy wall.

Whether you have need for house painters in North Bethesda, MD or Lake Worth, FL, call the professional paint contractors at Benchmark, who can send someone to your house for all interior and exterior paint jobs. If repainting a room, painting the house exterior, or any number of painting opportunities, we’re glad to offer ideas and our residential painting experts have the experience and skill to do the job right. Contact us for a free estimate today!