Getting Started

The key to a good paint job lies in preparation. About 80percent of a painting job consists of prep work, moving furniture, protecting surfaces with drop cloths, patching damaged areas, and sanding-while only 20 percent f the work is applying paint.

In a new house, wall and ceiling surfaces are usually in excellent condition, so you can expect to spend about two to three hours of prep time for every hour spent painting. On the other hand, in an older home, which most likely has some cracked plaster, damaged drywall, and built-up paint on the trim, it is not unusual to spend 8 to 10 hours prepping for every hour spent painting. If the job requires patching, plan ample drying time for spackle and joint compound.

If it is possible to remove all of the furniture from the room, do so. It is easier to work in an empty room than around objects, that’s why a new house without any decoration is more welcomed at this stage. If you have to keep some furniture in house, make sure they are at least 4 feet away from the walls.

Removing Hardware

Doorknobs, escutcheons, window locks, and curtain rods must be removed. If the screws on any of this hardware are worn, now is the time to buy replacements. If standardized hardware, such as a window lock, is paint encrusted or damaged, it might be easier to install replacement hardware than to clean up the existing material. However, you probably want to save and clean antique hardware if at all possible.

Storing Hardware

Put the hardware in plastic bags so you do not lose or mix up parts. Use common masking tape to mask hardware that must stay in place. Store small hardware in ziplock bags. Label the bags.

Covering Ceiling Fixtures

Carefully mask ceiling fixtures. Put an old sheet or plastic sheeting over chandeliers and ceiling fans. It is much easier to paint the ceiling if you unscrew the ring at the top of the chandelier and allow the canopy to slide down toward the light.

Prepainting Repairs

Walls and trimwork are subject to a variety of assaults that result in damage, especially in a house with children. Besides the everyday wear and tear that leads to scratches and gouges, walls also develop cracks as the house settles. Before beginning any paint job, study the surfaces carefully, and make the necessary repairs.

Minor Repairs

Filling Nailholes&Cracks.

Fill nailholes and hairline cracks with drywall compound( often called drywall mud). Spackling compound is available in small containers, while drywall compound is generally available in quarts of five-gallon buckets. If the walls require preparation. Choose a quick-drying spackling compound that has very little shrinkage and can be painted in as little as 10 to 15 minutes. Use a putty knife to apply either material. Sand smooth using 100-grit followed by 150-grit sandpaper when dry.

Sanding drywall mud is dusty. But you can get it to a high degree of smoothness by “sanding” with a damp sponge. Finish using sandpaper.

Damaged Drywall Paper

The paper face of drywall can easily tear when you are prepping a room for painting, especially if you are stripping wallpaper, scraping loose paint, or even removing some sort of wall decoration. Here is how to repair the damage.

1 Remove the Damaged Material. Use a putty knife or a utility knife to cut the torn away from the surface of the wall.

2 Fill the Depression. Spread a thin layer of drywall joint compound over the damaged area. It is best to overlap the repair area with the compound. For the best results use a wide drywall knife rather than a putty knife.

3 Feather the Edge of the Repair. To make sure the spackling or drywall patch is not readily apparent, it must be “feathered”. This term refers to the technique of tapering and sanding the edges of a patch into a very gradual slope. You will not feel a ridge at the edge of a patch that is properly feathered. Once the repair is smooth and blends with the surrounding wall, prime the patch before painting.

Major Repairs

To patch plaster walls, use drywall compound or patching plaster to patch small holes. While the methods for repairing minor flaws and nailholes are the same for both types of wall, the methods differ for bigger repairs. Holes in plaster that are no bigger than a fist can be patched with drywall compound, as long as the lath behind the hole is still intact. Repair larger areas with patching plaster.

Repairing Damaged Plaster

1 Remove the Loose Plaster. Get rid of any plaster that has lost its hold on the lath, but do not disturb undamaged plaster using a can opener. Then, use an old paintbrush or vacuum to remove chips and dust from the hole. For deep repairs, apply patching plaster as a base coat. You may need to apply several coats, allowing each to dry to bring the level of the patch even with the rest of the wall. Score each level of the patch even with the rest of the wall. Score each layer of patching plaster to help the next layer bond to it.

2 Apply the Final Coat. Apply the final layer of drywall compound or patching plaster using a drywall taping knife. Spread the new material out onto the undamaged area of the wall. After it cures about 24 hours later, sand smooth, feathering the edges into the surrounding wall.

3 Prime before Painting. Prime the repair before painting. The primer helps avoid splotchy areas when the entire wall is painted.

Drywall Repair Kits

Drywall surfaces are subject to nicks and dents from a variety of sources. It is not unusual to move a picture or piece of furniture and find a small hole in the drywall where someone hit the wall. Left a hole or dent, and then tried to cover the damage. The handle on a swinging door can also damage the wall when there is not a door stop in place. Most of this type of damage will be unnoticeable when repaired and covered with a fresh coat of paint. Check your home center or hardware store for specialized kits that can help you patch damaged drywall.

Patching Larger Holes in Drywall

1 Delineate the Damaged Area.

Use a framing square to outline the repair area. The object is to make a clean square or rectangle for which you can make a drywall patch. The easiest way to do this is to cut a patch that is larger than the damaged area. That way you will have a patch that you know fits.

Drill a hole just inside each of the four corners of the square. Use these holes as starting points for a drywall saw to remove the damaged area. Cut two pieces of 1×4 against the inside vertical edge of the hole exposing half the width. Then secure the 1×4 with a drywall screw above and below the hole. Repeat this procedure on the opposite side. If the patch is larger than about 8 inches, fit horizontal cleats as well.

2 Install the Patch.

Measure and cunt a price of new wallboard to the size of the hole or use the patch you’ve already created. Secure with construction adhesive and drywall screws driven into the cleats.

3 Finishing the Edges.

Cover the seams in the patch with perforated drywall tape. Simply press the self-stick tape into place. This will keep the seams of the repair from cracking later. Then apply drywall compound over the tape.

4 Sand and Prime

Sand the patch until smooth. Prime the area before painting.

Repairing Corners

Corners are the weak link in drywall surfaces. In many cases, whoever installed the drywall originally simply butted two pieces of drywall together at the corner, taped the joint, and then finished with drywall compound. It does not take much to damaged this area, and it is not unusual to find crumbly corners. Even if the contractor did install a metal corner guard, the recommended procedure damage can still occur. To repair, cut away the damaged area using a utility knife. The goal is to keep from damaging the rest of the wall. If a metal guard is present, use a hacksaw to remove the damaged area. Screw a new piece of guard in place with drywall screws. Finish by applying a coating of drywall joint compound. Feather the edges along the repair. Sand until smooth.