Importance of Painting Prep 

What’s the most arduous part of any painting project? Hands down, it is the prep work before you get to the fun of seeing the end results and your new color. Unfortunately, skipping the prep work can mean a sub-par application, adhesion, and integrity of the paint. Let’s take a closer look at why prep work is important and what can happen if you skip this important step. 

Why Prep the Surfaces? 

Surface prep is cleaning your surface areas, whether it is the walls, ceiling, or whatever you are painting. Cleaning the surface means that you will be removing years of built-up dirt, grease, and potentially, mildew with a sponge and gentle cleanser. Without doing this important step in the process, you will potentially be painting over the dirt and grime. Paint adheres best to surfaces that are clean. Imagine a few months from now when the paint begins to bubble, crack, or peel because it mixed with the grime on the walls. You really want to avoid that scenario.

Prepping the surfaces also means filling in holes and repairing any damage that may exist. Cracks and holes need to be filled and then the entire surface sanded to form an even and smooth surface. Paint will adhere the best to those smooth surfaces. It would be a shame to have a newly painted wall and notice the old art and picture frame nail holes! 

Why Cover the Floor and Furnishings? 

Covering any furniture that can not be removed from the room will ensure that any drips or mistakes don’t end up ruining your furniture for future use. Covering the floors ensures that your carpets or wood floors don’t have paint stains after your paint project is completed. 

Why Calk the Seams? 

If you are painting near windows, trim, or edging, you may be tempted to just “cut in” and hope for the best. We recommend caulking areas again with fresh caulk that will give the paint a fresh look. After time and hot temperatures, caulk tends to crack and sometimes chip off. Removing the aged caulk and adding fresh layer will look professional. 

Why Repair Ceiling Stains? 

The temptation is there to paint over a ceiling stain, but we say “Don’t do it!” Stains on ceilings have come from somewhere and will probably reoccur if you don’t investigate where the water that caused the stain is coming from in the first place. Investigate to see if your roof is leaking, or if the stain is coming from a leaky bathroom or water pipes. Once the source has been discovered and repaired, a special primer for stains can be used to cover the stain and move forward with the new color. 

Do you need help with the laborious job of preparing a room for painting? Our team at Jerry Enos can help you. Call Jerry Enos Painting today at 978-546-6843, or visit our website. 

Categorised in: Exterior painting, Interior painting, Jerry Enos, Painting Challenges