Before you open a can of paint, it will help if you prepare the surfaces first for house painting in Dublin.
We would all love to see a freshly painted home with new colors. But getting that pristine finish on your bedroom walls or that impressive curb appeal won’t be as easy as dipping your brush with paint, applying it, and calling it a day. Before you begin painting the surface, there’s a lot of work.
Preparing your home for painting may not be the most exciting part, but it makes a big difference once you see the results. Prep work on surfaces leads to a flawless finish lasting many years.
Fortunately, you don’t have to be a professional painter to prepare your home for painting. Whether you’re dealing with interior walls or exterior siding, here are the ways to get your home ready for a fresh coat of paint.
Preparing for an exterior paint:
1) Wash your house. You can manually clean it with a brush, a bucket of water, a garden hose, or a power washer. You can purchase a power washer, rent one, or hire a professional handling power washing.
2) Optional: You may also have to use a bleach solution or mildewcide to eliminate mold. Spray the bleach solution or apply mildewcide (following label instructions) onto the mold and scrub the area with a stiff brush. Take the time to allow the solution to sit for a few minutes. Rinse the cleaning solution off the wood with warm water. Repeat if necessary.
2) After cleaning the surface, let it dry.
3) Make necessary repairs. You may have to caulk surfaces (re-caulk if needed) and fill cracks and holes.
4) Apply painter’s tape to doors and windows.
5) Sand the walls. This step is necessary to provide the surface with an excellent mechanical bond between coats of paint.
6) Prime the surface when necessary.
Preparing for interior paint
1) Remove smaller objects (like flower vases, figurines, etc.) and store them safely.
2) Move pieces of furniture or other larger objects out of the room or to the center of the room.
3) Unscrew outlet and light switch plates.
4) Remove wall decor, lighting fixtures, drapes, etc.
5) Apply painter’s tape around doors, windows, and baseboards.
6) Lay down drop cloths on the floor or other items.
7) Clean and dust the walls with a clean cloth.
8) Repairs cracks and holes by patching them with spackle. You may have to use a drywall patch and joint compound for larger holes.
9) Once the spackle or the compound is dry, sand it.
10) Do a light scuff to the rest of the surface with a fine-grit sandpaper. This step will help provide the surface with an excellent mechanical bond between coats of paint.
11) Remove any sanding dust by wiping it with a tack cloth or vacuuming.
Once the prep work is finished, and the surfaces are dry, it is time to paint! Make sure to use the best paints and supplies. Cheap paints may save you money, but they won’t achieve the same coverage as the premium paints, so that you will need more coats. Higher-quality paints provide a smooth, one-coat coverage, resulting in a great-looking and durable finish.
Cheap paintbrushes may not hold much paint, leave ugly brushstrokes, and even leave hairs or bristles in the paint. Cheap roller covers leave unsightly lap marks on the walls and pieces of lint in the paint. So, make sure you purchase the best paints and tools your budget allows.
You will get the best results in your house painting in Dublin if you have everything planned and prepared, whether you do the paint job yourself or hire a painting professional to do the work for you.