Preparing Walls
Painting is 75% preparation and 25% painting. I get it…wanting to roller those walls as soon as possible is often an urge that is hard to resist …but if you can hold out just a little longer, I promise that the preparations are worth it in the long run.
If you want a professional looking finish, walls should be as smooth as possible before you begin any painting. Minor cracks and general wear and tear will need some attention. Unfortunately, painting over a blemish won’t hide it.
Newly plastered walls?
If a wall has been newly plastered, make sure that it is fully dried before applying anything to it. You will know that it is fully dry when there aren’t any dark patches left. It is also important to apply primer to the surface before applying any paint. A primer will provide optimum adhesion for the paint when you apply it to the wall. If you don’t apply a primer, you will need to apply several coats of paint before you are happy with the finish.
1.Open the crack with a screwdriver or a sharp object.
2.Remove dust and debris from the crack and clean around the area.
3.Squeeze some ready mixed interior filler onto a putty knife.
4.Push the filler into the crack/hole.
5.To remove excess filler and create a smooth finish, drag the edge of the putty knife diagonally across the area that you are repairing, and then drag it perpendicularly. This will feather out any excess filler.
6.Once the filler has dried (read manufacturer instructions), sand down the area with some sandpaper. Wrap the sandpaper around a sanding block. Start out with an 80-120 grit sandpaper to remove the bulk of the excess filler.
Sanding
Dragging abrasive paper across a surface repeatedly while apply small amounts of pressure. The courseness/ sandpaper grit depends on the number written on the back of the paper. The lower the number, the coarser the sandpaper is. The higher the number, the finer the sandpaper grit.
7.Once most of it is gone, use a 120-240 grit sandpaper to smooth out the surface. Wipe down the area afterwards and vacuum the dust.
8.It is a good idea to prime the filler before applying any paint on top of it. This is to prevent subsequent coats from being absorbed more rapidly than in other areas. You will notice areas that have been filled once the paint is dried otherwise.
Priming
A primer provides optimum adhesion for paint when you apply it to a wall. It creates a smooth canvas to work on.