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PREPPING/PAINTING THE INTERIOR OF A
HOUSE
Choosing Colors and Glosses
-
Vision tour the house write down your thoughts on color, keeping
sunlight, windows, gloss and trim
in mind.
-
Browse the paint chip section at the paint store and take home
several Different selections in the
color(s) that appeal to you.
- Light
colors work anywhere, but dark colors require rooms with lots of
windows and natural light.
-
Neutral color with an artistic flare!
- If
you're preparing a house for sale, stay with neutral colors that
could match any decor or furniture.
- Go Bold!
- Take digital shots of the rooms in question and adjust the colors
with your favorite photo
editing program.
- Complementary colors work well when adjacent rooms open to each
other.
- Carefully consider the gloss level.
- Shiny gloss paints are easy to clean, but will make any wall
blemish stand out.
- Flat paints will help disguise wall blemishes, but can be
difficult to clean.
- Generally, you'll want glossier paints where there's lots of steam
or cooking baths and kitchens and
in high-traffic areas.
- Flatter paints are preferred for bedrooms, large walls and
ceilings.
Costs
- Costs
can vary greatly, depending on price and quality.
- Mid
to upper grade paint, costs about $350.00 in paint alone for a 2000
sq. ft. house.
- Add
another $100 to $200 in brushes, rollers, pans, tape, and other
materials.
- Not
all paints are equal. Some truly cover with one coat, some say they
do but don't.
- Costs
can double if you have to apply two coats to everything, plus labor.
-
Generally go cheap on primer, expensive on top coats.
Time it will take
- Move
furniture.
- Floor
covering.
-
Remove all decorations, curtain rods, nails, screws, switch/power
covers and any other
non-permanent miscellaneous items.
-
Material Gathering.
- Wall
Prep/Caulking and hole patching (spackling) is an important job that
must be done before you
begin painting.
-
Cutting in or painting a straight edge where needed, such as along a
wall where the ceiling does not
get
painted.
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Priming.
- The
painting itself (Rolling or Spraying).
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Trimming doing the trim enamel on baseboards, windows and door
frames.
-
Eating and breaks.
-
Cleanup and bringing furniture back in.
-
Unforeseen events will slow you down, so allow time for these.
-
Remember, this is a multi-day project. Don't try to fit too
much into a day.
Cleaning
-
Remove any obvious dust, cobwebs or other debris.
- Go
over stubborn dirt with a scrub brush and warm soapy water.
-
Grease or tobacco smoke may need to be remove w/TSP.
- Do the job
well, and your paint job will not only look better, but it will last
for five to eight years
on
average.
-
Treat mildew
with a 3:1 water household bleach mixture, leaving it on for 20 min.
and adding more
as it dries, where gloves.
- Dull
any glossy paint by sanding with fine (#220) grit paper.
- Work
from the top down and rinse all areas where you scrubbed.
Scraping
- Use a wire brush and a wide-blade putty knife to remove small
areas of defective paint.
- For
metal, a wire brush attachment on an electric drill will remove rust
and paint with less effort.
- For
more extreme paint removal, use a sharp pull scraper a tool with a
replaceable blade.
Sanding
- For smoothing the edges of scraped spots, wrap a piece of sand
paper around a wood block.
- For
larger areas use an electric orbital sander, move it up and down or
back and forth across the
surface to remove old paint and smooth
rough edges at the same time.
- Avoid
using an electric disc sander or a belt sander, both can leave
swirls or dips in the wood that
will show through a new coat of
paint.
Liquid Paint Removers
- Only use liquid paint removers only as a last resort.
- Work
well, but are expensive, especially on big jobs. Can be messy.
Other Prep Work
- Rust stains w/need to be removed.
-
Mildew must be scrubbed off, and steps should be taken to eliminate
its return.
- Reset any nail heads.
Repairing Cracks, Cracked or Peeling Paint, Dents, and Gaps/Seams
-
Using a scraper or 100-grit sandpaper,
remove loose, cracked or peeling paint from the damaged
area.
- Use a 5 in 1 Tool to widen cracks that are
less than 1/4" wide. This will remove old caulking, paint
and other
debris within cracks, allowing
the new patching material to
penetrate and bond tighter to the area being repaired.
-
Using
a caulking gun, apply a thin layer of painters-grade caulking to the
gap or seam.
- Remove any dust or debris from the area
being repaired with a lightly water-dampened rag.
- Use a putty knife to apply a thin layer of
patching material into the damaged area.
- Always feather patching material 1-2" away
from the repair to blend the surface evenly.
-
Allow
to dry.
-
Sand finished area with 220-grit sandpaper, blending patched
area evenly with the surface.
Repairing a Small Hole (1/2" or smaller)
-
Using
100-grit sandpaper, lightly sand any raised or rough areas.
-
Remove
any dust or debris from the area being repaired with a lightly
water-dampened rag.
-
Using
a putty knife, apply a thin layer of patching material into the
damaged area.
-
Allow
to dry.
-
If
shrinking of patching material occurs, lightly sand and clean the
repaired area and apply
additional layers of patching material.
-
Sand
finished area with 220-grit sandpaper, blending patched area evenly
with the surface.
Repairing a Medium Hole (1/2 - 6")
-
Using
100-grit sandpaper, sand a four to six inch area around the hole to
be patched.
-
Remove
any dust or debris from the area being repaired with a lightly
water-dampened rag.
-
Apply
the appropriate sized self-adhesive wall patch over the area to be
repaired and press firmly.
-
Using
a putty knife, apply a 4" strip of patching material to the
perimeter of the patch.
-
Allow
patched area to dry
-
Lightly sand the patching material with 100-grit sandpaper.
-
Care
should be taken not to sand completely through the patching
material, as damage to the patch
may
occur.
-
Remove
any dust or debris from the area being repaired with a lightly water
dampened rag.
-
Using
a putty knife, apply patching material over the entire patched area,
feathering 6-8" beyond
the patch.
-
Lightly sand the patching material with 220-grit sandpaper.
-
If
necessary, apply additional layers of patching material until the
patched area blends evenly with
the
existing surface and re-sand with
220-grit sandpaper.
-
If
re-texturing of the surface is necessary, choose the appropriate
finish to match the existing
surface. Textured ceiling/wall patch kits are
available in aerosol and powder form. Follow manufacturer's
recommendations for application.
Repairing a Large Hole (6" or Larger)
-
Using
a stud finder, locate the studs of the wall parallel to the hole
being repaired.
-
Using
a drywall saw, remove damaged area from the inside edge of the studs
by cutting in a
square pattern.
-
Using
a utility knife, remove approximately a 1/2 to 3/4-inch wide strip
of drywall from the
studs surrounding the hole. This will allow the
patch
to be fastened properly to the studs, while leaving the undamaged
section of drywall still
attached.
-
It is
important to cut the drywall straight to allow for an even fitting
patch.
-
Remove
any dust or debris from the area being repaired with a lightly
water-dampened rag or a
wet/dry vacuum.
-
Measure the length and width of the removed section of drywall.
-
Mark
measurements onto a new piece of drywall.
-
Ensure
that the new drywall thickness is consistent to the existing
drywall.
-
Using
a utility knife and metal straight edge, cut the measured area from
the new drywall.
-
Place
the drywall patch into the area being repaired.
-
Using
drywall screws, fasten the drywall patch to the exposed studs
-
Screws
should be countersunk into the drywall 3" apart.
-
Using
the patch measurements, cut strips of joint tape to match the length
of all sides.
-
Apply
a 4" wide strip of joint compound (mud) to perimeter of the patch
using a putty knife.
-
Immediately center the joint tape over the freshly mudded area.
-
Using
a clean putty knife, remove excess joint compound by pulling the
putty knife across the
joint tape.
-
This
process will set the tape and remove any trapped air bubbles from
beneath the tape.
-
Allow
patched area to dry.
-
When
dry, apply two to three additional thin layers of joint compound
over the patched surface,
feathering 4-6" from the repair.
-
Allow
each layer of joint compound to dry and lightly sand with 220-grit
sandpaper between
each coat.
-
Be
careful not to sand completely through the joint compound, as damage
to the tape may occur.
-
Clean
the repaired area with a lightly water-dampened rag or sponge.
-
If
re-texturing the surface is necessary, choose the appropriate finish
to match the existing surface.
-
Textured ceiling/wall patch kits are available in aerosol and powder
form. Follow manufacturer recommendations for application.
Priming
-
Unless the existing finish is flat you'll need to apply a primer
coat to make the new paint adhere.
-
On
flat-painted walls that require only minor repairs you may simply
choose to spot prime.
-
Walls
with larger areas of patching plaster, it is advisable to use a
sealer or primer/sealer.
- After
you have removed all the loose paint, you should apply an
appropriate primer to some of
the distressed areas, especially if your paint-removal system has
exposed raw wood or bare metal.
- The
kind of primer you use depends on the kind of paint you will be
using later.
- For
latex paint, use latex primers for solvent-thinned paints, use
solvent-base primers and for metals,
use metal primers.
-
Priming doesn't require as much care as painting.
Rolling Paint
- Once Everything is covered and all repairs are finished you are
ready to begin the interior painting.
-
Using a stir stick, thoroughly stir the paint.
-
Pour
the primer/paint into a 2 or 5 gallon bucket. Pour no higher than
1/3 full.
-
Use quality rollers, poor quality rollers w/shed
fibers into your paint, hold very little paint, make
your painting project much more difficult.
- For
most paint jobs, use a 3/8 inch nap roller cover for rolling paint,
- Rollers w/longer
naps are made for textured walls (1 inch nap is for masonry and
brick, for instance).
- Shorter nap rollers puts a very thin coat of paint on the wall,
increasing the time and frustration
of painting.
- Always cover the fibers of a new roller in painters tape, allow to
set for a moment, then remove,
this will eliminate any loose fibers from the roller cover
that may come out into your newly painted
wall.
-
Attach
an extension pole onto the roller frame.
- Ceilings are the first area to get painted, then move to the
walls.
- Start w/the largest areas first.
- Work from the top down.
-
Dip
roller cover completely into paint covering the entire nap area,
dip the roller cover in
paint for
several seconds allowing the fibers to soak up the paint.
-
Place
a roller screen in a 5 gallon bucket to remove excessive
paint/primer.
-
Starting at the top corner of the wall, place the dipped roller
approximately 3-4 inches away from
the
cut-in area.
-
Working in a 3 x 3 ft area, roll a small W onto the wall.
This is approximately how much space a
single roller full of paint can cover.
- Pressing just hard enough for complete coverage, make a large W
within that space with your
roller, this distributes the paint over the area you want to
paint.
-
Continue rolling from the top edge of the wall to the bottom. Roll
into the cut in area.
-
Back-Roll through the completed area prior to reloading the roller,
creating a smooth uniform finish.
-
Reload
as necessary.
-
You always want to work with a wet edge so that each
section blends seamlessly together.
-
Continue applying, starting with the W technique 3-4 away from the
last section applied.
-
Work from the top down, being careful to back roll the width of the
roller being used into the last
section applied.
-
When rolling paint on walls, always finish off each
section of wall while it is still wet. Finish off
each section with a ceiling to floor stroke.
- Use very little pressure, You are not attempting to apply paint,
you are merely trying to level out any
ridges left by the edges of the roller.
Spraying Paint
- Be sure to mix/stir the
paint first you can use a paint mixer adapter that fits on a drill
for best results.
- Thin your paint
with an approved solution, Some latex paints blend w/water, but
alkyd and
oil-based paints need specially-formulated thinners.
- Fill
the paint sprayer as recommended.
-
Put on your respirator, tiny droplets of paint become airborne
during spraying. Without a respirator,
you may inhale paint particles.
- Adjust the
stream to a fine mist, gently sweeping the sprayer back and forth to
apply a thin coating.
-
Keep your hand moving back and forth so the paint doesn't drip.
- Keep the spray nozzle at an even space from the surface.
- Cover the interior wall evenly. You may need 3 to 4 light coats to
cover the wall sufficiently.
- Reapply as soon as the previous coat is dry.
- Don not apply too much paint at one time. The paint is still a
liquid and it will run if too much is applied.
- Thin coats are required to achieve a professional looking finish.
- You will still have to cut in (w/a brush) around windows, floor,
ceiling...etc..
- Spraying requires more, you waste lots of paint by spraying.
-
Time Spraying, an
average room will only take about 5-10 minutes
-
Protect your hair with a spray sock. This is a light
cotton or nylon ski mask.
- Facial skin can be covered with petroleum jelly, this will make
cleanup easier.
Tips: Pros/Cons
(Rolling versus Spraying)
-
Rolling is most common interior painting technique.
-
Rolling is more labor intensive.
-
Rolling requires the least investment in tools and uses less paint.
- Overspray that
comes from a sprayer is not even worth attempting to deal with
inside of your
home, UNLESS it is completely empty.
- Sprayed, paint gets into the duct work, filters etc... and into
the air you are breathing.
- Spray the paint on then roll
it, it gives a better more uniform finish than just spraying, most
of the
time spent rolling is dipping the roller to get the paint on
it.
-
Spraying can
save you loads of time, if there is nothing in the room, it's worth
it!
-
Paint spray gets every where everything must be covered.
-
New
construction, you don't have to be too concerned about protecting
floors and fixtures.
-
Spraying uses the most paint and causes over spray.
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Spraying paint within a home requires special attention to the
masking and covering.
Brushing Tips
- Applying paint is to
properly load the brush.
-
Use a
quality nylon/polyester brush.
-
Look at the bristles the ends should be flagged or
split and feel very fine against your
fingers, flagged bristles help to hold the paint and release
it in a controlled manner.
- Different paints
require different types of brushes.
- Oil-based paints work
best with natural bristle brushes.
- Latex (water-based)
paints work most effectively with synthetic nylon-poly
brushes.
- One of the most common
mistakes an amateur painter makes is under or over loading the
paintbrush.
- Overloading the brush
will cause the paint to drip and run.
- Under-loading the brush
will create coverage problems and cost an excessive amount of time.
- Dip the bristles of the
brush approximately 2 inches into the paint can. When you pull the
brush free
tap it gently against
the side of the can, don not wipe. This knocks free excess paint and
sets the
remainder deep
into the bristles, where its release can be controlled.
- Wiping dries out the
outer bristles, and should be done only when doing detail work that
requires a
deft touch.
- When applying the paint
to the surface, press just hard enough to release the paint from the
bristles without
causing drips.
- Usually, the pressure
required should be just enough to flex the bristles.
- Don not stop. Keep your
brush moving if you stop the brush in a single place or press too
hard
the paint will
run.
- Depending on the
surface you are painting, you should get a 16-24 inch strip of paint
from each fully
loaded paint
brush.
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Starting in the top corner of the wall, cut-In a 3-4 inch wide area
around the perimeter of the wall.
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Brush
from the area to the previously applied areas.
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Smooth
out the cut in by lightly brushing the tip of the bristles (tipping
off) over the newly primed
area,
creating a feathered edge.
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Reload
the brush as necessary to maintain a wet-edge approximately every
4-6 inches.
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Repeat
steps until the wall perimeter is complete.
Cutting In
- Most pro painters do
not tape off all adjacent surfaces and woodwork, they simply
cut in very
carefully with a
brush, creating a nice, even line.
- I advise any do it
yourselfer to tape off all adjoining surfaces and paint almost worry
free.
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