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How to Change a Mural

Repainting your walls is usually a simple process: You decide what the new color will be, then start painting. On the other hand, changing a mural requires more work. Muralists tend to use paint with a glossier finish than flat latex paint, such as artists' acrylic paints. In addition, images painted by hand can leave your wall with a textured surface. You will need to sand and prime over your existing mural to prepare for a new mural.

Things You'll Need

  • Palm sander
  • Precut sanding sheets with a medium-grit
  • Tack cloth
  • Painter's masking tape
  • Primer
  • Paint roller
  • Paint pan
  • 2-inch paintbrush
  • Sketch paper
  • Chalk (optional)
  • Water-based paint
  • Plastic plates
  • Mini foam roller (optional)
  • Various paintbrushes
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Instructions

    • 1

      Sand any areas of the mural that contain texture. Use a palm sander to sand a large area with ease and speed. Wipe any dust off the wall with a tack cloth.

    • 2

      Place a strip of tape around the wall that contains the mural. Be sure to use a low-tack masking tape to avoid pulling off any wall paint.

    • 3

      Roll a coat of primer over the old mural. Paint the primer in along the edges with a brush.

    • 4

      Plan a new mural. Work from a photograph or design your own scene. You can use painter's tape to create an abstract arrangement of shapes or intersecting lines.

    • 5

      Mark out your new mural on the wall with chalk. Use a strip of tape to keep painted edges sharp, if desired.

    • 6

      Mix water-based paints on plastic plates. Do not mix all your colors at once, as acrylics and other water-based paints do not stay workable for very long.

    • 7

      Apply the paint with a small foam roller or a paintbrush. Use a foam roller to add large areas of a single color or paint inside a taped shape. Use brushes of various sizes to paint details. Paint the background first and add details last.