How to Prepare a New Woodwork for Interior Painting

Fill in any nail holes in your installed woodwork with wood putty, using a putty knife. Smooth over the putty with a damp sponge. Allow the putty to dry.

Lightly sand away excess wood putty on your trim. Keep sanding until the surface of the woodwork is uniform and smooth. Wipe the woodwork with a tack cloth to remove dust.

Put a strip of painter's tape next to the trim to keep the adjoining walls and floor free of drips and spatters. Apply firm pressure to the take to help it adhere.

Apply primer to any repaired areas with a small brush. Clean your brush with denatured alcohol. Keep rinsing until the primer is no longer visible in the brush. Wipe off the clean brush on a rag. Rinse out the rag in water. Hang it up to dry away from heat and flames.