How to Prep and Paint Walls

Poorly painted walls draw attention to themselves ... away from everything else in the room. It's just human nature to focus on those unsanded paint drips or clumps of spackling compound that were carelessly painted over, or the ragged edge between the blue wall and the white chair rail. Properly prepare and paint the walls to ensure they have a smooth texture and an even finish that will blend unobtrusively into the room's decor.

Broad Knife
Spackle Compound
Painters Tape
Primer
Paint

Instructions

- 1
  Finish, apply skim coat and sand new drywall. Then apply a primer to prepare the wall for the paint.
- 2
  Scrape any peeling paint from the walls, if repainting.
- 3
  Patch large holes with drywall; then finish and sand the repair. Repair small holes from nails and picture hooks by filling them with a lightweight spackling compound.
- 4
  Let the compound dry for about an hour. Then lightly sand and smooth the patched areas. Sand the whole wall if there are old paint drips or if it isn't smooth to the touch.
- 5
  Caulk gaps between the walls and the baseboards and door trims with painter's caulk.
- 6
  Apply painter's tape to baseboards and other areas you don't want painted.
- 7
  "Cut in," or paint the edges of, the ceiling, corners and baseboards.
- 8
  Use a roller to finish painting the walls. Start at the top of each wall and roll in long strokes from top to bottom, without picking up the roller mid-wall. Re-soak the roller cover often to keep it filled with paint.

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Painting