Are you considering interior painting or exterior painting for your home? A fresh coat of paint dramatically increases your home’s curb appeal, comfort, and personalization. However, homeowners who paint themselves often miss the most critical step in painting: preparation.

While most homeowners understand the need for drop cloths or selecting the preferred color choice, many aren’t aware of the full amount of prep necessary for a lasting, pearl-like finish. Continue reading to see why prep work is essential for beautiful paint jobs.

What Are the Paint Prep Work Steps?

What does paint prep work entail? The prep work for interior and exterior requires similar steps, although they’re gone about in varying ways. In the following, we’ve broken down what you need to do before your next painting job.

Prep Work for Exterior Painting in Mullica Hill

Paint requires a clean, dry surface to adhere to. Typically for exterior paint jobs, the professionals will request a pressure washing to rid the home of dirt, grime, or mold. An inspection for any disrepair, extra nails, and chipped paint can ensure a clean work surface.

Once the property receives a thorough washing, air dries, and has no discernible disrepair or old paint, it becomes ready for a fresh coat. The following explains the exterior paint prep steps:

• Sand and scrape off all old paint or non-smooth surfaces.
• Repair any problems and eliminate mold, mildew, and algae.
• Wash and dry the siding.
• Cover all shrubs and landscaping with a drop cloth.
• Use painter’s tape to cover any outlets or other non-paintable areas.

If you follow the above steps, your paint job will look better and last longer.

Prep Work for Interior Painting in Mullica Hill

Interior painting in Mullica Hill requires similar steps; the goal is a smooth, clean, and dry surface for paint adherence. Consider following these steps for optimal results:

• Remove all furniture you can, and place anything too heavy in the center of the room under a drop cloth.
• Fill in any nail holes or other damaged areas.
• Inspect your walls and scrape off any old paint.
• Sand the walls to remove any bumps, remaining paint, and excess putty.
• Wash the walls with a wall-safe soap and water.
• Allow to dry and remove any outlet coverings or removable items.
• Cover your floors and use painter’s tape to protect anything you don’t want paint on.

These steps give you the most professional and beautiful paint job possible.

Benefits of Prep Work

Paint prep for interior painting and exterior painting adds to your timeframe and seems like a hassle. However, you risk poor appearance, uneven paint jobs, and more without preparation. We’ve listed the pros to paint prep in the following.

Durable Finish

Ensure your paint job lasts as long as possible through adequate preparation. Paint adheres to a clean, dry surface more thoroughly, limiting the risk of peeling, bubbling, or ugly paint jobs. A durable finish gives you peace of mind and lessens the need for future paint jobs, saving you money.

Even Distribution

To achieve an evenly colored wall, the texture of the surface must remain consistent. Preparation guarantees evenness and provides a beautiful color throughout.

Uneven paint mars the appearance and creates patches. Use a primer first to create an even surface and help the paint adhere for the best distribution.

Smooth Appearance

Professionally painted walls appear and feel smooth to the touch. If you leave old wallpaper or damage on your walls before painting, the final appearance will show every wrinkle and blemish, ruining the new look. Ideally, you want a smooth, blemish-free coat of paint for a professional, well-maintained appearance.

Dirt, nails, and old paint won’t just affect the appearance. Without proper preparation, your paint will begin peeling, chipping, and cracking much faster. You’ll lose the brand-new look and have to repaint more often, wasting your time and money.

Protect your Possessions

Drop cloths and painter’s tape plays a significant role in painting prep, making the process easier and safer for your possessions. Outside, you can protect your landscaping, bushes, and lawn from receiving paint splatters. Paint can damage their appearance and health, harming your curb appeal and property values.

Inside, protecting your furniture, flooring, and trim from splashes of paint creates a professional appearance and limits damage. Paint becomes challenging to remove once it dries. Protect your valuables by removing them or covering them with tarps.

Paint can ruin hardwood floors, carpets, and tile with little droplets of color. Removing paint requires several tools and hours of your time, and many available paint removers will damage the varnish on hardwood flooring. A professional team will remove or protect your floors and possessions for a clean, beautiful finish.

Why Choose GLS Painters?

Skip the hassles of preparing your home, finding the correct equipment, and painting by calling our team. It takes experience and training to provide the perfect paint job, and we deliver. Painting is a long and stressful job for those that have little experience; let us handle it while you relax!

Our team has years of experience in the field, and we use the highest-quality paint and supplies available to guarantee complete satisfaction.

Contact Our Team Today

If you’re looking for a professional team and outstanding results for your next interior painting or exterior painting jobs, contact GLS Painters at (856) 238-1288 and request a free estimate in Mullica Hill, NJ, today!