7 Tips to Prep for Paint Like a Pro

Wanting to paint a room? Before you pick up your roller or paintbrush you'll need to put a little effort into the preparation of your walls. These 7 tips will help you prep for paint like a pro and ensure you get a beautiful result every time!

If you're anything like me painting is one of your least favorite tasks and only want to have to paint a room once. When we moved in literally every room in the house needed paint and to show you how much I procrastinate with painting it's been a decade and there are still rooms that haven't been painted. But that's changing!

I'm prepping for paint in my dining room right now and excited to bring you along in the process and show you exactly how I'm going to prep for paint like a pro. And hopefully never have to paint this room again.

What Should I Do To Prep for Painting?

• Tip One - Repair Holes in the Wall Surface
• Tip Two - Caulk or Touch Up Caulk to All the Trim
• Tip Three - Clean the Surface You'll Paint Thoroughly
• Tip Four - Remove Light Switch And Outlet Covers
• Tip Five - Apply Painter's Tape
• Tip Six - Cover Furniture and Flooring with Drop Cloths
• Tip Seven - Use Quality Paint Equipment

Now let's get into all the details, supplies, and resources to help you prep for paint like a pro.

Jump to:

• What Should I Do To Prep for Painting?
• Tip One - Repair Holes in the Wall Surface
• Tip Two - Caulk or Touch Up Caulk to All the Trim
• Tip Three - Clean the Surface You'll Paint Thoroughly
• Tip Four - Remove Light Switch And Outlet Covers
• Step Five - Apply Painter's Tape
• Tip Six - Cover Furniture and Flooring with Drop Cloths
• Tip Seven - Use Quality Paint Equipment
• PDF Printable Instructions & Video
• 7 Tips to Prep for Paint Like A Pro

Tip One - Repair Holes in the Wall Surface

I have drywall, so to repair all of the random nail and screw holes (I am always changing up wall decor) I prefer to use spackle, and to fill it I actually use my fingers, but then go back over the holes to scrape off excess with a metal putty knife.

If you have a sizable hole you may need to do a drywall patch with joint compound. But most holes, divots, and scrapes fill really well with spackle.

Why do you prefer spackle?

The reasons I prefer spackle over other options like caulk are because:

1. It's color-changing, it goes from pink to white when it's dry. So you're never wondering if it's totally dry and ready for paint.
2. It is so easy to work with, not overly messy like caulk. It's more like putty and so it sticks in the holes for a better fill and seamless finish.
3. If you overfill you can go back after it's dried with a damp rag and wipe the excess off. Once caulk dries there is no wiping it off.

Tip Two - Caulk or Touch Up Caulk to All the Trim

I prefer to caulk before paint simply because I have textured walls and it doesn't always go on super clean. Caulking before paint ensures that any extra that gets on the walls won't mar your beautiful new painted walls, especially if they're a color other than white.

A freshly caulked trim will look like a million bucks and truly helps make the entire product look professional. It takes a few extra minutes, depending on the size of the room, but worth the time and extra effort.

The trim in my house was not caulked at all when we moved in, despite the house being 8 years old. So, the first thing I did when starting to paint rooms was caulk all the trim. It made the rooms look like it was a newly built home. This was of course before deciding to replace all the trim, for that process visit How to Build Farmhouse-Style Trim Cheap.

Tip Three - Clean the Surface You'll Paint Thoroughly

Paint will not stick to dirty surfaces so it's extremely important to clean the area thoroughly. All those places you wouldn't normally think to clean matter. Such as the header trim above a door or window, or a ceiling believe it or not. Greasy spots may also need a bit of washing with a drop of dish soap on a damp rag. Otherwise, give the walls a quick wipe-down with a damp cloth so that paint will have a clean, dust-free surface to stick to.

Note: When cleaning your walls go gingerly over any areas you've filled with spackle. You don't want to undo all the filling you just did. Also, a magic eraser might save your life. I use it to get off some really ugly stuff. Sometimes when you clean a wall you see that it doesn't actually need a new coat of paint!

Tip Four - Remove Light Switch And Outlet Covers

The best advice I can give you is to use painter's tape to adhere the screws to each plate. Then write the room in a black permanent marker on the backside, I'm going to write DR (Dining Room). Then put them in a Ziploc bag for safekeeping. You don't want lost screws. I have bags of outlet covers and light switches with the screws just rolling around in the bottom of the bag and regret it.

Note: To prevent paint from getting in your outlets or switches place a piece of painter's tape over them.

Step Five - Apply Painter's Tape

I don't typically tape an entire room any longer, though I did when I was new at painting. If you aren't confident in your ability to cut-in accurately, definitely put up some painter's tape to avoid mistakes.

I will apply it to any trim in this room. Since I'll be painting a dark color it will show even small mistakes on white trim. I recommend the Scotch brand personally.

If you have just recently painted the trim you will want to use the delicate surface painter's tape. This will help avoid losing fresh paint to the sticky side of the tape.

Tip Six - Cover Furniture and Flooring with Drop Cloths

This is another area where drop cloth really shines! And it is actually its original purpose when created, to save your home from paint splatter. You can opt for the plastic or polyurethane version, but again, I recommend using a nice reusable drop cloth. Investing in a good-quality drop cloth will save you tons of money down the road. Not to mention being better for the environment (if that matters to you).

The other option, which is the one I chose, was the remove them from the room entirely. It's actually really difficult to maneuver a paint roller between yourself, the wall, and any furniture in your way. But if you don't have that option you should cover any furniture or flooring you don't want paint drips on.

Note: You could even use old sheets if you don't mind them being destroyed in the process. Or it may even be worth it to save money by purchasing a few raggedy ones from a thrift store. Twin-size fitted sheets are perfect for putting around doors to protect them from paint splatter as well.

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Tip Seven - Use Quality Paint Equipment

I wouldn't say you have to buy the most expensive professional equipment. But I would definitely steer clear of the cheapest for several reasons. I love Purdy Brushes like this 2" angle brush, but the prices of their brushes can seem steep. If you have a whole house to paint it will be well worth the investment. But if you're doing a single room or project then go for mid-range like this Wooster 2" Shortcut Angle Sash.

I own both Purdy and Wooster and use and recommend both. They're both also Made in the USA if that is important to you.

Why not just buy the cheapest brand to save money right now?

Purchasing good solid tools, like these brands, ensures they will last years if properly cared for. Which will save you a lot of money in the long run. If you have to buy new tools every time you paint it will really add up over time.

In my considered experience (decades of painting rental properties) the upfront initial cost of quality is worth it. My dad still has Purdy brushes he's used for basically my entire lifetime!

There are downfalls to purchasing cheap tools like:

• Cheap brushes shed bristles while you paint which will leave hairs or acrylic bristles in your finish. Which is frustrating and time-consuming to pick them out. Or you may miss them and see them on your finished wall.
• Cheap painting equipment will be hard or impossible to clean and reuse. Like, for instance, I purchased a cheap aluminum painter's tray once and it was impossible to clean. Trying to reuse it resulted in paint chipping off onto my roller, which ended up on my walls.

I have a whole list of good painting supplies in this post 10+ Essential Tools for the DIYer.

Best Supplies to Use to Prep for Paint Like A Pro:

1. 9" Roller
2. 2-4 Foot Extension Pole (for high ceilings & to save your back)
3. Roller Pads - Smooth Surface Walls or Textured Walls
4. A Roller Tray & Tray Liners
5. 2" Angled Brush
6. Paint Edger Pro
7. Paint Cup
8. Painter's Tape
9. Drop Cloth - Plastic or Fabric

Thanks for Stopping By!

Julie

PDF Printable Instructions & Video