How to Prepare a Wall For Paint

Most walls don’t need much preparation for paint. But if the wall has cracks or damage it is important to fix the defects correctly before painting. This will eliminate any problem after the walls are painted.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sandpaper (120-220 grit or spackle mesh sandpaper) Spackle Plastic Trowel Paint Brush or roller Primer Plastic cloths to protect furnishings and floor Rags Bucket with water (for any clean-up)

1. Scrape off any flaking paint.

2. Fill holes and cracks with spackle.

3. Sand spackle level with the rest of the wall using a flat block to hold the sandpaper.

4. After the spackle dries it may need a second coat due to shrinkage.

5. Sand any high spots level with the rest of the wall.

6. Paint on primer coat using a thin layer.

Tips & Warnings

• Don’t eliminate the primer coat because the top coat will seep into it and make the area look dull compared to the rest of the wall.