Interior painting may seem simple – tarp the area, use masking tape, apply paint, and let it dry. Right? Wrong. For a professional-looking, long-lasting paint result, complete wall preparation and caulking must be completed. This is a step most homeowners skip because it is time-consuming and requires more painting skill, knowledge, and experience than most homeowners have. The problem is, without wall preparation prior to painting, your paint may end up blistering, flaking, or peeling. Hiring a professional interior painter will not only save you time and ease your labor, but a good one will completely prepare all of the walls and caulk where necessary to ensure a spectacular final result.
What Is Involved with Wall Preparation Before Painting?
Applying new paint to damaged surfaces may look slightly better than before, but those flaws will often be more noticeable and your paint may not last as long as it would if proper preparation took place. Things like gouges, nail holes, or other wall surface imperfections must be repaired properly. This may be as simple as filling those nail holes and washing wall surfaces or more challenging like sanding and refinishing surfaces to ensure the paint adheres properly and looks great when it dries.
Should You Caulk Before or After Painting?
High-quality professional wall preparation and caulking before painting should include the removal of old caulk and the application of new caulk prior to painting. Caulk helps conceal cracks or joints and prevents moisture from getting into areas it shouldn’t. Many people think it would just be easier to apply caulk after painting but it should be applied before to ensure your paint can be applied in clean, smooth lines for a more professional-looking end result.
Don’t Compromise on Quality – Hire a Professional for Interior Painting
Although it is tempting to skip wall preparation and caulking before painting, it is not a good idea. Without such preparation, the signs of your lack of preparation will begin to show quickly and will only get worse over time. Hire a professional painter that knows what they are doing and prioritizes wall preparation and caulking as part of their interior painting services.