This Old House Painting Expert, Mauro Henrique, shares the importance of painting prep work for any project and why homeowners shouldn’t skip it.
Preparation is a Must for Any Painting Project
Mauro says that preparation is key to a great paint job. In fact, he believes 85 percent of a painting project is in the prep work. He says if you try to cut corners on the preparation, you won’t get the paint job you’re hoping to achieve.
Start Cleaning
The first step in a paint job preparation is cleaning your walls or surfaces. Make sure to clean the surface you’ll be painting and the area around it. This will prevent the chance of dust floating onto the wet paint or grease from preventing the paint from adhering to the surface.
Tape is OK to Use
Painter’s tape gets a bad reputation, but Mauro says painters use it all the time. They use it to protect the surfaces they aren’t painting and hardware that might get in the way. They also use it to keep masking paper securely on the floor. Almost everything that needs to be protected requires painter’s tape.
Drop Cloths Are Critical, Too
When it comes to protecting delicate furniture, Mauro likes to use a thin plastic sheet to keep paint from accidentally dripping onto the surface. For floors, he likes to go with a heavier-duty canvas drop cloth.
It’s Worth the Effort
Mauro knows that covering the floor and furniture, as well as taping off areas, is a lot of work, but he also knows it’s worth it. Once the prep work is done, the paint job itself goes even faster and he can focus on painting the surface rather than protecting the surfaces around it.
Quality Paint Matters
Finally, it’s important to use a quality paint. Good paint covers better, lasts longer, and offers a better finished result. Prep work and good paint are, according to Mauro, definite musts.