You have time on your hands and you just might be getting bored.  This is the perfect time to work on the house and give it a face lift with a fresh coat of Paint.  If you want the best, most professional looking job possible, you have to understand one thing. The prep is at least half , if not more, of the job.   Take your time with the following steps and you’ll be so happy with your end results.

It’s All in The Prep

The interior space needs to be properly prepped to ensure the paint goes only on the walls and stays there. Otherwise, the paint could end up on the furniture and other unsightly areas — and fail to adhere properly in the long run. By performing the prep work, the painting process goes much faster as well and allows you to achieve your desired results.

Protect the Room

In each room that needs paint, move all the furniture into the middle of the room and cover with plastic drop cloths. Then, cover the flooring with canvas drop cloths held down with a bit of double-sided tape.

Remove Mildew

A combination of high moisture levels, poor ventilation, and warm temperatures allow mold and mildew to grow inside the home. In addition to being unsightly, the presence of these substances can cause health problems to arise.

Just painting over the problem areas does nothing to fix the issue either, as mold and mildew will penetrate that layer within a short time. Instead, homeowners must actively seek out the underlying problem and fix it, eliminating the chance of those substances growing back in the future.

Once this is handled, addressing the damaged drywall is the next step before painting. Depending on the severity of the mold and mildew growth, the affected drywall may need to be removed and replaced with new boards. For minimal damage, however, cleaning and priming the surface will work to keep the mold and mildew sealed in for good.

To clean the surface:

• Create a mixture of three parts water to one part bleach
• Spray the bleach mixture on the surface fungus and let it sit for a few minutes
• Wipe the bleach-treated walls dry with clean paper towels
• Once the surface looks clean, allow the area to dry, and then spray it all down with undiluted white vinegar.

The vinegar will help kill the mold spores, keeping them from growing back as soon as conditions are favorable. The strong smell of vinegar will slowly disappear as the drywall dries up, but if it is bothersome, set up a fan to circulate the air in the meantime. Once the walls are dry, it is safe to move onto the next step.

Sand Surfaces

Although sanding the surfaces to be painted is not always necessary for every project, it can make a huge difference in the results. Sanding is only really necessary when replacing or repairing damaged drywall before painting. All repairs must be completed before sanding and the mud or Spackle should be left be long enough to fully dry.

After that, break out the palm sander and fit it with a sheet of 120-grit sandpaper. Wear a respirator and goggles to protect your eyes and lungs from dust and debris flying through the air. Even if the sander has a filter bag attachment, the dust will get everywhere, so be prepared to vacuum and shower after finishing this step.

To sand the walls before painting, simply:

• Turn on the sander and gently press it against the wall
• Slowly move the sander across the surface, focusing on smoothing everything out
• Continue until the surface looks and feels completely even with the rest of the wall
• Once the surface is sanded smooth, use a light to go over it once again, looking for imperfections. Repeat this process until the drywall is completely flat and smooth, which means it is ready for paint.
• Consider sanding after applying primer as well. Use the process above but focus on sanding the entire wall surface until it is completely free of blemishes.

Estimating How Much Paint You’ll Need

With the paint type, finish, and colors selected, all that is left to do is estimate how much will be needed to do the interior space. To figure this out, measure all the interior walls, and then pick up about one gallon of paint for every 100 square feet. Rooms with a lot of windows will need less paint for the walls and more for the trim, so take that into account as well.

In addition to the paint in all the desired colors, pick up an equal amount of primer in either oil- or water-based formulas. Oil-based primers work best for heavily stained walls or when covering a dark paint color with a lighter one. Latex primers are adequate for all other projects.

Prime Walls

Although primer adds to the initial costs of the painting project, it can actually save money in the long run. By applying a coat of primer to the walls, it effectively seals the surface, keeping the paint from soaking into the surface. With that step, less paint will be needed to cover the walls, effectively reducing the cost of the project. Beyond that, primer helps to create a smooth, attractive surface and allows the vivid paint pigments to stand out.

TIPS

• The primer can be applied to the walls using brushes and rollers. Cut in with the brushes first, working carefully around the taped off edges of the room. Then, use the roller to apply primer to the rest of the room.
• All surfaces that will be painted need to be covered in primer and allowed to dry completely. Only when it is dry to the touch can paint be applied over the top or the primer may come off while brushing or rolling the surface.
• Latex primer will usually dry to the touch within three hours, while oil-based primer can take up to 48 hours. If temperatures inside the house are too cold or humidity is too high, then the primer will take much longer to dry.

Materials Needed for Interior Painting

Although it is possible to get by with fewer supplies, these items will streamline the painting process and provide the perfect finish. Gather everything up and have it on hand when it comes time to start the project.

Paint is only the start when it comes to the materials needed to transform the interior of the home. Other supplies needed for this project include: