Preparation is Key to a Flawless Paint Job

Whether you’re a property owner preparing to sell, or wanting to spruce up a rental after the end of a lease, the decision to paint is not as straightforward as you might think.

Which rooms to paint? How much paint is needed? What colour to choose? Is it best to hire professionals or do-it-yourself? These are all important questions.

Amid all that it can be forgotten that preparing your property before the paint even hits the wall is a critical step.

The golden rules of painting are prep, prime and caulk.

When preparing your property, the rst step is to remove all hardware from the walls. This includes electrical plug covers, phone outlet covers, curtain rods and brackets or blinds, nails and stick-on hooks, along with light xtures if painting the ceiling.

Next, clean surfaces with sugar soap to get rid of dirt and grease. Use a paint scraper to remove any aking and cracked paint from the wall.

Fill any nail holes, cracks and imperfections, using a multi-purpose gap sealer and a caulking gun to ll the gaps in the corners of the walls.

You might also need to scuff the previous coat lightly with sandpaper.

The number one rule for painting is that the surface needs to be clean, dry and dull.

Before dipping the brush into the paint can, remember that paint is messy, so you’ll need to tape drop sheets in place along the walls and oors, apply painters tape around all moldings, window frames and door frames to prevent stray paint, and either remove any furniture or organise it in the centre of the room and cover tightly.

Prime the walls. Where needed, use primer paint on the walls and trim.

If you’re painting over a wall with a paint that is close to the previous colour, then in general, you don’t need to prime existing paint. Repaint the wall with at least two coats of the new colour.

If painting over a dark colour with a lighter one, more than two coats might be needed to stop the existing colour from showing through. If that’s the case, using a primer or basic white for the rst coat is a cost-effective option.

With the average cost of interior painting setting you back about $20-$30 per square metre, getting the preparation right yourself can bring signi cant savings.

On another note, while preparing for painting is one thing, choosing the right colour is a whole other ballgame.

Picking the wrong colour could cost property owners when it comes time to sell, or rent.

Many once-popular paint choices are now considered unappealing and can detract from a property’s selling price, or even put off tenants from applying to rent a property.

Experts recommend choosing colours with mass appeal that can work with a range of decors. Opt for cool, neutral wall colours.

Pops of colour can work for front doors. It often forms the rst impression in a prospective buyer’s mind and a door in a popular colour can help make buyers feel that the property is well cared for.