How Professional Painters Prep a Room for Interior Paint

Professional painters spend much of a job on prep: protecting the room, cleaning the walls, repairing damage, caulking gaps and priming patches before any finish paint goes on. Prep is what makes paint go on evenly, look smooth and last. Here's how a room gets prepared for interior painting.

1. Protect the room

Furniture is moved to the center of the room and covered. Floors are covered with drop cloths. Outlet and switch covers, vent covers and wall hangings come off, and fixtures that stay are covered or taped.

2. Clean the walls

Paint doesn't stick well to dust, grease or grime. Walls are dusted, and kitchen and bathroom walls are washed to remove grease and soap film. Clean walls also let painter's tape seal for sharper lines.

3. Repair the drywall

Nail holes, dents, cracks and anchor holes are filled with joint compound or spackle, then sanded smooth. Larger holes and damaged areas are patched. See how to patch a hole in drywall.

4. Caulk the gaps

Gaps between trim and walls, and along baseboards and door casings, are filled with paintable caulk so the finished room has clean, continuous lines.

5. Prime what needs it

Patched areas are spot-primed so they don't show through the paint as dull spots. Water stains and smoke stains get a stain-blocking primer. Big color changes and new drywall get a full coat of primer.

6. Paint in order

Ceilings are painted first so drips don't land on finished walls, then walls and trim. Edges are cut in with a brush and the walls are rolled while the edges are still wet, so no lines show. Trim and doors are lightly sanded between coats for a smooth finish.

See common interior painting problems and how to fix them and how to choose a paint color.

Interior painting in Orlando

New Ceilings paints interiors across Orlando and Central Florida, and handles the drywall repair and prep in the same job, using Sherwin-Williams paint. Every job starts with a free written quote. See interior and exterior painting.