As far as I am concerned, prepping a room for decorating is one of the most important parts. Anxious amateurs will often cut corners at this stage in a rush to get the job finished but I will always take my time to get it right. Here are some of my tried and tested prepping methods.
1. Remove the furniture.
It seems simple, but many people leave the furniture in a room and try and paint round it. Disaster will surely follow! If you do have a piece of furniture that just will not fit through the door, place it in the centre of the room and ensure it is properly covered up and protected.
2. Protect floor coverings.
If you are leaving your carpet or floor covering in the room during the work then you must make sure it is properly protected. And that doesn’t mean putting a few sheets of newspaper round the outside of the room. Professionals use specialist drop-cloths, either canvas or butyl-backed. Plastic sheeting is cheaper but beware tears and splits.
3. Remove items from walls.
Obviously the curtains need to come down, but too often amateurs are tempted to leave items such as paintings or wall clocks in place and attempt to paint round them. Chances are it won’t work and the cutting in is likely to be time consuming.
4. Clean the walls and surfaces to be painted.
Why bother when you are going to paint them anyway? Because clean, smooth surfaces will provide a professional finish.
5. Remove switch plates and the like.
Trying to cut in round switch plates or similar outlet covers will inevitably leave visible clumsy brush strokes or paint on the covers. Professionals always remove them.
6. Use good masking tape.
There will be mouldings and trim that you cannot remove. Make sure you tape off any such areas before you think about opening a tin of paint. Use professional painter’s tape rather than the household variety. It takes time but the result will be worth it.
7. Create a staging area.
You really don’t want to be lugging gallons of paint around a room. That is asking for trouble. Set up an area in the centre of the room or even just outside it to pour paint, keep open cans and store and clean brushes and rollers.
I can guarantee that good prep helps me provide an excellent service and I have the testimonials to prove it!
If you are thinking of having some decorating done I will be happy to have a chat. Give me a call on 01452 540067 or 07765 881767 for a free quotation without obligation or have a look around our website.