What counts as preparation?
Preparation covers everything that happens before paint touches the wall. That includes filling cracks and holes, sanding rough surfaces, scraping off flaking paint, washing down dirty walls, masking edges, and priming bare or repaired areas.
On woodwork, it means sanding the existing paint to create a key for the new coat, filling any dents or chips, and priming bare wood. For exterior work, it can also involve scraping rust, treating mould, and repairing damaged render.
What happens if you skip it?
If you paint over cracks, they'll show through within weeks. If you don't sand gloss woodwork, the new paint won't stick and will peel. If you don't prime bare plaster, the paint will soak in unevenly and look patchy.
Many DIY paint jobs look fine for a few days but start to fail quickly. The most common reason is poor preparation. It's the part most people want to rush through, but it's the part that makes the biggest difference to how the finished job looks and how long it lasts.
How professionals approach preparation
A professional decorator will spend a significant portion of the job on preparation — sometimes as much time as the actual painting. We inspect every surface, identify what needs attention, and work methodically through filling, sanding, and priming.
We use dust sheets to protect floors and furniture, and we clean up at the end of each day. The goal is to create a perfectly smooth, clean surface so the paint goes on evenly and lasts for years.
Preparation for different surfaces
New plaster needs a mist coat (diluted emulsion) before full-strength paint. Old plaster with cracks needs filling and sanding. Woodwork needs sanding between coats. Previously wallpapered walls need stripping and lining in most cases.
Exterior surfaces face additional challenges: weathering, moss, mould, and UV damage all need addressing before painting. We use appropriate treatments and primers for each surface type to ensure the best result.
New Decorating
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