Here are ways to prepare your home before a wall painting job
Are your walls looking a tad rough these days? Are they not what they used to be? You might be in need of a wall painting job! A wall painting job makes your walls look as good as new. Sometimes, you might want to do these yourself. Other times, it’s best to call in a professional. Either way, it’s important to know the basics of wall painting jobs and have an estimate of how long they will take so that you can plan your activities accordingly.
The first thing that you need to do if you want to get a third party to repaint your house is to find the right contractor. You will then have to make your house ready which also contributes towards the time taken to complete the total job. You would need to account for pre-painting processes so that it becomes easier for the experts to do the job.
Here are some pre-painting rituals that you should keep in mind:
Stage 1
Covering your furnitures from paint splashes
Take out all the furnishings in your room, whatever can be moved such as light furniture, and place it to one side of your house which won’t be painted on that day. However, it’s not possible to take out large pieces of furniture such as sofas or beds, so the next best option is to place a covering on top or putting everything to the centre of the room if possible and then keeping a covering on top. This will let the painter do an easier job.
Moving away electronics or appliances
The last thing you need is paint sploshed all over your electronics and appliances. Such items are used daily and are expensive and paint can damage them. To avoid this, ensure that you take them to another part of the house and cover them up. In case you aren’t able to cover these up on your own, due to a lack of material, then request your expert repainter to do this for you. If you’re thinking that you can manage without covering these, think again. If you do paint things such as the ceiling, then it becomes difficult to save the items down below.
Wall art and decor
Of course, if you’re doing a paint job, you will need to remove and put aside all forms of wall hangings, items of decoration and other things inside the room walls. Take out everything one by one and place them in your storeroom. In case these are delicate items, place them inside bubble wrap and safely stow them. While it might seem like a shorter process to gather all these up and place them within the centre of the room, it isn’t the best idea, as they could break or paint could spoil them.
Softer furnishings
Keep an eye out for softer furnishings such as carpets, rugs, or any other wall hangings. If you have curtains in the room that you’re planning to get painted, then clear these away as well. If rugs and mats are too heavy to be lifted and moved, then once again cover these with plastic. Any wall painting job will affect the floor, so even if it’s away from the wall, there could be paint splatter. It’s also advisable to clear this space before you get your walls prepped.
Smaller decorative items
Decorative items give plenty of value to a house right from emotional accents to adding a chic touch. Once everything is off from the walls, you need to put your knick-knacks in a safe place. While a professional painter will ensure that everything is covered with a drop cloth, you need to keep your smaller decorative items safely so that they don’t break. Only put them back once the paint has dried.
Stage 2
Once everything’s out of the way in your room, it’s time to start stage two. This is ensuring that your walls are fully prepped for action. This also takes a considerable amount of time. You can choose to do it yourself or engage professionals to do so.
Preparing your walls for a paint job
Many people are under the assumption that as your wall will be repainted anyway, you don’t have to undertake the whole cleaning process. However, it is important to clean your walls before painting. You might notice that there are stains, dirt and dust buildup on your walls, even if they can’t be seen at first glance. If your walls are repainted over this, the paint job will look horrible. To clean your walls, either use a broom with a long handle or a vacuum and take out all the dust from the ceiling and walls. If you clean the walls with water, make sure to do this two days before the paint job so that your walls dry completely.
Leaving the space
It’s not conducive to stay in a place with toxic paint fumes. If your house is big, then plan to stay in another room for the time being. However, if it isn’t sizeable, the paint fumes can affect you and your family. In this case, it’s time to take a little vacation. Move into a temporary lodging and make sure to have all essentials on hand. Ensure that your children or pets don’t enter the workspace as they could get toxic paints on them.
How to save time while painting your walls?
Preparing your home before a painting job saves plenty of time and gets the job done quicker. In fact, it would be advisable to ask your professional for any advice before doing this. It will help them do the painting job as soon as they arrive.
You also save your valuable household items and articles, as well as, costs in the long run. Instead of the painter moving things and possibly breaking something, it’s way more advisable that you do this yourself. While professionals such as Octopus will always be careful, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Taking into account wall painting jobs and how long they will take
Once any form of preps are done, a wall painting job shouldn’t take too long. Perhaps a day or two. However, without prepping this could take up to 4 days, and this is precious time that you shouldn’t waste.
If you’re looking for a thorough, professional, and well-done repainting job, reach out to experts at Octopus. We will take care of your wall painting from start to finish. For more information, do reach out to 800 3993.
