The Ultimate Guide to Prepping Walls Before Painting

Surface preparation is, without exaggeration, 70% of what makes a paint job last. A premium paint applied to a poorly prepped wall will still crack, peel, or show every imperfection within a year. Here's our actual process.

Step 1: Cleaning

Walls accumulate dust, grease, and in kitchens especially, a thin film of cooking residue. Paint doesn't bond well to any of these, so every surface gets wiped down before anything else happens.

Step 2: Scraping and Sanding

Any flaking or loose old paint has to come off completely ? painting over it just traps the problem under a new layer that will fail at the same spot. Sanding then smooths the surface so the new coat goes on evenly.

Step 3: Crack Filling and Putty

Hairline cracks and nail holes get filled with putty, then sanded flush. This step alone is responsible for most of the difference between a "fine" paint job and a genuinely smooth, professional one.

Step 4: Priming

Primer isn't optional on fresh plaster, repainted dark colors, or damp-prone walls ? it seals the surface, improves paint adhesion, and ensures color consistency, especially when painting a light color over a dark one.

Step 5: The Actual Painting

Only after all of the above does the visible part begin ? typically two finish coats, with adequate drying time between each.

Why this matters for you: if a quote you've received skips straight from "site visit" to "painting," ask what surface prep is included. It's the single biggest factor in whether your paint job looks good for 2 years or 7.

Want this done right the first time? Get a free quote and our supervisor will walk you through the exact prep scope for your walls.