How to prepare for painting walls?

For painting walls, as for any other aspect of renovation, it is worth preparing in advance. With the right precautions, you'll get a flawless result and save time - including the time you'd otherwise have to spend on touch-ups.

Painting the walls

Photo: Ivan Samkov © Pexels

How to secure the room?

The basic equipment needed when painting walls are such tools as a putty knife, doming rollers with a tray, brushes, sponges, a product for cleaning them from paint, and a precisionmortar pen. Of course, don't forget a ladder and appropriate work clothes. To make your work easier and avoid mishaps, in addition to the aforementioned tools, it is worth having two more products in your handy box: a good masking tape and a strong, sturdy painting film. Before you start painting, you should carefully protect all surfaces and objects that are exposed to paint splashes. We are talking primarily about moldings, switches, as well as radiators, windows and wall decorations. All these places should be carefully covered with foil and additionally taped. It's worth reaching for the right masking tape and sturdy painter's film. The former will additionally come in handy for marking the areas of our work.

Paint roller

Photo: Ivan Samkov © Pexels

Masking tape

There are many different self-adhesive masking tapes available on the market. At the same time, it is worth remembering that these products are not subject to specific standards, so we can not distinguish specific, standardized types of tape. What to pay attention to when choosing the right one? Much depends on what kind of surface we are working on. For most painting and finishing work, a tape made of crepe paper will successfully suffice. If you are dealing with a delicate surface, such as wallpaper or a wall painted with varnish or paints diluted in water, it is worth reaching for a tape with low adhesion. This type of product will also work well when we need double masking. On the other hand, if you want sharp painting edges and durability, and also double masking, choose a special washi paper with medium adhesion. On such difficult surfaces as stucco, plaster, smooth and rough surfaces, as well as felted surfaces, on the other hand, plaster tapes on fabric, PVC and PEwill work well. These products are resistant to UV radiation and mechanical loads. They are also characterized by medium to high adhesion. There are still tapes on fabric, which are great for masking on materials such as concrete, clinker, artificial stone or other rough surfaces.

Masking tape

Paint film

With the help of painter's film you can effectively protect floors, furniture and equipment from dirt . Foils are available in various sizes. However, the most important feature of the film is its thickness. Thin will work well for protecting furniture, which is least likely to be damaged. A medium painter 's film is suitable for covering furniture such as a table or closet. A thick film, on the other hand, will be useful for protecting the floor. The ease of its removal after the work is completed is also important . The film should also be resistant to water, oil and grease, as well as abrasion and tearing. It is also practical to purchase a protective film with tape, with the help of which we will tightly protect the selected objects from dust and other dirt.