Wall and trim prep:basics you need to know
You’ve decided you want to paint a bedroom in your house. The ceiling looks decent, but the walls and trim….. not so much. Then you look at those two areas and something doesn’t look right. There are some dings and nail holes in the wall. Yeah, people say the paint will fill them in but you know better than that. Then you look at the trim and notice several gaps and holes in the trim. You know that will look janky if you just paint it. You’ve resolved to do this project the right way but are unsure where to start. This blog will help you get where you need to go!
First, let’s get all the items you need. You’ll need wall patch and a putty knife. We use 20 minute mud or MH Ready Patch. I would recommend the MH Ready Patch. It dries quickly and will sand well (as long as it’s not put on too thick). Get yourself a 1” and 2” plastic putty knife. These will bend/flex easily and are very cost effective. You can also use this on the nail holes in your trim. Now grab a caulk gun and caulk. We like Alex 20 minute or Top Gun 200. Make sure it’s a paintable caulk. If you grab silicone, it can’t be painted and will create more problems than you bargained for. For the caulk gun, get one that’s dripless. This will keep the caulk from spilling out of the tube after you’ve run your bead. On the way out of the store grab some sanding blocks. A medium grit will be just fine. Pro tip: You don’t need the angled ones. They are twice the cost and don’t help as much as you would think. You’re all checked out of the store and ready to head home. Let’s get to prepping!
Start on the walls. Use your putty knife and get some patch on it. When it comes to patching, less is always more. You only need a thin layer to cover a defect that’s shallow. If it’s bigger, then use two or three light layers. One thick layer will take a long time to dry and create some frustration for you. Once the patch dries, take your sanding sponge and sand the edges of the patch smooth. This will look like “wax on/wax off” from Karate Kid. Once the edges are smooth, lightly run the sponge over the middle of the patch. Once it seems sanded, rub your hand over the patch. If it feels smooth, then you’re done. If you can feel a ridge or indention it will need a little more work. You will see what you can feel which is why you run your hand over all repairs. Now that you’ve got the walls smooth, let’s get into the trim.
For any nail holes in the trim just follow the same procedure as the walls. Grab a wet rag because we are going to start caulking. Cut your caulk tube at an angle and use the attached rod to punch an open hole. Squeeze the trigger and run a thin line of caulk into the space you are fixing. If you put too much you will have huge globs everywhere. If you put too much, then just refill that line. Remember, less is always more. Once you run your line, wet your finger and run it right down the gap you are fixing. This will push the caulk into the gap. It will also squeeze extra caulk onto the trim and wall. Take your wet rag and wipe away that excess caulk. The same principle applies here as drywall. If you can feel it you can see it. LIghtly wipe away those ridges and let the caulk dry. Once it’s dry, run your sanding sponge over the trim. This will knock off the edges, smooth out the wood, and give you the base for a nice finish.
Congratulations! You got all the basic prep done to make your painting project look amazing! Now clean up the prep, pour your paint, and get to painting!
