There are many ways to spruce up a tired room, but few are as low cost and high impact as a fresh coat of paint. A fresh coat of paint can do wonders to any room, and adding a new splash of color can transform the entire look and feel of the room. In order to properly paint a room, however, it is important to prepare well ahead of time, and to gather the materials and supplies that will be needed before getting started.
The steps involved in preparing a room for painting include the following:
- Remove as much furniture from the room as possible, and move the remaining furniture to the center of the room. Cover the remaining furniture with a drop cloth, and use removable masking tape around any moldings, doors and windows. Use drop cloths to protect the floors.
- Cover the smoke detector with a plastic bag, and turn off any heating or air conditioning to prepare for the sanding and painting.
- Scrape or sand any loose or flaking paint using sandpaper or a paint scraper. Scrape down to the bare surface if needed.
- Use a putty knife to fill any nail or screw holes with a good quality spackling compound. Fill any cracks with caulking.
- If the woodwork is seriously damaged it may be necessary to apply epoxy filler, like the filler used on car bodies.
- Wash all surfaces thoroughly to remove any remaining dirt or grease.
- Rinse all surfaces thoroughly with water and allow them to dry before proceeding.
- Turn off power to the room to be painted, and remove cover plates from all the electrical fixtures, outlets and switches in the room. Put a small piece of masking tape over the outlets and switch handles to keep paint from sticking to them.
- Loosen and remove the cover plates from any light fixtures, and cover any fixtures that cannot be removed with a plastic bag.
- Remove any heating and air conditioning vent covers, and you're ready to paint.
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