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Interior painting: the preparation is the job
Rolling the paint on is the fast part. Everything that decides how it looks and how long it lasts happens before the lid comes off.
Almost every disappointing paint job I get called in to fix was not a paint problem. It was a preparation problem wearing paint.
What has to happen before any paint
- Wash the walls. Especially kitchens, hallways and anywhere near a door handle. Paint does not stick to grease or to the film that builds up on a wall over years, and it will let go later in exactly those places.
- Fill and sand properly. Every nail hole, every dent, every hairline crack. Filler shrinks slightly as it dries, so a hole filled flush is a dimple once it cures. Slightly proud, then sanded flat.
- Texture first. Any repair big enough to need texture gets textured and matched before painting, never after.
- Caulk the joints. The line where trim meets wall is what your eye follows around a room. A clean caulk line is most of why a room looks finished.
- Prime what needs it. Bare filler, bare wood, any stain, and any drastic colour change. Primer over a water stain is not optional — it will bleed through however many coats you put on it.
The bit that surprises people
On a normal room, preparation and masking take substantially longer than applying the paint. That is not padding, and a quote that has the two the other way round should make you ask what is being skipped.
Sheen, briefly
Flat hides imperfections best and cleans worst. Eggshell and satin are the usual compromise for living space. Semi-gloss on trim and doors because it takes handling. In a bathroom or a kitchen, go a step shinier than you think, because you will be wiping those walls.
And two coats. Not one generous one — two. Colour depth and durability both come from the second.
If you are painting because of a repair, get both done together. Patching after the room is painted means cutting in and rolling that wall a second time, and you will have paid for the first one.
Related: Interior & Exterior Painting
More from the blog
- How I price a job, and why I won't guess over the phone
- The new-build punch list your builder never came back for
- Is your shower failing, or just ugly?
- Before you call anyone: the photos to send
- One visit or three? How to group a punch list
- Drywall cracks: which ones matter and which ones don't
- Why a texture repair shows, and how matching actually works
- Choosing flooring that survives a Central Texas house
- Gutters: what they are actually protecting, and when to clean them
- After a Texas storm: what to check, and in what order
- Cabinets: reface, repaint, or replace?
- Building outdoors in this sun: what actually lasts
Ready to get that list handled?
Send a few photos and I'll tell you what it takes. Free written estimates across Leander, Cedar Park, Georgetown, Round Rock and the towns nearby.