Preparation
THE KEY TO A LONG LASTING AND GREAT LOOKING FINISH
INTERIOR PAINTING PREPARATION is the key to every project's longevity and how the final finish will look. For this reason it is the most important part of every project. There are no short cuts to proper prep' work, it must be done right. Student Works Painting maintains the highest standards and ensures your project is started off right with the proper equipment, materials, and know-how.
During your FREE Estimate with Duncan Ross, he will explain exactly what preparation is required for your specific project. He will explain the equipment required and the work process as well as any Preparation Level Options that are available to you.
Set Up
Upon arrival, we will introduce the painters to you and do another quick walk-through of the project to once again point out special conerns and review the scope of the project. This is a great oppotunity for the painters to become familiar with your specific needs and concerns.
The painters will then start to move any required furnature. Usually into the center of the room so they have access to the walls, but every job is different. Next, they will put down drop sheets to protect the floor and cover furnature with plastic sheets to avoid dust and the odd paint drop. Outlet panels will also be removed, depending on the job.
Scuff Sanding
One of the most vital parts of interior preparation is what we call scuff sanding. This is the process of lightly sanding the surface we will be painting. This is for two reaons: (1) Over the years, your walls have gathered tiny amounts of dirt and grease that settles into the microscopic regions of the paint on your wall and creates a film. This is why your walls appear more glossy with time. Scuff sanding removes this film and creates tiny imperfections in the top layer of paint so that the new paint has something to "bite" onto, increasing the adhesion ability. (2) It removes any imperections on the surface such as lint or hair that dried in the paint from the previous paint job.
Filling Holes and Cracks
My outlet of Student Works Painting can fix any minor hole or crack. Major holes or cracks may require re-drywalling or other such work. We don't offer this service because I cannot gurantee the same result that a professional drywaller can.
For most holes and cracks, we will: (1) Lightly sand/scrape away any loose paint or drywall. (2) Over fill the hole/crack with a high quality filler and allow to dry. (3) Lightly sand until smooth with exisiting surface. (4) Check to see if any indentation remains and repeat steps 2 and 3 as required, usually no more than twice. (5) Larger holes and cracks will receive a coat of primer to seal the dried filler compound so as to avoid paint drying differently.
Other Noteworthy Interior Preparation
Painting Over Oil Based Paint: Some older homes may still have oil based paint on the walls. Allthough not a concern on it's own, once it starts to fail or the homeowner wants to change color, it must be treated differently. The problem comes down to adhesion. Latex based paint (which is what is most commonly used now) requires microscopic imperfections to "bite into" for good adhesion. Sadly for latex, oil based paint dries hard and smooth with nothing to "bite into". Painting directly over oil based paint with latex will likely require more coats to cover the original color and will result in paint failure very soon. Depending on the preparation level the client has chosen, the best option is thorouhly scuff sand the surface and prime it with a high quality interior primer. With some of the higher quality latex paints, you might be able to get away with a thorough scuff sanding alone. These options will be axplained to you in detail when you receive your free estimate from Duncan.
Water Damage: First step here is to always ensure the source of the water leak is dealt with (contact a local professinal). Painting over water damage where this has not been addressed will result in the same damage very soon. Once the source has been fixed and there is no sign of other damage/mold, the water stain will be sealed in with with a high quality stain blocking primer. This will prevent the ugly stain from showing through the new paint job. Sometimes, very small stains in stipple ceilings can be simply spot primed and blended in so that the entire ceiling doesn't have to be painted. This only works when the ceiling is clean and basically pure white. The primer used to seal the stain is almost always pure white and is very visible on a surface that isn't.
Inteior Paint Blisters: Interior paint bubbles and blisters are almost always caused due to 3 things: Poor preparation, moisture, or a chemical that came in contact with the paint.
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Poor Preparation: If a surface is dirty or greasy, the paint may not adhere properly and may bubble up before drying. This is due to the lack of washing, scuff sanding, or using a primer to seal in anything that can't be removed.
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Moisure: In most cases, this will be found in the bathroom, kitchen, or anywhere near a source of water. The moisutre will get behind the paint either through cracks in the paint or it might even be coming from behind the wall. Blisters will form in a new paint job quickly. In an old paint job, the blisters will likely just crack open and the problem will only get worse. This may be the result of constant contact with water or moisture (steam/condensation etc) and sometimes is an indicator of a much worse problem such as a water leak.
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Often in bathrooms or kitchens, someone may spill a product or chemical onto a painted surface. Once in contact with the paint, some chemicals react in a way to cause the paint to bubble and blister.
No matter the reason, the fix is the same. The blister must be cut open and remove any failing paint. If wet, allow to dry. Sand the area smooth to remove any other failing paint. Likely, the indentation will have to be sealed with a stain blocking primer and filled to match the height of surrouding paint (it's unlikely you will be able to simply sand the area smooth). Once filled and primed, usually the entire wall or area must be painted to ensure a good match.