The Importance of Proper Prep Work Before Painting

When it comes to painting, the big reveal is everybody's favorite. The flawless painted walls, fence, and deck with befitting shades are what every homeowner desires to see. However, an experienced painter understands a reality that tends to surprise homeowners: the paint color and even the paint quality itself come second to preparation.

At Windsor Painting Company, we work under a simple, strict principle: A successful, long-lasting finish is 80% preparation and 20% application.

The Foundation of Failure Prevention:

The Professional Cleaning Process:

For high-touch areas and kitchens, Windsor Painting Company employs specific degreasers to clean down all surfaces thoroughly. In general, wall areas, mild detergent, and water are utilized. To remove chalky, oxidized paint and mold/mildew, power washing is done. Which is dried properly before applying a coat of paint. Repair and Smoothing – Creating the Perfect Canvas:

Scraping and Sanding: The Required Steps:

The most difficult prep work is scraping off old, failing paint.

Scraping: Scrap all blistering or peeling paint that currently exists back so that only solid, still adhering paint is left. Feather the edges where the old paint and bare surface meet so that there will not be visible lines under the new coat of paint.

Opening the Pores: Sanding very slightly scruffs the current glossy paint or spackle so that there is a mechanical adhesion for the new paint and primer to bond to.

Removing Flaws: We sand out joint compound patches, bumps, dried drips, or ridges. A smooth finish demands a smooth beginning.

Sanding Outdoors: Power sanding or hand-sanding on outdoor wood eliminates any "fuzz" created by power washing, evening out weathered boards, and opening up the pores of the wood so that stain or paint can penetrate deep into the wood fibers.

Priming – The Absolute Game Changer:

The Four Functions of Primer:

Sealing Porous Surfaces: Primer covers drywall, raw wood, spackle repairs, and joint compound. If left unsealed, these porous surfaces will absorb the topcoat paint unevenly, resulting in an effect known as "flashing" and necessitating a much larger amount of topcoat material.

Adhesion and Bonding: Primer is designed with higher-quality binders to cling to hard-to-bond surfaces. Primer serves as the essential bond between the old surface and new topcoat.

Blocking Stains and Bleed-Through: Special primers are needed to block general painting adversaries that bleed through even coats of latex topcoat.

Color Uniformity: When making a transition from very dark color to very light, a colored primer does wonders. By employing a gray or corresponding mid-tone primer, you minimize the number of costly topcoats it takes to get complete coverage, cutting down on time and material expense.

Conclusion:

The finish of a paint job is determined long before the first can is ever opened. Windsor Painting Company's detail-oriented staff has the training, equipment, and dedication to perform the critical steps that will yield a beautiful and lasting finish.

Contact us today to invest in a genuinely professional finish for your investment.