Removing a light switch cover from a wall.

So, you’ve got a room and you want to paint it. The more prep work you put in, the faster the job goes.

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

  1. Putty knives
  2. Sanding sponge (medium grit)
  3. 220-grit s

    Step One: CLEAN

    1. Clean the walls with a sponge and mild detergent from the bottom up.

    2. Rinse the sponge frequently as you clean.

    3. Make sure all walls and surfaces are completely dry before you paint.

    Person washing wall with sponge.

    Step Two: SMOOTH

    1. Lightly sand the walls
    2. Fill in any imperfection you can see from 5 feet away in normal lighting
    3. Sand all your repairs for a smooth finish.
    4. Finally, vacuum up any dust and
      Sanding a wall before painting.

      Step Three: PROTECT

      Cover floors and any furniture in the room with drop cloths.

      A bucket of white paint and a paint brush on a drop cloth.

      Another step to consider is adding a coat of primer to act like a stain barrier—so your old paint doesn’t show through. In most cases, primer makes it possible to finish the job with just one coat of paint.

      Your prep work is done! It mig