Interior painting is an absolute necessity when it comes to upgrading and revamping your home. If you are looking for a project that will easily elevate your space without breaking the bank, a new interior paint job is the way to go. You don’t have to commit to a full new interior to refresh your home; you can paint an accent wall or a ceiling to have a pleasing effect.

No matter what you’re having painted, there are certain essential interior painting steps you should make sure your professional painter follows in their painting process. If you are too busy and inexperienced to tackle an interior project the right way yourself (and who isn’t?), it is definitely in your best interest to call a professional painter to ensure that your project will be done the right way. A good professional painting company will ensure that all 5 essential interior painting steps in the painting process are done correctly every time.

1. Planning

The first essential interior painting step is the planning stage. Any interior project, large or small, is going to need some planning to ensure that the project is done correctly. You will need to discuss what areas you want to paint, the color palette of the room, what colors will work well in that space, and what preferences you have on the kind of paint used.

Professional painters often work with a brand or two that they like best, such as Sherwin Williams, Farrow & Ball, Benjamin Moore, and others. Your painting professional can likely offer you a better price on a quart of paint over the price you’d pay for the same paint if you purchased it on your own. Since painters complete high volumes of painting work, their paint manufacturers often provide them with a discount. Take advantage of that perk of hiring a professional painter, among the many other perks!

Be sure to listen to your painter about what else may need repairing or painting in your home, such as a ceiling or a closet. Ensuring that you are keeping the rooms cohesive throughout your home and choosing the right type of paint finish and color is crucial to the success of a project.

 2. Protecting

Another essential interior painting step is taking care to protect the objects and belongings in your space. Most DIY painters will fail to do this correctly. Once planning is done and you know what you are going to have painted, it’s very important to ensure that everything in your space is properly protected.

Your painter will use large pieces of plastic to cover things to keep paint from splattering all over your floors, cabinets, furniture, and anything else you want to keep free of paint splatters, drops, or spills. Since your walls, trim, or other surfaces may require sanding, your professional painter may choose to remove everything from a room or area before beginning the job.

In addition, having drop cloths for all different purposes is essential for an excellent interior painting result. Plastic on floors that will have any foot traffic could prove to be slippery and cause someone to fall. A drop cloth, especially one with a slide-proof back, is essential to maintain paint-drop-free floors.

A good professional painter will always have some painter’s tape on hand to help make clean lines between the parts of your room that you want painted and the parts that you don’t. Some pro painters can paint clean lines without painters tape, but many use the tape to protect surfaces that have already been painted or that don’t need paint at the time of use.

3. Prepping

Preparing your walls, ceilings, and other surfaces is the next step that your painting professional will take in the project. It’s an easy way, but one that you don’t want your painter to skip, to ensure that your new paint job lasts for years to come.

Part of preparing the room or area to be painted includes cleaning your walls before the project begins. Painting over grime and dirt will not do you any favors when it comes to the longevity of your project. Before painting, your home may need a few other things, such as sanding rough surfaces, caulking loose baseboards, or patching holes. Your professional painter will take care of these things so your walls are completely ready to paint.

 4. Priming

Priming is an essential interior painting step that many DIYers skip, but that professional painters in Tacoma do every time, for every surface. Priming a wall or ceiling is one of those steps that you definitely don’t want your professional painter to skip. Paint primer creates an even base that your paint adheres to for its best look and for longer wear. Primer also covers dark colors or uneven wall color, due to staining or other factors.

5. Painting

The final step in the painting process is the actual painting itself. Your professional painter will come to your home with all the supplies needed to protect, prepare, prime, and paint your interior (another benefit of hiring a professional painter, instead of trying it yourself). And there are quite a few supplies needed to successfully carry out even a small painting job.

Since you’ll have taken the effort to ensure these five essential interior painting steps are completed, you can sit back and relax knowing that your home will look incredible once your painting project is done. The only thing you may want to do at the end is check around the house, looking for touch-ups that can be done immediately, ensuring that you are completely satisfied with your final product!