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How to Repair Walls for Interior Painting

Before you do any interior painting, there are always some important steps to take, especially if a wall has suffered damage. After all, when your wall glistens with new paint, you don’t want old problems showing through! How do you repair walls for interior painting?

Repairing Large Drywall Problems

When you have a hole bigger than a credit card, you generally need to repair it by adding a patch to the drywall. In brief, here are the steps to follow:

  1. Use a ruler to draw a square or rectangle around the damaged area, then use a drywall saw to cut out this shape. Caution: Make sure there are no wires behind the drywall before you begin cutting!
  2. Cut two strips of scrap wood that are slightly longer than the width of your hole. Put them inside the wall so that the ends are fastened behind the old drywall, and you can see the middle of each piece crossing your hole.
  3. Cut a patch of drywall to match the size of the hole, and set it in place. Screw it to the strips of wood from step 2.
  4. Use drywall tape to cover the seams, then apply spackle or drywall paste. Alternate sanding and spackling until the wall is smooth and the repair is completed.
  5. Prime the bare drywall and spackle, then you are ready to paint!

To get a better idea of what each of these steps would look like, there are many helpful videos available on YouTube.

Minor Drywall Repair before Painting

For holes bigger than a quarter and smaller than a credit card, you can use an adhesive drywall patch, or drywall tape and repair compound. Once this is applied, just follow steps 4 and 5 from above. For holes smaller than a quarter, you can usually just use spackle or drywall compound to fill the hole.

The key to any spackling repair is to add layers a little bit at a time. Wait for one layer to dry completely, then sand it lightly. If there is still any indentation, add another layer. Repeat this process until the wall feels completely smooth when you run a hand across it.

When you are dealing with scrapes or gouges, the process is the same as with small holes. Just be patient, adding one thin layer of spackle at a time, wait for it to dry, and sand it gently.

As always, bare drywall or spackle must be primed before you apply interior paint.

Skim Coating

For the ultimate in smoothing out a rough wall, skim coating is the way to go. This process spreads a thin layer of drywall compound over a whole wall, leveling out every flaw and irregularity to create a beautiful, fresh surface.

Skim coating is an advanced technique, best left to professional painters and experienced DIY enthusiasts.

Southington Painting

Working with drywall can be a tricky business, especially if you are looking for a smooth, good-as-new finish. For best results, a professional house painter is the fastest, most reliable way to achieve the look you desire.

Since 1979, Southington Painting has been providing drywall services and interior house painting in Connecticut. We would be happy to provide you with a free estimate, so that you can accurately evaluate all your options. When you work with Southington Painting, you know exactly what you will get:

  • Attentive customer service
  • Exceptional beauty
  • Lasting results

In addition to drywall repair and interior painting, we also offer exterior painting, carpentry, kitchen cabinet painting, wallpaper services, epoxy floor coatings, and more. Call us today to get the process underway!

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