How to prepare walls for painting. How to prepare walls for painting with water-based paint with your own hands How to treat walls before painting with water-based paint

How the walls are prepared for painting: the order of work

When preparing the walls for painting, the order of work must be strictly observed, because this is the most important stage of construction and finishing work. Anyone who has made repairs at least once knows that even the smallest mistakes made at this stage can reduce the quality of the repair work as a whole. Non-professionals may think that such preparation consists in cleaning the surfaces of dirt and dust, after which painting can begin. You can be convinced that this opinion is wrong as soon as you start painting an uneven surface. Therefore, the preparation of the walls must be taken seriously, observing all the norms and requirements for these types of work.

Priming the wall before painting

Preparing walls for painting: the main steps

Preparatory work is carried out in 4 stages. First of all, you need to prepare materials and tools:

putty knife;
sandpaper;
putty;
plaster;
frame mesh;
primer;
roller;
brushes.

Removing old oil paint with a drill with a nozzle

To begin with, the walls need to be freed from the old finishing coating. The complexity of such work depends on the type of coating. If the walls were covered with wallpaper, they must be completely removed, the wall cleaned, puttied and leveled. If the surface was finished with water-based paint, it can be washed off with a damp sponge. This method is not suitable for removing oil paints and enamels. You will have to remove such paint with a spatula or a drill with a special drill. If the old water-based paint still could not be removed, a fresh layer can be applied on top of it.

If the wall is covered with plaster, inspect it for defects. They need to be eliminated, otherwise the plaster may begin to crack and crumble over time. Voids in the coating can be identified by tapping on the surface. If the sound is deaf, then there are cavities in the plaster layer. The coating in this area must be removed, replacing it with a fresh one.

The next step is to prime the wall. This does not require special skills, this is the simplest construction process. At the same time, work must be done carefully, choosing means of deep penetration for this. This primer has the best technical and operational characteristics, ensuring reliable adhesion of the paint to the surface. The primer is usually applied with a brush or roller. To speed up the process, you can use a spray gun. After processing, the wall must be dried for 5-6 hours, after which you can proceed to the next step.

Carefully align and putty the walls before painting

At the third stage, the walls are leveled with putty. The method of its application depends on the material from which the wall is built. Plastered bricks can be puttyed immediately. On a concrete wall, it is better to fix a nylon mesh. This is the best option for those who are faced with repair work for the first time. Walls in small rooms can be putty without it. Applying putty using a wire mesh is quite simple. It is applied in a thin layer over the entire surface of the wall and a mesh is applied on top. The next mesh sheet is overlapped. Wait until the putty is completely dry before applying the next layer, otherwise air-filled voids may form in the coating. For applying putty on the wall, it is better to choose a spatula with a width of 40 cm - this is the most convenient size.

At the fourth stage, the finishing layer of putty is applied. It is better to use Satengips. This is a material produced on the basis of finely ground gypsum, which has good adhesion to the surface. It is applied in a thin layer over the putty, dried well and coated with a primer.

Preparing drywall for painting

Painting is the best solution when choosing ways to finish plasterboard structures. Preparatory work is not much different from the processing of a concrete or brick wall. The main task is to obtain a flat surface. This means that before applying paint, first of all, it is necessary to repair the joints between the sheets of material, as well as to eliminate surface defects and holes at the points of attachment to the guides.

To level the surface, you need putty. It is desirable to choose a material that is already ready for use. You will also need to prepare a couple of spatulas: wide and narrow. To this list you need to add a reinforcing mesh and fine-grained sandpaper. Putty on drywall must be applied in a thin layer, after which a reinforcing tape is installed, which is buried in the putty. Then, layer by layer, the surface is completely leveled. Wait until the putty is completely dry before applying the next layer. A portable lamp will facilitate the process of checking the quality of the work done.

Sanding drywall before painting

The most important step in preparing drywall for painting with your own hands is grinding. This stage allows you to achieve a perfectly flat smooth surface, which will improve the quality of painting. Sand the wall with sandpaper, going through all the puttied places. In this case, it is not necessary to remove the putty to the base, otherwise the appearance of the structure will deteriorate. For the best adhesion of paint and surface protection, the wall must be primed. The primer must be applied twice, waiting for the first layer to dry. Now you can move on to painting.

Matte paint will help hide all the mistakes made during the preparatory work.

Summarizing

Now you know how to prepare the walls for painting with your own hands. The final step is to make the surface smooth with sandpaper and priming. Here, too, you need to control the quality of the work. The preparation of the walls can be considered complete.

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How to prepare walls for painting

We offer you an indicative step-by-step instruction for preparing walls for their subsequent painting. It is imperative to carefully prepare the walls to be painted in the future for painting carefully and with special attention, taking into account every nuance, because the quality of painting surfaces of any type directly depends on the quality of the preparatory work: the interiors and facades of buildings. Well, in order to do something once and not return to this issue after a short time, you should carefully consider everything and properly prepare the surfaces for painting.

Stages of preparing walls for painting

Preparing walls for painting includes the following steps:

Room preparation.
Alignment of walls (plastering and puttying).
Wall priming.

Stage 1 Preparation of the premises

1st stage: preparation of the premises for repair work is that the room should be freed as much as possible from furniture and appliances. If it is not possible to take out all the things, you should definitely cover them with a special protective masking film, this must be done so that such things do not get dirty when painting, because putty, primer, and paint can blurt out on them. Carpets and rugs must be twisted into a roll and also covered with a construction film. If the floor is already ready and you will not redo it, do not forget to protect it from getting on it various paintwork materials (paints and varnishes) used in the work. Small parts can be sealed with specially masking tape (it looks like adhesive tape, but white and, unlike it, does not leave any sticky residue after itself).

2nd stage Alignment of the walls

2nd stage: wall alignment. Cracks, depressions, holes in the wall should be repaired with plaster or special compounds. First, the starting plaster is used, and then the finishing one (detailed instructions are on the packages with this material). If the walls are almost even, they need to be puttied and then cleaned with sandpaper. Usually, after these procedures, the walls are washed and given the necessary time for them to dry completely.

3rd stage Wall priming

3rd stage: the walls are primed with a special primer.

If the walls are not completely new, then you first need to clean them of layers of old paint, then repair all kinds of bumps, pits, holes and holes, joints and cracks with suitable plaster or putty. Then the walls are puttied and primed. Old wallpaper must be removed from the walls first. They remove old wallpaper from the walls using a conventional metal painting spatula or after soaking the wallpaper with water, and then removing it with their hands or, again, with a construction spatula. You should definitely read the instructions for priming the walls, it will tell you exactly how to make the mortar (and whether it is needed), how many layers to apply, etc. Wall priming is usually done between all coatings so that they better adhere to each other. Keep this in mind and read the instructions.

When carrying out preparatory work, it is necessary to achieve the creation of an even, smooth and always clean surface (dirt, dust, residues and lumps of something can ruin everything and you have to repaint everything again). Therefore, write on a piece of paper what you will do, what materials you will need for this, re-read their instructions and recommendations for use, and go to the hardware store with a shopping list.

How to level walls before painting

How to level walls before painting. gypsum and decorative structural plaster, putty, gypsum boards, textured paint. All these methods and materials are suitable, each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Gypsum plaster is also used today for leveling walls (it is very convenient to use). If the walls are very uneven, some people get out of this situation by covering the uneven walls with just drywall slabs, resulting in a quickly and easily even wall. Decorative plaster or structural paint, which is popular at the moment, can also be used as separate methods for leveling walls. Especially if the textured plaster will have a fairly deep structure.

Wall surfaces made of bast fiber, as well as gypsum plaster and gypsum boards, must be primed in advance with a special putty and a flat brush suitable for this purpose. The primer will increase the adhesion (sticking) of the paint to the surface of the walls being processed during the repair process. Metal surfaces must first be cleaned of rust and dirt and then coated with a special insulating paint that is resistant to moisture and water and will not cause metal corrosion, and this is very important when creating a long-term coating.

During the work on preparing the walls for painting and during the painting process, in no case should the presence of drafts be allowed in the room (by the way, as well as during painting). The temperature during the preparatory work of all stages should be from 18 ° C.

When the walls are already fully prepared for painting, you need to start preparing the selection of a suitable paint and varnish material, as well as the necessary tools for painting the walls: it can be a brush, roller or even a special spray gun, but that's a completely different story.

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How to prepare walls for painting

Technology for preparing walls for painting

The technology of preparing walls for painting depends on the quality of the surface. Basically, alignment is done first and then puttying.

Today we will tell you how to prepare the walls for painting and how to do it right. Also in the video in this article you can see a lot of useful and necessary information on this issue.

What are we going to paint?

You can use painting for almost all types of surfaces that are planned to be ennobled.

These can be the following surfaces:

Smooth plastered and puttied surfaces.

Textured surfaces.

Painting surfaces finished with facing material.

Embossed building surfaces.

Each of the options involves preparatory work:

The first step is to define the application layer. To do this, you just need to pull the fishing line along the diagonals of the plane.
After that, we apply a level and see how much plaster we need to put for leveling (see Aligning the walls with plaster according to all the rules).

Attention: Particular attention should be paid to the preparation of walls for painting, which includes the processes of leveling the walls and their puttying. In this case, it makes sense to draw up the order of work in more detail and the instruction will be as follows:

We prepare the surface
Stage 1: wall alignment and processing

Preparing walls for painting with your own hands begins with their preparation. Even a simple painting of the walls requires a very careful elimination of all existing flaws and irregularities.

Based on high requirements, you can resort to using the following options:

Grinding this coating

The first option can be applied if the old base is not damaged and strong enough. In this case, you can limit yourself to removing the old coating using sandpaper or a grinding wheel. After that, all old surfaces should be treated with an antiseptic and primed (see Primer for walls for painting - types and tasks). After all preparatory operations, the differences in irregularities should not exceed 2 mm. Only then can you proceed to further work.

In the event that the old plane is quite uneven and not reliable, then it makes sense to replace the old plaster with a new one or sheathe the surface with drywall. In this case, all old, poorly adhering plaster is removed, and which option to resort to in the future depends on financial capabilities and personal preferences.

Leveling walls with drywall

If you need to apply a layer of more than 3 cm, then it is better to level with drywall (see Drywall lining technology: material installation methods). After that, you can only do putty. In this case, the price of work will be much cheaper. This option is often used when decorating a room in a new building.

Attention: After preliminary work (especially plastering), the surface must dry well, after which it can be primed and allowed to dry again.

Stage 2: applying the starting putty

By themselves, surfaces such as a layer of plaster or drywall sheets are not suitable for painting, so they must be covered with putty. Particularly relevant is the issue of painting plaster surfaces.

As a rule, unlike plasterboard surfaces, plastered surfaces have to be covered not only with finishing, but also with starting putty. This is due to the fact that plastered surfaces contain irregularities that should be trimmed, while drywall surfaces are considered absolutely flat and ready for applying the finishing layer. This is precisely the advantage of drywall systems.
If painting is planned, then it is better to use a reinforcing mesh with a mesh size of 2 mm. The reinforcing mesh is laid on a plane along with the first layer of starting putty. When the first layer sets, you can start applying the second. As a rule, in such cases, two layers of starting putty are dispensed with. After that, the putty is allowed to dry normally.
After that, you can “walk” over the surface with a coarse abrasive mesh with a grain of No. 120 to remove various sags and small bumps. Despite this, the surface is not suitable for painting, since the starting putty has a certain grain size, which allows it to be used to create a rough layer, as well as to level the walls, due to the fact that it can be applied in a layer of up to 5 cm.

Stage 3: applying finishing putty

Due to the fact that the finishing putty has high plasticity and no graininess, it is possible to obtain a surface that can be painted with it.

Doing the finishing touches

The method of applying the finishing putty is the same as the method of applying the starting putty. but the thickness of the working layer should not exceed 1.5-2 mm. As a rule, it is enough to apply 2 layers of such a putty, then sand the surface and you can get a perfectly even and smooth base for painting. Fine-grained abrasive materials with grain No. 80-No. 100 are used for grinding the finishing layer.
In this case, such a technological stage as grinding for painting must be done very carefully, otherwise, after painting, all the flaws will “come out” to the surface.

Stage number 4: the final preparatory stage of painting

After grinding work, the surface should be very carefully cleaned of dust. To do this, you can use a broom or a vacuum cleaner. Each speck of dust left on the surface will make itself felt after painting.

Well, if this place is not in sight. After removing dust, the surface is covered with one layer of primer. After complete drying, you can start painting.

Features of the preparation of other surfaces:

Particular attention should be paid to the preparation of wooden surfaces. They are sanded and, if necessary, puttied with putty on wood. This must be done in cases where there are serious cracks in the wood surface, especially in places where there are knots. After that, the tree is covered with protective solutions or stained. And only after all the necessary preparatory operations have been done, wooden surfaces can be varnished or painted.
Embossed or textured surfaces are sufficient to cover with a layer of deep-penetrating primer. Wallpaper for painting is primed with adhesives.

Paint type selection

The preparation of the walls for wallpaper for painting is done, now you need to pick up the paint. In construction stores, you can find several types of paint that differ from each other in both characteristics and composition.

As a rule, all this is indicated on the packaging and you just need to carefully read the information available, the information received can become the basis for choosing the type of paint and applying it under certain conditions. Instructions are on each package.

They are also called water-based paints, since the main solvent is ordinary water. In this regard, they are also environmentally friendly, which means that they can be used in non-residential and residential premises.

They are widely used due to their low cost, ease of application and obtaining high-quality painted surfaces.

Both during application and during operation, such paints do not emit harmful substances.
Paints are produced in plastic buckets of various sizes, while the basic white color. To get a surface of a different color, it is enough to add a certain amount of dye to the paint, which can be purchased at the same hardware store.
Surfaces painted with water-based paint can be wiped with a dry or wet cloth, which can be read on the packaging.

The basis of acrylic paints is acrylic resin. It provides a high-quality coating of building surfaces and forms a smooth surface layer.

Surfaces painted with acrylic paints can "breathe", while they can be washed, but you can find out how actively on the packaging.
They can be applied on fiberglass wallpapers, concrete surfaces, wooden surfaces, plastered surfaces, etc.
The structure of the paint is such that it allows you to hide small flaws.

The main filler of such paints is latex rubber, which results in a very smooth and high-quality surface.

Despite the vapor permeability, such paints can be washed regularly, as they are more resistant to washing than acrylics.
They are able to retain color for 8 years. The durable and moisture-resistant surface allows latex paints to be used in areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, corridors, etc.
It is especially recommended to use it in places of rapid pollution.

After application, they form a smooth, vapor-permeable surface, which quickly gets dirty, but at the same time, it is easy to clean. Such paints are recommended for use in places or rooms where there is high humidity. Such premises include: bathrooms, laundries, kitchens, basements, toilets, etc.

Such paints can be more classified as universal, as they have the characteristics of several types of paints. Acrylic latex is very popular.

When applying, one should take into account the fact that they are vapor-permeable, although they form a smooth surface that is resistant to moisture and mechanical stress.
Such paints are able to withstand intensive washing, which allows them to be used in kitchens and bathrooms.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can say that the most promising area for the use of water-based, acrylic and latex paints is the cladding of the walls of public and administrative buildings.
As for the residential sector, it prefers wallpapering. This is due, first of all, to the possibility of obtaining original design solutions, thanks to a very wide selection of finishing materials such as wallpaper. At the same time, warm surfaces are obtained, creating additional comfort in the house.
Another thing is when it is necessary to revet the premises of a cafe, nightclub, bar, shop, etc. then there is practically no alternative to painting. Indicators such as the ability to wash after soiling are most ideal for these types of premises. Of no small importance is such a factor as the mechanical strength of the applied paint layer. In places where there is heavy traffic, this indicator can play a decisive role.

Attention: When choosing one or another paint, special attention should be paid to such an indicator as vapor permeability. If there is a vapor-permeable facade, then vapor-permeable paints cannot be used for finishing, as this can lead to the destruction of the structural material of the building facade.

Preparing plastered walls for painting is not a difficult task, but if you want to do everything with high quality, then you will have to work. The cost will not be high, especially if you do everything yourself. And looking at the photo it is fashionable to do everything.

Graduated from the Faculty of Architecture of the Penza State Institute of Architecture and Construction. Over the past ten years, he has been a leading specialist in a large construction company in the city of Penza, which is engaged in the construction of multi-storey residential buildings. The total work experience in the specialty is 18 years. Advises on design issues, the choice of materials for interior and exterior decoration, the technology of finishing work.

You will need

- spatula
- rollers
- cuvette
- putty
- primer
- fiberglass
- bucket for putty

Instruction

First, clean the walls from the previous coating. If there was wallpaper, then wet it and remove it. If there was whitewash on the walls, then wash it off with warm water. But if there was oil paint, then the matter will be more serious. Try to clean the former painting to the base of the wall, that is, to the panel or plaster. You can do this with a spatula, and if the paint does not lend itself, then try to do it with an ax or a chisel. In any case, clean the surface of the walls thoroughly.

After you have freed the walls from the old painting, proceed to repair the walls. Defects are such as: cracks, falling off plaster, or even worse, fungus on the walls.

If there are cracks on the wall, cut them deeper, then prime. If the cracks are not deep, then putty them with a base putty, and if the cracks are very deep, then fix them with mortar. It happens that pieces of plaster in a layer move away from the wall along with painting or wallpaper. Do not ignore such problems. Take a hammer and knock down the plaster to the base of the wall, and prime and plaster the chipped places.

Fungus on the walls is a frequent visitor on the first floors. Take a special composition for the fungus and apply it with a brush, trying to rub it into the walls. This will help you get rid of this trouble in the future. If there are still some flaws on the walls that you saw, then try to remove them before the finishing putty.

The next stage of your work will be the primer of the walls. You made sure that the walls were repaired - all cracks, holes, chips were sealed. Then proceed with priming the entire surface of the walls with an acrylic primer, as it is applicable to all types of surfaces. Take a foam roller, dip it in a cuvette (a special container for paint) with soil and wring it out. Now apply the primer on the wall from the bottom up and take your time. Make sure that all sections of the wall are primed.

In order for the walls to be free of cracks later, a special fiberglass is glued on them. This coating is strong enough, it does not tear, it keeps firmly on the wall. Glue it with glue for vinyl wallpaper and smooth it with a special spatula. Dilute the glue as written on the box and let it stand for a while. Next, take a roller and glue the wall with glue. Cut the fiberglass that will be equal to the height of the wall and glue it, smoothing it from the center to the edges. Glue the next sheet overlapping the previous one and cut through both sheets with a spatula. You will get that both canvases hang butt-to-butt. When you paste over all the walls with canvas, then once again go over them with glue. Do this in order not to apply a primer.

Preparing the walls for painting is an important step. After all, this directly affects the appearance and ensures the durability of the coating. After all, if the most expensive paint is applied to a plane without preparation, it will not last long.

We will consider how the preparation for painting the walls is done. You can also watch the video in this article and photos that will help you not to miss anything.

In the production of finishing work, the preparation of walls for painting is extremely important. If painting is chosen as the finish, then this is an almost universal option, suitable for most possible surfaces.

Conventionally, they can be divided into four groups:

A surface on which plaster and putty have already been applied;
Relief type lining;
Cladding of a smooth type (for example, decorative panels made of wood or plastic).

Attention: Surface preparation in different cases will be required in different ways. However, in most cases, preparing wall surfaces for painting will include leveling and puttying. The responsible preparatory process is worth considering in more detail.

Step one. Alignment and processing

The smoother the painted surface of the walls, the easier it will be to apply paint on it and the better the result will be. It is possible to achieve the most even surface, and there are several ways to do this.

It is worth considering the most popular:

Grinding. This method can only be used if the existing concrete base (or existing plaster (see How to grout plaster)) is of high strength and there are no visible mechanical defects. Then the layer of the existing coating is removed with a grinding bar, as well as with ordinary sandpaper. Do not do without the use of antiseptic and primer. If areas affected by fungus and / or high humidity are found, they must be cleaned and plastered. After completion of the preparatory work, you need to make sure that the level differences do not exceed 1-2 mm;
Plastering. The method is suitable in cases of cosmetic repairs or in case of significant delamination of the existing plaster, when the old coating is applied in a thin layer and / or easily removed. In addition, plastering is one of the processes performed when leveling by grinding;
Plasterboard sheets. If the walls themselves are extremely uneven, have significant level differences or visible mechanical defects (which do not affect the strength of the structure), then the best way out is to sheath the walls with plasterboard sheets (see Wall cladding with plasterboard sheets in different ways).

When choosing a training method, one should also be guided by personal preferences and financial capabilities.

Attention: In any case, after leveling the surfaces, they should be carefully primed. Before proceeding with the work, it is necessary that the primer is completely dry.

Usually it takes about six hours, sometimes with high humidity the process can be delayed. In this case, you should not rush, and you can continue the preparatory work only when the surface is completely dry.

Step two. Starting putty

Drywall sheets or a solution of sand and cement are either porous materials or absorb moisture well. It is impossible to paint such surfaces, since the paint will not lay down evenly, in addition, the most insignificant irregularities will be clearly visible, and even a slight change in color is possible.

To avoid such troubles, you will need to apply a layer of putty.

Here, pay attention to a few basic rules:

The choice of starting putty is a very important process. The composition of such a putty must necessarily contain sand, and the smallest fractions. The layer of starting putty can be quite thick - about 4 mm;
To work, you will need two spatulas at once: a wide one - to apply the solution (its width should be at least 60 centimeters), and a narrow one - it will come in handy for distributing the solution and comparing small irregularities (from 20 to 25 cm). It is necessary to dilute the putty exactly in accordance with the instructions on the package. This is done immediately before starting work. This solution sets in about 45 minutes. If it is decided to use ready-made mixtures, then they must also be used immediately after they have been opened;
The ideal option for preparing walls for painting is putty with reinforcement. To do this, you can use a mesh of nylon fibers with a mesh size of 2 mm. The application technology is as follows: a putty strip with a thickness of no more than 2 mm and a width equal to the width of the mesh is applied, the mesh must be applied to the putty layer and pressed down with a spatula (without excessive enthusiasm), on top of the mesh - another layer of mortar.

Attention: When working with a spatula, narrow protruding strips of mortar always remain along its edges. You should not spend extra time and effort on smoothing them, the main thing is to make sure that there are no large depressions or places where there is no solution.

To even out the transitions between the stripes, it is enough to run a spatula over the surface two or three times, while very thin tubercles may remain, which can be leveled later, before finishing putty;
Beginning masters try to prevent the appearance of these bumps by applying small portions of the solution using a large spatula. This should not be done, as the quality of the final result will suffer. As a rule, the more experience the master has, the better the result.

Allow the putty to dry completely before proceeding. This usually takes 6 to 8 hours. After making sure that the surface is dry, you can start grinding. For these works, a coarse abrasive mesh is quite suitable, the grain size should be 120 mm. Irregularities and visible flaws are removed at this stage.

After completing these works, the surface is still not ready for painting and remains too grainy.

Step three. Finishing putty

This process is needed to get the most even surface into which the paint will not be absorbed. The composition of the finishing putty, as a rule, includes non-coarse components of small fractions, such as sand.

When performing such work, you should remember a few important recommendations:

The finish layer should be thin (approximately 1.5 mm, but not more than 2 mm), if a thicker layer is applied, the coating may crack. For work, you will need to use a narrow metal spatula, you need to lay out the solution only in small portions. It may be necessary to apply a second layer, but this can only be done when the first is completely dry;
Grinding is required as carefully and accurately as possible, a mesh with a grain of 60-80 mm is suitable (see How to grind walls after puttying and how to do it right). It is necessary to polish slowly, with smooth movements, so that fresh putty does not turn out to be accidentally cut off;
The work will need to be checked. For this, a lamp is useful (you can even take a table lamp). To see possible irregularities or defects, the light beam must be directed to the surface at an angle. If there are any defects, the site is processed again;
After the putty has completely dried, it's time to start work on the priming of the surface.

Attention: Dust remaining after sanding will need to be removed. This work can be done using a clean rag or a regular vacuum cleaner. Do not wipe the surface with wet materials in any case.

To perform the work on applying the primer, you can use a roller or brush. As a rule, one coat of primer is sufficient. The time it takes the compound to dry is usually indicated on the packaging. For mixtures from different manufacturers, the drying time of the primer may be different. It is impossible to paint the surface before it is completely dry.

Step four. Completion of preparatory work

As a rule, a mesh or sandpaper is used for grinding.

Each of the options has both its advantages and disadvantages, and everyone can choose the most suitable for himself:

Sandpaper. It is well known to domestic consumers, it is sold either in rolls, or in sheets, or in pieces cut to the size of a standard grater. The main advantage of sandpaper is its low cost. However, it has a number of disadvantages, including a short service life. It wears out too quickly, can become clogged with dust that appears during grinding. A piece of mortar may stick to the sandpaper, then the leveled surface may be scratched;
abrasive mesh. Its main advantage is the perforated structure. Construction dust does not accumulate on the surface, but freely passes through the cells. The wear resistance of the mesh is much higher than that of sandpaper. The need to replace the mesh will be indicated either by its appearance (it will begin to wear out), or by a decrease in the quality of grinding.

If the choice is made in favor of the first option, then close attention will need to be paid to such an indicator as granularity. You can process the starting layer of putty with sandpaper with a large grain. For example, indicators P60 - P80 are suitable. Fine-grained sandpaper (from P100) is required to grind the finish layer.

Attention: In addition to the grater, a grinding sponge is useful (it must have bevelled edges) - corners will be processed with this tool. This sponge can be replaced by any auxiliary items, for example, a fine-grained skin folded in half.

Description of the correct grinding technology process

It may seem that this is a primitive process, however, it has some subtleties and tricks. Let's get acquainted with the correct grinding of the wall after the applied putty:

Wait until the putty layer dries completely. Check its status and only then proceed with the work. It must acquire sufficient strength.

Perform the correct fixing of the abrasive on the grater. Check the availability of the necessary protective equipment and their quality. Prepare a ladder for work. Take a suitable spatula and get started;
Engage in the removal of noticeable bumps with a spatula if they are found;
Start at the top of any of the corners. Use circular motions to process small sections of the wall. You can help yourself by lighting with a spotlight;
Do not exert excessive pressure on the grater, especially during the process of grinding the finishing layer of putty. Otherwise, there is a risk of wiping it completely;
At the time of grinding, pay attention only to the sags and protrusions. It is not necessary to work on the pits and holes, they will be processed later with putty. Let the work dry. Now bring the surface to the ideal;
Proceed to the processing of the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe walls and internal, as well as external corners.

Preparation for painting wooden walls

Preparation for painting wooden walls with your own hands is done a little differently. For them, you cannot use different versions of plaster or putty - you just need to perform the correct grinding of the surfaces, clean out the detected dust and some excess wood pile after work.

So:

Finding some recesses or scratches on a wooden wall, fill them with specialized grout. In most cases, it will have to be used to work with plank versions of the walls, since they differ in traces formed by protruding knots. After completing the necessary processing, the wooden surface must be treated with protective compounds and stains.
If there is a need to paint a certain decorative version of the plaster, some wallpaper (allowed for painting) or a textured finish layer, the wall should only be primed. Plasters are painted using specialized compounds that can penetrate far into their composition, and non-woven or vinyl wallpapers can be painted using other adhesive solutions diluted to a liquid state.

Attention: It is important to remember that the process of preparing the walls before painting is extremely important and therefore it should be taken very responsibly. Its quality will have an impact on the visual impression created by the entire finish, its resistance to time and environmental influences.

The preparation of the walls for painting with water-based paint, or any other, does not matter. Preparation is done anyway. The price of these works is not high and the instructions will help to do them quickly and efficiently.

When renovating a room, painting the walls is considered one of the simplest types of work. This statement is considered true if the surface on which the paint will be applied is even and without visible defects. Otherwise, the paint will show irregularities and surface imperfections. Preparing the wall for painting will improve the result of the work performed.

Surface types

Before you prepare the walls for painting, it is worth clarifying that paint can be applied to various types of surfaces. They can be conditionally divided into the following types:

Smooth surface.
Decorative and textured plaster.
Surface with installed facing material (wood, tiles, wallpaper).
Walls made of natural wood.

Taking into account the type of surface with which it is planned to work, preparations are made that are specific to each of them. The stages of work can be repeated or combined for different types of surfaces. However, there are procedures specific to some types of surfaces. Consider the stages of preparing a wall for painting, starting with the process of cleaning the surface of old coatings.

Removing the previous coating

Before starting work, it is recommended to remove furniture from the room and spread a plastic film around the perimeter of the floor in order to save time on cleaning in the future. In the event that sockets and switches are installed on the proposed work area, they will need to be de-energized first in order to prevent electric shock.

Wallpaper removal

To remove wallpaper from walls, there are several ways that are optimal in certain situations. Methods depend on the type of wallpaper, the quality of gluing and improvised materials. The traditional wallpaper removal method consists of the following steps:

To speed up the process, use specialized tools for removing wallpaper. Using a solution of these substances, prepared in accordance with the instructions on the package, a complete peeling of the wallpaper is achieved without additional physical costs.

Cleaning the surface from whitewash

Removing ceramic tiles

When removing ceramic tiles, it is recommended to use a metal chisel and a hammer. First, the tile is hooked from the corner and with weak blows to the chisel with a hammer, it is beaten off the wall. This operation will need to be repeated as many times as the tiles are installed on the wall. If the tile is held tight and does not move away, use a perforator with a nozzle. Work is recommended to be done wearing thick gloves to prevent cuts on the sharp edges of the tiles.

Removing the old layer of paint

Old paint is removed with tools or washes. In other words, the paint is removed mechanically or chemically. The most popular methods:

Having completed the stage of cleaning the wall from the old coating , you can proceed to the next step - surface leveling.

Leveling the wall surface

In a situation where the differences in the level of the wall do not exceed 2 mm and there are no cracks and chips on the surface of the plaster, it is not necessary to carry out additional actions to level the surface. Just needs to be sanded a layer of old plaster with sandpaper or a grinder. If the differences in level are more significant, you need to eliminate irregularities in one of the proposed ways:

Having completed the alignment of the walls according to the level, they proceed to the stage of puttying.

Applying the starting putty

It is not recommended to paint the surface without prior application of putty. Drywall and plaster are highly porous, absorb moisture well and do not allow the paint to be applied to the surface in an even layer. Applying putty on the surface will avoid defects when painting the wall.

Initially, a starting putty is selected, which contains fine sand, which allows it to be applied with a layer of 3-4 mm. The solution is evenly distributed over the wall with a wide metal spatula, smoothing out small irregularities. The putty dries quickly, so it is diluted in small portions in accordance with the proportions indicated on the package.

To increase the strength of the putty and improve its adhesion to the wall, it is recommended to putty with reinforcement. For this, a nylon mesh with a cell size of 2 mm is used. It is pressed into the putty layer applied to the wall, after which another finishing layer of putty is applied over the mesh.

After the putty dries, which occurs within 6-8 hours, sanding is performed with sandpaper with a grit size of P80. This process allows you to smooth out the shortcomings formed in the process of applying the material to the wall. However, the resulting surface will remain grainy. For final preparation walls for painting use finishing putty.

Finishing putty

Finishing putty allows you to get a smooth finish layer for painting, as it does not contain large inclusions.

The method of applying the finishing putty is similar to applying the starting putty, with the only difference being that the layer of finishing putty should not exceed 1–2 mm thick. Otherwise, the putty will crack. After the material has dried, it will be necessary to grind the surface with sandpaper with a grit size of P100. When sanding, it is important not to erase the layer of finishing putty.

Final work

Before applying paint to the finished surface, you will need to completely clean the wall from the resulting dirt and dust. When the surface is cleaned, you need to apply an impregnating primer and wait for it to dry completely. At this stage, the repair of the wall for painting is considered complete.

Currently, a huge number of design options are used for interior design. Wall painting is widely used in various colors and combinations. In order for the paint to lay down evenly and last for a long period of time, before starting painting work, you need to learn how to prepare the walls for painting, because this is the only way to be sure that the result will be excellent.

Stages of preparation

Depending on the type of walls and the presence of any kind of coating on them, the approach to their preparation will change, so let's consider how to do the job correctly with your own hands.

This needs to be done first

We strongly recommend that you de-energize the room by turning off the power supply in the instrument panel. Otherwise, it is quite possible electric shock if the wiring is accidentally damaged. Dismantle switches and sockets if you have to upholster plaster from the walls. We won’t talk about shelves, paintings and sconces, it’s clear that they shouldn’t be in the room, but it’s better to take out heavy pieces of furniture too. In extreme cases, they can be wrapped with polyethylene, secured with adhesive tape, and then covered with cardboard so that a piece of plaster flying off suddenly does not damage cabinet or upholstered furniture.

No matter how carefully you wrap a cabinet or sofa with polyethylene, there is still a high probability that dust will penetrate inside.

Walls after wallpaper

First, the old coating is removed from all surfaces - wallpaper or paint. If the wallpaper does not come off well, they are pre-moistened with warm water, and then removed with a spatula. The walls are dust free.

If, when peeling off the wallpaper, the old plaster peels off the wall and there are large cracks, then it is removed completely.

How to remove oil paint

Often in apartments and houses you can find walls painted with oil paint, which are firmly ingrained into the base. But this is not a sentence, as there are several ways to remove it.

The usual, simple, but most time-consuming method is to remove the paint with a metal scraper.

You can use a building hair dryer - a small section of the painted wall is heated so much that the paint swells and is easily removed with a narrow spatula. The work is not dusty, but the smell of burning will be very strong, so you will need to constantly ventilate the room, which is not always convenient to do in winter. It’s worth mentioning right away that things will go relatively quickly with a painted wooden surface. If the wall is made of dense building material (stone, brick, concrete), then it will take much longer to heat it up, so it will absorb heat.

For several years now, people have been using paint removers, but if you have to clean a large section of a wall or even several walls, then this technology will turn out to be very costly, due to the fact that you will need to purchase a large amount of this chemical preparation. Choosing this method, you need to consider that for people with allergies, it is not suitable. Masters advise working in a respirator, but it will not protect against fumes - only a gas mask will help. In addition, the wash is very aggressive and comes into contact not only with the paint, but with everything it comes into contact with, including human skin. With careless handling, you can get a serious chemical burn, after which an ugly scar will remain on the body.

With the help of a grinder (or drill) and a nozzle (like a brush for metal), you can relatively quickly cope with the task. The method, although effective, is very dusty and noisy. In addition, pieces of paint scatter in different directions at great speed and can even stick into the body, so not only the eyes need protection. You also need to take into account the wear of the tool (the angle grinder must be protected from dust penetration) and consumables. Count how many m 2 you have to clean and divide by 5 - this will be the number of brushes that will wear out during operation. Let us explain the calculation - 1 brush is enough to clean 5 m 2 of the surface.

Removal of water-based paint

Water-based paint began to be widely used not so long ago, but often there is a need to renew it or paint the walls with oil paint. First of all, you need to figure out whether it is necessary to wash off water-based paint at all. The fact is that if the paint does not peel off, and there are no other good reasons for removing it, then there is no need to remove it. In such a situation, you can apply a layer of fresh paint on top of the old one. First you need to remove dust from the wall and prime the surface with an acrylic primer. After the wall is dry, you can paint it.

If the old paint is bulging, flaking, out of color, or many layers of paint have been applied, then it will have to be removed. Let's consider some ways.

We use water

Of course, flushing is not carried out with water from a hose, so some tools will also be needed:

A high stool, and if repairs are carried out in a stalinka apartment, then a stepladder will be required.
Narrow and wide metal spatula.
Wide water tank.
Roller with a long handle.
Respirator and goggles.
Metal brush.

We cover the floor with newspapers or plastic wrap.

How to wash off an ordinary emulsion

In the prepared container you need to collect warm water.
With your goggles on, dip a roller in water and use it to wet the area of the wall where the paint will be removed.
In addition to glasses, after 15 minutes, also put on a respirator and start removing soaked paint with a scraper.
If there are places where the paint does not peel off, then the soaking procedure must be repeated. If this time it didn’t work out, then you can use a metal brush.
When you have finished cleaning the intended area, you can proceed to the next.

Rinse off waterproof emulsion

The algorithm for removing waterproof emulsion paint will be as follows:

If after wetting the paint is not wet, it means that it is moisture resistant and therefore it needs to be scratched with a metal brush, cleaning off the top layer.
Now a fragment of the wall needs to be moistened several times with water with an interval of 10 minutes. This procedure is performed until the paint swells and becomes pliable.
Further, the cleaning process is the same as in the previous case.

Use of glue

Many people are familiar with the picture when, when the wallpaper is removed, the coating applied to the wall also leaves with them. Now we will use this method to remove the water emulsion.

We will need a regular paste or wallpaper paste and newspapers or old unnecessary wallpaper.
The glue is applied to the paper, after which it must be thoroughly glued to the wall, otherwise all the paint will not be removed.
After our improvised wallpaper has dried, they are removed by prying with a spatula.
It remains to look at the wall and remove the remaining paint with a spatula or brush.

As with oil paint, you can use a grinder or hair dryer to remove a thick layer of emulsion.

Chemicals

On sale there are many effective preparations intended for washing off water-based paint. Unfortunately, they are not safe and can harm human health if the manufacturer's instructions are not followed. Although the instructions for use may differ slightly depending on the manufacturer, it boils down to one thing - the product is applied to the wall (except for plastic), and then after 10-15 minutes it is removed along with the paint.

How to clean drywall from old paint

As a rule, no one ever paints thick plasterboard walls, so in the vast majority of cases they do not need to be cleaned of paint, and minor bumps or pits can be leveled with putty.

If such a need arose, then it is important to remember that by peeling off the paint, you can also tear off the cardboard. Therefore, cleaning work is best done with an emery cloth or washes. Then the wall is dust-free and impregnated with a primer. This completes the preparation of the drywall base.

Having finished with the removal of the old paint, we begin to prepare the base.

Brick and concrete walls

Plastered walls with large holes and cracks are treated with a cement-sand mortar, and after it dries with a starting putty, which contains particles of fine sand in its composition. It is applied in a layer up to 5 mm. This putty adheres well to the wall, does not crack and does not shrink when dried. The hardening time is about 40 minutes, so it needs to be diluted in small quantities.

If the irregularities are more than 4 mm, a reinforcing mesh is used. First, the wall itself is leveled, and then the corners. Concrete walls should be without cracks, but if there are any, then they, together with the recesses, must be leveled with putty.

Types of putty

According to its composition, the applied putty is divided into several types:

Cement. The most affordable option, it has good qualities, but it is not quite plastic, it can shrink slightly when dried.
Gypsum. It has good elasticity, has poor sound conductivity, also retains moisture, but quickly hardens and has a high cost.
Polymer. When hardened, it becomes very strong, tolerates temperature fluctuations well, does not shrink, but is the most expensive in its segment.

Puttying process

After drying, the walls are treated with finishing putty. All material must be of the same color, as stains may appear after painting. It is applied in a layer up to 2 mm over the entire wall, even where there are no microcracks.
Then, after hardening, the walls are cleaned with sandpaper or a grinder. During this procedure, all small irregularities are removed.
The wall to be painted is cleaned of dust, and a primer is applied with a roller. For each type of surface, the mixture required in composition is selected. After all the above steps, the walls are ready for painting.

If before starting work on the walls there are traces of mold or dampness, then they are treated with special compounds against fungus and mold. And damp places before it are dried up.

So, in order for the paint to lay flat and hold for a long time, the walls must be perfectly smooth, without bumps.

If you decide that this activity is not for you, then before inviting the masters, you need to find out how much such work costs. Prices fluctuate within 150 rubles. per m 2, but so that the amount does not “accidentally” increase by a third, or even by half, agree in advance with the foreman that he come and, having assessed the complexity of the work, named a specific amount.