Painting And Wallpapering: Tips And Techniques

3 Tips For Repairing Cracks Before Painting

If you are planning on painting the walls in your home, you first need to inspect them and check for holes or cracks. These tips will help you repair the cracks so that you have a smooth paint job by the time you're done.

Clean and Prepare the Surface First

Before you start filling cracks or holes in the wall prior to painting, you need to prepare the surface. Begin by making sure the area inside and around the cracks is completely clean. Fingerprints, smudges, oil, and grease can build up on the area, making it more difficult to repair the cracks. Also clean out the cracks themselves, making sure no dirt or debris is stuck inside. This might require enlarging the cracks slightly so you can remove the debris. Once you have cleaned the area, smooth out the surface as much as possible by using sandpaper.

Begin Filling the Cracks

Once the surface is clean and you are sure no debris is inside the crack, you can begin filling it with compound. Smaller cracks don't need much more work than simply filling them with joint compound, which is easy to find at any home improvement store. Get a tube of compound that is easy to apply to the crack. Remove the top and begin squeezing it into the crack. Let it reach the surface of the wall, then smooth it out by using a utility knife. You want the wall to be completely flush, so add a little more compound to the crack and smooth it out again if needed.

Work On Repairing Larger Cracks

If you have large cracks in your drywall, it will take more than one simple step of filling the cracks. This type of damage requires a couple extra steps. After you have cleaned out the cracks thoroughly, use the same method of filling the inside of the crack with drywall compound. After filling the crack completely, continue with adding some of the compound to the wall surface around the crack. Work quickly to put some fiberglass tape over the crack while the compound is still wet. Make sure the tape is completely flat against the wall. Now use more compound to secure the tape and cover it completely, making sure everything is flat and flush with the wall. This extra step provides better stability of the crack. Once it dries, you can paint over the wall to cover the repair.


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