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How to Prepare a Wall for Painting

"How do I paint a wall?" It might seem self-explanatory but this is actually a common question. There's more to just putting paint on a brush and applying it to the wall. Preparing a wall for painting is a necessity. If you don't properly prepare the wall for paint, you could end up with a final product that's not quite what you envisioned. Put in the work ahead of time, and love the look afterward.

Protect the Room

Preparing a wall for painting isn't difficult, but it does take some time and effort. First, make sure your room's furnishings and decorations are protected from splashes of paint. Follow these other steps and learn how to prepare your walls for painting.

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Preparing a Wall for Painting

A person covering an electrical outlet with painters tape.

Since you'll need to remove the outlet and switch cover plates and may need to cover lights and ceiling fans, shut off the circuit breakers to the room and use a non-contact tester to ensure the power is off. Use a work light if you need more light.

Remove cover plates from switches and outlets, and protect switches with tape. When applying painters tape, press it firmly and lay it flat and smooth to prevent paint from seeping through uneven folds.

Tip

Tape the screws to the back of the plates so you don’t lose them.

A ceiling fan disconnected from the ceiling to allow it to be covered with plastic.

If you’re painting the ceiling, you’ll need to protect hanging fixtures such as ceiling fans and pendant lights. For fans, remove the blades, loosen the cover plate and slide it down. Then wrap the fixture with plastic. Hanging pendant lights should have a cover plate that just slides down, too.

You should also cover up recessed lights. First, remove the bulb and then pull the outer trim down just a little bit. Release the springs or wires holding the cover in place and cover it with plastic and tape. Now you can paint the ceiling area covered by the trim.

Repair and Restore the Walls

When preparing a wall for painting, ensure you're working with a clean slate. Follow these steps to repair any damage to the walls.

Remove Wallpaper

Scrape Off Flaking Paint

Patch Small Holes

Clean Walls Before Painting

Cleaning your walls prior to painting them ensures that dirt won't loosen the paint or cause uneven surfaces. Follow these steps to clean the walls before painting.

Prime the Walls

A person applying primer to wood board on a wall.

One crucial step of painting a room correctly is priming the walls. Primer is not necessary for all paint jobs, but it is needed for painting:

Bare drywall
Stained or repaired areas
Bare wood
High-gloss finishes
Drastic color changes

Lowe’s carries many paint-and-primer-in-one products that can save time. Consult a store associate for your specific project needs.

To prime, use a roller to apply a single coat of the primer, following the manufacturer's directions, and allow the coating to dry thoroughly.

Painting Over Oil-Based Paint

If you're preparing a wall for painting and the wall is painted with oil-based paint, you'll need to take extra steps. Oil-based paint can’t be painted over with latex paint. You’ll need to prepare the surface.

You need to know which type of paint you have before you start your project. Watch our DIY Basics video: Do I Have Oil or Latex Paint?

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How to Prep for Paint