How to Paint Garage Walls | Prep Wall & Ceiling for Painting

If you’re a homeowner and your home has a garage, there’s a good chance that at some point you’ll need to freshen it up with new paint. While the process of painting itself is quite straightforward, if you really want a great looking, professional outcome, thorough prep is absolutely necessary.

Here we’ll go over the way you can do this to ensure success.

How to Get Started

Garages are notorious for gathering clutter. It’s best to be sure to take the time to clear as much of this from the work area as possible. Obstructions will make the job both stressful and potentially dangerous. The job will be a breeze if you start with a clear and open work area.

Just how you should proceed with cleaning the wall or ceiling may differ at this point depending on the material you intend to paint. Poured concrete walls may sometimes have rough spots from the edges of the forms that you may want to grind off. If you choose to do this be sure to use proper safety gear when operating the grinder. No matter what material the wall or ceiling is made of, removing outlet covers and anything else mounted to the walls are good ideas for the prep process.

Surface Prep

For paint to adhere well to any surface, whether it’s an interior wall or ceiling, or an exterior wall, that surface needs to be thoroughly cleaned and dried. This essential phase of prep must not be skipped no matter if the surface is osb, concrete, or cinder block. If you are working on interior surfaces, be sure to allow for the most ventilation possible. Fumes from cleaning chemicals can be hazardous to your health.

A one to one solution of bleach and water will be sufficient for cleaning most surfaces. Special attention may need to be paid to unfinished cinder block walls on the exterior of the garage. Because of the porous nature of the cinder block, moisture will seep into it, allowing moss growth and dirt buildup.

If the walls or ceiling are of unfinished osb, care should be taken in avoiding wetting them too much. Osb is extremely absorbent and it will swell when soaked. This can ruin the material, making costly replacement necessary.

Video: How You Should Prepare for Painting Garage Walls

This is a short video by a professional explaining wall painting in a garage. The techniques seen here are both simple and thorough. The methods shown can readily be applied on a ceiling and although the paint shown is white, these same methods apply to using any other color. Watch this video about garage wall painting.

Prep for Success

The garage is one of the most useful parts of the entire home. Fresh paint will help ensure a long lasting finish. It is easy seeing how thorough preparations pave the way for a professional level paint job. Now that you know how, it’s time for action.