Paint Walls After Removing Wallpaper | How to Prep Room

After you remove wallpaper there are certain steps you must take before painting can commence. We know you are ready to apply the paint and have that new look. Do you know how to do it the right way?

In order for a paint job to be done well and on time, you must first prep the space. Know-how and preparation are key in the process of removing wallpaper and adding paint.

To make sure that your paint job is the best paint job possible, we have broken it down on how it’s done in five easy to follow steps. After removing wallpaper follow these four steps to prep your room for fresh paint.

1. Smooth Away Imperfections

You must smooth away walls after removing wall paper. Some pieces of paper might not want to peel off or pull away from walls. How does this happen? Don’t stress out! It’s common experience! Take a putty knife and peel away glue. Putty knives also help with the removal of stubborn pieces of paper. Then use sandpaper to remove the surface of anything that makes the wall not smooth.

2. Patch Up and Prepare

Take your putty knife and cover up with plaster any areas where a whole or tear is found. Some holes may be large enough to warrant a caulking first. Failure to do this will result in paint clumping and a poor paint job. After patch ups be sure to clean the wall by first dusting and then applying a warm water and soap wash. Rinse the wall and be sure it is patted dry.

3. Apply Primer the Proper Way

The only time to consider not using primer on walls is when you apply the same color and finish. With all other paint jobs priming is recommended.

There’s More to Priming than Meets the Eye

In the above video Shauna Gallagher from HouzzTV shows how priming can take on multiple scenarios. Priming doesn’t involve just one straightforward approach for walls. Any successful paint job has been primed based on the specific needs of that room.

Priming considerations covered in the video highlight four scenarios:

• Applying dark paint to light walls,
• Adding light paint to dark walls,
• Erasing wall marks from kids’ attempts at art
• And adding dark paint to an already dark wall.

4. Re-Assemble, Apply Tape and Paint Away

The moment is nearing for the application of paint! There is one more step, though. This requires the re-assembly of all of your supplies. Make sure your sturdy ladder is set. Reach those higher spots in confidence. Tape off any areas that need not be touched by your paint application. Pay special attention to moldings, ceilings, baseboards and areas removed of outlet covers, switch covers and fixtures.

Conclusion

Now that we have highlighted four prep strategies that help ready your room, the transition from wallpaper to paint will be easier than ever. Removing wallpaper also requires a little preparation. Plan ahead to make that process as smooth as possible, too.

We hope you enjoy the process of removing wallpaper and applying paint. It can be fun, and we have also demonstrated how easy it can be! By following the four prep tips we provided, you room will be finished before you know it.