THE NECESSARY EVIL

Prepping is never as glamorous, fun and gratifying as painting, but speaking from experience, proper prepping will save you time, money and the finished paint project will look amazing.

There are essentially a few simple steps: Clean, dry, dull, patch and prime (if necessary).

PREP
Cleaning gets rid of marks from everyday wear and tear that can prevent paint from adhering and/or bleed right through to the fresh coat of paint. Caution though - don't clean with your standard household cleaners! The residue they leave can easily cause paint failure. Clean with Natura Safe Prep, a unique product that requires no gloves, no rinsing, and is environmentally safe, unlike other TSP or TSP substitutes available. Here's a time saver: Clean using an abrasive sponge. This allows you to clean and dull in one simple step.

PATCH
Now that your walls are clean, dry and dull, patch nail holes, nail pops or any other blemishes with homes wall repair compound. Sand patches with 80 grit sandpaper, this will replicate the texture of the drywall. Very important is to prime patched areas as it gives an even professional paint finish rather than a polka dot effect. Paint will appear a different colour on the patched surfaces due to porosity difference.

PRIME
Not all paint projects require priming. Beauti-Tone has six superior "Paint and Primers in One": Designer Series, matte and suede; Natura in eggshell; and Pro 300, in ultra matte, flat and eggshell.

However, it is less expensive to use a primer when:
(a) Your paint colour requires a tinted or greyed primer to enhance coverage.
(b) There is new drywall as the surface must be sealed properly to prevent flashing on future paint projects.
(c) New wood requires a primer to seal the surface and prevent tannin bleed through which could stain the top coat.

Now you are prepped and ready. So go ahead and roll on that gorgeous new colour. With the prep work done properly the results will be outstanding!

Ask your local Home Hardware, Home Hardware Building Centre or Home Building Centre Dealer for advice on surface preparation.