MURAL TIP #15 | Basic preparation before painting a wall

Being prepared for your upcoming mural will make your time painting a million times easier. So, if you’re planning on painting a wall, there are several preparation steps that you should follow to ensure a smooth and successful project:

1. Clean the surface: Make sure the wall is free of dirt, dust, and grease by thoroughly cleaning it with a mild soap and water solution. If it’s an outdoor application, you may need to use a more powerful cleaning agent, or possibly a power washer. Make sure it is completely dry before painting!

2. Repair any damage: If necessary, fill any holes or cracks in the wall with filler and sand smooth. If you’re working on old brick, research the best methods for doing so.

3. Sand the surface: This is typically not necessary if it’s a basic wall, but if you’re working on a unique smooth surface, lightly sand the wall to ensure that it is smooth and even. This will help the primer and paint adhere better.

4. Tape off edges: Sometimes it seems like a waste of time, but trust me, in the end, taping is always worth it. Use painter's tape to protect adjacent surfaces, such as windowsills, baseboards, and moldings, from paint splatters and mistakes. I love to use Frogtape for the cleanest lines.

5. Prime the wall: When I started painting, priming confused me because I thought I could just start on a painting, but priming the wall will help the paint adhere better and provide a uniform base for the paint. Mainly it’s only necessary for outdoor projects, but in general, you should use an acrylic primer that is suitable for the type of surface you're painting, and if the wall needs it.

6. Allow the primer to dry completely: This one is tough because sometimes you just wanna finish! But it’s very important to make sure the primer is completely dry before applying the paint, (and the coats of paint are dry between coats as well.) Pro tip: even though you may want to do thick coats because it seems faster, thin coats are what you want to be doing.

7. Check the color: Before you start painting, it's a good idea to test the paint color on a small, inconspicuous area of the wall to make sure you're happy with it. One time I had a huge public mural and bought 2 gallons of a background blue color, only to try a spot and see that it was definitely a shade too dark. Remember: paint dries darker so always test what the paint will look like!

By following these basic preparation steps, you'll set yourself up for a successful painting project and a beautiful, long-lasting result, and it will be a much more fun project to complete all around!

I talk about all of this and more in my mural courses HERE, or simply sign up below for my newsletter and to get more tips and tricks sent right to you!