Get matched with top exterior painters in Stanley, ND

The answer to whether you need to clean the walls before painting depends largely on the condition of the existing finish and your desired results. You can often get away with painting bedroom and living room walls with just a dusting and some high-quality paint. However, the best results come from doing all of the prep steps first, including a gentle cleaning.

If you’re choosing a finish with less enamel, it will be difficult to cover without a little extra elbow grease. Sand a layer of the satin paint off first before going in with the eggshell finish. That way, the eggshell paint will have a better chance of adhering to the surface and will likely last longer.

While the answer varies based on weather, 10 a.m. is a good time to start painting. The dew will have dried, meaning there’s no moisture on the house, and the temperature will likely be moderate and the sunlight less direct. Starting mid-morning should also give you enough daylight and pleasant weather to work on the job for several hours.

In most cases, you have to sand crown molding before painting. This is due to the nature and design of molding. It’s not a flat wall, so uneven surfaces will be immediately noticeable once that paint dries. Sanding down the surface smooths everything out, leading to a satisfactory result. If the trim is already smooth, such as with new crown molding, you can give it a light sand with 120-grit sandpaper.