Why is Prep Important Before Painting? | Ask This Old House

In this video, This Old House painting contractor Mauro Henrique tells us why prep work is important before painting, how he prepares for a paint job, and why we shouldn’t try skipping this critical step if we want a great finish. SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse. Mauro Henrique shares the importance of prep work for any painting project, and why homeowners shouldn’t skip it. Preparation is a Must for Any Painting Project Mauro says that preparation is key to a great paint job. In fact, he believes 85 percent of a painting project is in the prep work. He says if you try to cut corners on the preparation, you won’t get the paint job you’re hoping to achieve. Start Cleaning The first step in a paint job preparation is cleaning. Make sure to clean the surface you’ll be painting and the surfaces around it. This will prevent the chance of dust floating onto the wet paint or grease from preventing the paint from adhering to the surface. Tape is Okay Painter’s tape gets a bad reputation, but Mauro says painters use it all the time. They use it to protect the surfaces they aren’t painting and hardware that might get in the way. They also use it to keep masking paper securely on the floor. Almost everything that needs to be protected requires painter’s tape. Drop Cloths Are Critical, Too When it comes to protecting delicate furniture, Mauro likes to use a thin plastic sheet to keep paint from accidentally dripping onto the surface. For floors, he likes to go with a heavier-duty canvas drop cloth. It’s Worth the Effort Mauro knows that covering the floor and furniture as well as taping off areas is a lot of work, but he also knows it’s worth it. Once the prep work is done, the paint job itself goes even faster and he can focus on painting the surface rather than protecting the surfaces around it. Quality Paint Matters Finally, it’s important to use a quality paint. Good paint covers better, lasts longer, and offers a better finished result. Prep work and good paint are, according to Mauro, definite musts. Looking for more step by step guidance on how to complete projects around the house? Join This Old House Insider to stream over 1,000 episodes commercial-free: https://bit.ly/2GPiYbH Plus, download our FREE app for full-episode streaming to your connected TV, phone or tablet: https://ift.tt/V8aFSey About Ask This Old House TV: From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. ASK This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment—your home. Follow This Old House: Facebook: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseFB Twitter: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTwitter Pinterest: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHousePinterest Instagram: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseIG Why is Prep Important Before Painting? | Ask This Old House https://www.youtube.com/user/thisoldhouse/