The Complete Interior Painting Preparation Guide

Prep is 90% of the job

Ask any painter and they'll tell you the same thing: a good paint job is made before the topcoat ever goes on. The paint itself is the easy bit. What separates a crisp, long-lasting finish from a patchy one is the preparation. Here's the full process, in order.

Step 1: Clear and protect the room

• Move furniture out or into the centre and cover it
• Lay drop sheets over the floor, canvas near edges, plastic in the middle
• Take down curtains, blinds and wall fixtures
• Remove switch and power-point covers (turn power off first)

Getting this right up front saves a lot of scrubbing later.

Step 2: Clean the surfaces

Paint won't bond to grease, dust or grime. Wash walls with sugar soap, paying attention to:

• Kitchen walls and anything near the stove
• Skirtings and door frames that collect dust and scuffs
• Bathrooms, where soap film and mould can hide

Rinse and let everything dry fully. Treat any mould with the appropriate cleaner rather than just painting over it.

Step 3: Fill and repair

Now fix the surface:

• Fill nail holes, dents and cracks with a suitable filler
• Rake out and fill larger cracks properly rather than skimming over them
• Repair any damaged plasterboard before you go further
• Replace perished sealant along skirtings or cornices if needed

Let fillers dry fully. Deep fills often need a second application as the first shrinks back.

Step 4: Sand everything

Sanding does two jobs: it smooths your filled areas and it keys the existing paint so the new coat grips.

• Sand filled spots flush with the wall
• Give glossy or enamel surfaces a light all-over sand so paint can bond
• Use a sanding pole for ceilings and high walls
• Wipe down with a damp cloth or vacuum to remove all dust

A dust-free surface is critical; sanding dust left behind ruins the finish.

Step 5: Mask and cut in lines

Use quality painter's tape along:

• Skirtings and architraves
• Cornices and ceiling lines
• Window and door frames

Press the edge down firmly so paint can't bleed under. For very clean lines, run a bead of the wall colour or a thin line of clear sealant along the tape edge first, let it set, then paint.

Step 6: Prime where needed

You don't always need to prime the whole room, but do prime:

• Bare or new plaster
• Patched and filled areas (they'll flash through otherwise)
• Water stains or marks (use a stain-blocking primer)
• Big colour changes, especially dark to light

Primer seals, blocks and evens out absorbency so your topcoats look consistent.

Order of operations

A quick recap of the sequence that keeps things efficient:

1. Clear and protect
2. Clean
3. Fill and repair
4. Sand
5. Mask
6. Prime
7. Then paint, ceilings first, then walls, then trims

The Melbourne factor

Older Melbourne homes often have decorative cornices, ceiling roses and detailed timber trims that need patient masking and cutting in. Period homes may also have oil-based enamel on the woodwork, which needs a proper sand and the right undercoat before a water-based topcoat will stick. And with our cold snaps, watch the temperature: paint struggles to cure well in a cold, damp room, so warm the space and give coats extra drying time in winter.

Prep is honest, time-consuming work, and it's where most weekends disappear. If you'd rather skip straight to enjoying a freshly painted room, MB Handymen & Carpentry can handle the prep and painting from start to finish, and tidy up any patching, cornices or trims in the same visit.