At Horner Painting, we know a thing or two about painting – after all, we’ve been in the business for over 20 years. We understand the importance of communication, following a process, and taking pride in your work. Everything we do is designed to ensure that we provide high-quality work and our customers are completely satisfied. That’s why we’ve put together this handy guide on how to prepare your home for painting. Read through our tips, and if you have any question, please feel free to reach out to us!
We understand that interior painting can prove to be stressful for you and your family. After all, you’ll have to move furniture and vacate a room or two as we work our way through your home. We strive to make your interior painting project as painless as possible.
We ask our clients to make a list of the rooms that we can work through in succession, so that we’re somewhat out of the way. Take note, if you or a family member is sensitive to the smell of paint, you may want to have them sleep elsewhere until the paint has fully dried — we can use water-based paint for those with sensitivities, and we’ll work to ventilate the painted area to ensure that fumes dissipate more quickly.
In addition, we have recommendations to prepare various rooms throughout your house for your upcoming paint job. Beyond that, we’ve created a quick checklist that you can work through to make your painting project as smooth as possible.
Do your best to move furniture out of bedrooms that will be painted. You can leave heavy furniture where it is if you need help moving larger items. You can also move furniture to the center of the room if it is out of the way, and place non-breakable items on your bed once it is moved away from any surfaces that are to be painted. Clear away any other items throughout your bedroom for the time being. Set aside any articles of clothing or other items that you’ll need while your bedroom paint dries.
We ask that you clear off your countertops before we paint your kitchen, including countertop appliances (like blenders, toasters, etc.). If you are having closets or pantry space painted, they should be completely cleared out. We strive to provide you access to your pantry and refrigerator when possible. It’s our aim to complete your kitchen as quickly as possible, so that you can get back to cooking. However, you should allow a full 24 hours for paint to dry before moving things back to their place, since the paint will remain wet for some time.
Please clear off your countertops in your bathroom before painting. In addition, you should set aside any items that you’ll need throughout the painting process (including toiletries, medicine, towels, etc.). Again, you should plan for a 24-hour window where you won’t be able to use the restroom (especially the shower, tub, and sink), since you can smudge wet paint or keep it from drying if there is steam in the room. Ensure that your bathrooms are well-ventilated as the paint cures, and always use a fan to remove steam from the room, especially during the first few days after painting.
Similar to the bedroom, we ask that you remove any furniture and belongings throughout the space before we begin painting. You can place larger items in the center of the room if you’d like, so long as they aren’t an obstacle. If you have heavy furniture, we can help to move it away from surfaces that are going to be painted.
If you have furniture against the walls of your dining room, we ask that you move these belongings to another room. In addition, if you can, you should move your dining table and chairs out of the room if they’re near your walls. We can help you if your table is too heavy to move.
If we’re painting any closets, utility spaces, or storage spaces throughout your home, we’d appreciate it if you could move all of the items out of these spaces before we get started.
It’s true: painting the exterior of your home can be inconvenient. That’s why take every measure we can to ensure that your exterior painting project rolls out smoothly. We strive to work across your surfaces efficiently, without creating too much of an obstacle as you navigate your day-to-day. We’ve also created a checklist that you can go through to ensure that your home is well-prepared for the upcoming project. Here are a few tips that you can employ to prep your property for painting.
If possible, we’d appreciate parking close to your home to speed up the painting process. If we’ll be parking in a space that blocks your driveway or garage, we request that you move your vehicle to a location where you can access it without us having to move our service vehicle. Please move any vehicles that can be hit by paint splatter as well as vehicles that could be in the way of ladders or scaffolding.
To get started, we’d appreciate it if you moved any outdoor furniture away from your home. Move grills, water hoses, planters, chairs, tables, etc. away from the exterior of your home. Also, think about any items that can be a tripping hazard as you walk around your home: kids' toys, bikes, etc. If there are any immobile items near your home’s exterior walls, we can drape drop cloths or plastic covers over them to keep them protected.
To ensure that the flora of your property doesn’t get in the way, we request that you trim your shrubs, trees, and other plants back 8 to 12 inches from your home. This will provide us with ample space to paint your walls.
Once power washing is complete, we’ll need you to keep doors and windows open around your home, so that we can properly paint their trim. Please plan ahead if you have any animals that can escape through your windows or doors. Take note, at least one contractor will remain on property throughout the process, so you can trust that your home and possessions won’t go unwatched.
If you have pets, we kindly request that you keep them inside or have someone pet-sit them throughout the process. Outdoor animals can be distracting and dangerous as we paint, especially when we’re working from ladders or scaffolding.
If you have sprinklers that spray near your home, please shut them down prior to our arrival — we don’t want to get a surprise shower! In addition, you should keep your sprinklers shut off as the paint cures on your home. You may have to water your lawn and plants throughout your property by hand until the curing process is complete. Keep in mind that paint can take a few days to dry completely, even though it may be dry to the touch on the surface.
If an interior or exterior home painting project is in your future, call the 5-star painting company that has been serving Northern Colorado since 1999. We provide free estimates and guarantee our work with a 5-year warranty. Call or fill out our online form to get started!
