How-To Guides · Tweed Heads
How to Prep Walls Before Painting — A Painter's Full Checklist
Ninety percent of a great paint job is prep. Here's the exact wall-prep checklist our painters run on every interior repaint.
Why prep is 90% of the job
A great paint finish has almost nothing to do with the paint and almost everything to do with what's under it. Skip prep and even the most expensive paint will telegraph every flaw, peel at the edges and look tired within two years. Done properly, prep takes longer than the painting itself — and that's the point.
The 7-step wall prep checklist
This is the exact order our painters work in on every interior repaint, whether it's a single bedroom or a full home.
- Sugar-soap wash all walls top to bottom to remove grease, dust and nicotine
- Scrape any loose or flaking paint back to a sound edge
- Fill nail holes, screw holes and hairline cracks with flexible filler
- Sand all filled areas and any glossy surfaces to a matte key
- Caulk every moving joint — skirtings, architraves, cornices, window frames
- Spot-prime bare plaster, filler, stains and any tannin-prone timber
- Vacuum and tack-cloth the walls before the first finish coat
The mistakes DIYers make most often
The two biggest DIY prep mistakes are filling without sanding flat, and painting over caulk before it cures. Both show up the moment side-light hits the wall. The third is skipping primer over patches — every filled spot will flash through the topcoat as a dull halo.
Get a free quote from a licensed house painter in Tweed Heads
Munn & Co. Finishes is fully licensed in NSW (461243C) and QLD (15536255), insured and based locally — so we can usually quote Tweed Heads jobs within 24–48 hours. Call 0444 528 452 or request a free written quote online and we'll walk the job with you, photograph problem areas and send a clear, fixed-price scope before any work begins.
Wall prep before painting — frequently asked questions
- How much does wall prep before painting cost in Tweed Heads?
- Pricing in Tweed Heads depends on size, access and how much preparation each surface needs. As a guide, interior repaints start around $3,000 and full exteriors around $5,000 — your written quote fixes the number before we start.
- How long does the job take?
- Most residential jobs in Tweed Heads run 3–7 working days. We give you a start and finish date in the quote and keep to it.
- Do you guarantee the work?
- Yes. Workmanship is guaranteed and manufacturer warranties on the specified paint systems are passed through to you in writing.
- Are you licensed and insured to work in Tweed Heads?
- Yes. Munn & Co. Finishes holds an NSW painting licence and a QLD QBCC licence, and we carry full public liability insurance. Licence and insurance details are supplied in writing with every Tweed Heads quote.
- How do I get a quote for wall prep before painting in Tweed Heads?
- Call 0400 000 000 or send the online quote form. We book a free on-site walkthrough in Tweed Heads, then send a fixed written quote — surfaces, products, coats and timeline — usually within 24–48 hours.