Interior Painting in Dallas, GA

A good share of interior painting in Dallas starts with taking things off the walls: switch plates, picture hooks, old anchors and, in some rooms, wallpaper that has been there for years. What lies underneath decides how much repair and priming is needed before the color goes on.

Taking the time to strip a room properly, rather than painting around hooks and old paper, is what lets the finish coats lie flat.

What comes off before painting

Outlet covers, switch plates, vent registers and door hardware are removed and kept together by room. Nails, screws and wall anchors are pulled, and the holes are filled. Curtain rods and shelving brackets come down if the wall behind them is being painted, and it helps to mark which pieces you want rehung.

Fixtures that cannot move, such as built-in cabinets, are masked off. Floors and furniture are covered before scraping or sanding begins, and the protection stays in place until the last coat is dry.

Wallpaper removal and what it leaves behind

Painting over wallpaper is rarely a good idea; seams and edges show through, and moisture from the paint can loosen the paper. Removal involves scoring or peeling the top layer, softening the backing and paste with water or a steamer, and scraping it off.

All the paste residue has to be washed from the wall, because leftover adhesive can crack or wrinkle new paint. If the brown paper layer of the drywall was torn during removal, it is sealed with an oil-based or shellac primer before any skim coat or patch goes on, which keeps the paper from swelling and blistering.

Glossy surfaces and the existing coating

Once the walls are bare, the existing coating is checked. Semi-gloss in baths and older enamel on trim are dulled with sanding or a deglosser so new paint bonds. Areas where paint is peeling are scraped to a firm edge and feathered with compound so the old edge does not show.

Absorbent surfaces, such as skimmed areas and bare compound, take more paint than a sealed wall, so coverage is planned with a primer coat rather than extra finish coats.

Nail pops, cracks and stains

Nail pops are refastened with a drywall screw, and the old nail head is set and covered. Cracks at corners and seams are taped if they have opened, since caulk or filler alone tends to crack again. Stained areas, including spots revealed when wallpaper or furniture comes away, are sealed with a stain-blocking primer.

Caulk joints along baseboards and casings are renewed at this stage too, so the trim lines are tight before color goes on.

Repair level, coats and color

With the walls exposed, decide how far repair should go. Rooms that had wallpaper often need a skim coat over part or all of the wall to get a smooth surface, while other rooms may only need spot patching. Those choices, plus the color and the number of coats, are confirmed before materials are ordered, because changing them later affects the order of work.

A full-room skim coat followed by primer and two finish coats is a different job from a touch-up repaint, and the estimate should make clear which one is planned.

A note on permits in Dallas

Dallas is in Paulding County. Stripping wallpaper sometimes uncovers damage that leads to bigger work. If that work touches framing, plumbing or wiring, the City of Dallas Community Development office can tell you whether a permit is required.

Questions about painting in Dallas

Can paint go over wallpaper?

It can, but it is seldom a lasting fix. Seams and edges tend to show, and the water in latex paint can loosen the paste so the paper bubbles or lifts. Removing the paper, washing off the adhesive and priming the wall gives a far more dependable surface. If paper must stay, it is sealed with an oil-based primer first.

What causes bubbles after wallpaper removal?

Bubbles usually mean the paper face of the drywall was torn or scraped during removal and then got wet from water-based primer, compound or paint. The exposed paper swells and lifts. The fix is to cut away loose paper, seal the area with an oil-based or shellac primer, skim it smooth with compound, then prime again before painting.

Do switch plates get removed or taped over?

They should be removed. Taping around a cover leaves an unpainted outline that shows if the plate is ever changed, and paint can bridge the gap and crack. Removing plates, outlet covers and vent registers lets the wall be painted evenly behind them. They are stored by room and reinstalled once the paint is dry.

Plan a visit

Call 404-409-4448 and tell us about the rooms, any wallpaper and the condition of the walls. We can come out to look and put together a written estimate. For other projects, see our remodeling services in Dallas.