--- title: 5 Interior Painting Prep Work Mistakes description: Preparing to paint your interior? Check out these common mistakes to avoid for painting prep work steps. image: https://blog.brushandrollpainting.com/hubfs/IMG_3833.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://blog.brushandrollpainting.com/dont-make-these-mistakes-while-preparing-to-paint-your-interior-in-omaha-ne#maincontent) [ «  Learning Center ](https://brushandrollpainting.com/learning-center) # 5 Interior Painting Prep Work Mistakes April 10th, 2020 4 min read By [Bill Carlson](https://blog.brushandrollpainting.com/author/admin) ![Painter brushing paint on a wall near the front door of a home with tape along edges.](https://blog.brushandrollpainting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/IMG_3833.jpg?width=2048&height=1365&name=IMG_3833.jpg) When it comes to painting your interior walls or woodwork, the preparation phase is crucial and often underestimated. Many homeowners dive into the painting process without giving due attention to the prep work, leading to a myriad of issues that could have been easily avoided.  At [Brush & Roll Painting](https://brushandrollpainting.com) in Omaha, NE, we've been providing durable, long-lasting interior painting jobs since 1996. Our process not only includes extensive and detailed prep work, but also uses high-quality products. In this article, we will explore some of the most frequent errors made during the prep work stage and provide tips on how to avoid them. By reading this article, you can ensure a flawless and long-lasting paint job, whether you do the project yourself or hire a painter. ## Interior Painting Prep Work Mistakes ### 1. Forgetting To Take Measurements Of The Space That Is Going To Be Painted You need to have accurate measurements of the space because you're going to need to know precisely how much paint you will need for painting the interior walls. Without these measurements, you risk either running out of paint midway through the project or purchasing far more than necessary, both of which can be costly and time-consuming mistakes. Additionally, it is useful to take measurements because you will be able to calculate how long the painting project is going to take. By knowing the exact dimensions of the area, you can better estimate the amount of time required for each phase of the painting process, from initial preparation to the final coat. If you're hiring a painter, this allows for more efficient planning and scheduling, ensuring that you can allocate sufficient time and resources to complete the job to a high standard. ![Living room with cleaning supplies in the middle and white paint on the walls.](https://blog.brushandrollpainting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog%20Post%20Image%20Size-Sep-27-2024-01-20-47-6884-PM.png?width=588&height=307&name=Blog%20Post%20Image%20Size-Sep-27-2024-01-20-47-6884-PM.png)   ### 2. Not Cleaning The Spaces That Will Be Painted It's a fundamental step in the painting process that you have a properly clean space that will be painted. Ensuring cleanliness is not just about aesthetics; it directly impacts the quality and longevity of your paint job. Dust, dirt, and grime can create an uneven surface, preventing the paint from adhering properly and leading to a blotchy, unprofessional finish. If you are painting the interior walls, for example, it is not just the walls that will have to be clean but rather also the floors of the same room as well. This means taking the time to thoroughly vacuum or sweep the floors, wipe down baseboards, and even clean the ceiling if necessary. Any dust or debris left behind can easily become airborne and settle on your freshly painted surfaces. This is important because though it might seem like the dust on the ground has no relation to your painting project, you will realize that as you are walking about the room and painting you might accidentally kick up dust that would possibly end up on the wall that you are painting. This can be particularly problematic if you are using a roller or brush, as the dust can get trapped in the paint, creating an unsightly texture and potentially causing the paint to peel or flake over time. Once dust is on the wet paint, it's one of the most difficult things to clean up. Not only does it mar the smooth finish you are aiming for, but attempting to remove it can smear the paint and create even more imperfections. Therefore, taking the time to thoroughly clean the space before you begin painting is an investment in the overall success and durability of your project. ### 3. You Didn't Check The Wall For Any Flaws  Particularly with walls that have seen years of living, you are going to inevitably find some flaws in the form of little nicks and dents that form in the wall from everyday use. These imperfections can be caused by a variety of factors, such as furniture being moved around, children playing, or even the simple act of hanging and rearranging paintings and photographs. Over time, these small blemishes can accumulate, giving your walls a worn and tired appearance. Additionally, you might discover small holes left behind from nails or screws used to hang decorations or shelves, which can detract from the overall aesthetic of your space. After identifying such nicks and holes in the wall, it is a good idea to use a high-quality compound to patch them up effectively. This involves applying the spackle carefully to fill in the imperfections, ensuring that the surface is level and smooth. Once the spackle has dried, you will need to sand the area to create an even surface that blends seamlessly with the rest of the wall. Following this, applying a primer is essential to prepare the patched area for painting, ensuring that the paint adheres properly and provides a uniform finish. By taking these steps, you can ensure that when you paint, the walls will look flawless and cohesive, enhancing the overall appearance of your interior space. ![Stairwell and entryway in a home in the process of being painted with spackle and primer covering holes on the walls.](https://blog.brushandrollpainting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Gottsch%20Durning%206.jpg?width=337&height=598&name=Gottsch%20Durning%206.jpg)   ### 4. You Didn't Do Anything About The Larger Holes In Your Wall The larger holes in your wall, which can come from things as simple as a door that is swung open too hard or even just an object that accidentally gets hit against the wall that makes an unfortunate hole in the wall. For larger holes in the wall there are patches that can be purchased and then painted over which serve the purpose of making a good cover for the area where you have lost places in the wall due to what could have been a simple accident. When you don't repair holes in a wall before painting, unpatched holes and imperfections will remain visible, creating an uneven and unprofessional appearance. The paint will not adhere properly to these damaged areas, leading to peeling and flaking over time. Additionally, the holes can cause shadows and irregularities in the paint finish, making the entire wall look unsightly. This not only diminishes the aesthetic appeal of your space but also reduces the longevity of your paint job, necessitating more frequent touch-ups and repaints.  ### 5. You Didn't Do Anything To Get The Wall Smooth Before Painting If there's anything that will ruin a paint job, it is attempting to paint over a surface that is not particularly smooth. The less smooth your painting surface, the more likely it is that the paint will not adhere to the wall. There are a number of steps that you should take in order to make sure that your paint surface is smooth and thus allows for a better paint job. Starting with sanding the surface of the area and then making sure that you use a quality primer that will allow the paint to go on as smoothly as possible. Quality primer also gets the paint to adhere to your walls better and also have the paint job stay on longer. ## Interior Painting Prep Work For Your Home A successful interior painting begins with detailed prep work to avoid common mistakes that can compromise your project's quality and longevity. These essential steps will help you achieve a professional, long-lasting result, whether you're tackling the project yourself or enlisting professional assistance. If you would rather hire a professional to help you with your walls in Omaha, NE, our team at [Brush & Roll Painting](https://brushandrollpainting.com) can provide the expertise and precision needed to achieve exceptional results. Our commitment to using high-quality materials and techniques ensures that your newly painted walls will not only look stunning but also stand the test of time.  To get started with us, press the get a quote button below or **call us at 402-932-9764** for more details. [![GET A QUOTE](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/7973434/c191e76f-b1ae-40ef-97b0-79ddd9b97ab7.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/7973434/c191e76f-b1ae-40ef-97b0-79ddd9b97ab7) Want to learn more about prep work before painting? [Click here to learn about the significance of prep work before painting any surface in your home. ](https://blog.brushandrollpainting.com/significance-of-prep-work-in-painting) [ Bill Carlson ](https://blog.brushandrollpainting.com/author/admin) Bill is the owner and operator of Brush & Roll Painting. Bill Carlson is a second-generation painter. He grew up working with his father’s painting and restoration company. After graduating from Bennington High School, he served in the US Navy, traveling with the boxing team. While this was a great opportunity to see the world, it also made him realize how much he loved his little world here in Nebraska. He settled back into the painting industry, working with his brother. It wasn’t long before Bill’s entrepreneurial spirit pushed him to start his own business. Always one for a challenge, he longed to prove to himself that he could be as successful on his own as both his dad and brother were. 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April 24th, 2026|4 min read ](https://blog.brushandrollpainting.com/can-you-change-all-cabinets-to-soft-close-hinges) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Bill Carlson", "url" : "https://blog.brushandrollpainting.com/author/admin" }, "dateModified" : "2024-10-02T19:05:01.142Z", "datePublished" : "2020-04-10T22:58:14.000Z", "headline" : "5 Interior Painting Prep Work Mistakes", "image" : [ "https://blog.brushandrollpainting.com/hubfs/IMG_3833.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.brushandrollpainting.com/dont-make-these-mistakes-while-preparing-to-paint-your-interior-in-omaha-ne", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.brushandrollpainting.com/hubfs/logo-1.png" }, "name" : "Brush & Roll Painting" } } ```