Prep confusion

I am moving into a new house and want to paint dry wall in my kitchen. I've been searching the Inet for information on how to prep the surfaces before I paint and have found some conflicting info.

Some how-tos say that you should wash the wall then lightly sand it all over before painting. Others say that you should wash the walls and only sand the areas that you patched or that are peeling. I'm confused. Is the sanding necessary or not? If you are supposed to sand it all over, wouldn't it be more logical to sand first, and THEN wash the walls?

Thanks,
Harlequin

 

Hi Harlequin,

While I'm not a pro, I've done a lot of remodeling. With new drywall, if it has been properly plastered, it shouldn't need to be washed or sanded. You need to seal it first with a drywall sealer and then you can paint using any kind of paint or technique you desire. Befored sealing it though, I always vacuum off the fine dust film covering the drywall. I don't know if I really need to do that but I do. Hope this helps.

Jenrasusa

 

Washing the walls will remove surface contamination,and i suppose is a good practice. lightly rubbing the walls first of all & between coats will remove any lint or "bits" that exist in the existing paint. Lightly rubbing down the whole wall is good practice and will also help your paint to adhere to the surface.