Paint prep for the job site means your customer’s home will be protected — and so will your reputation.
When you’re on the job, you have care, custody and control of your customers’ property, and they rely on you to protect their home and valuables while you work.
So it’s crucial to make a good impression by showing respect for their house and belongings – your good reputation depends on it. That means properly prepping the job site, even before you begin sanding, patching and painting.
Here are a few tips to keep your customers’ property protected.
Paint Prep 101: If it doesn’t get painted, move it or cover it
Remove any furniture, appliances, lamps, and decorations. Take pictures with your smartphone before moving anything! Reassemble the room and put furnishings back in their place.
Check with the homeowner before moving expensive items such as fine art or a piano. Leave high-value belongings in place. Always check with client!
Remove light switches and receptacle plates if possible. Remove other hardware such as door and window hardware, door knobs, door bolt plates, striker plates, locks, etc.
Cover anything that can’t be moved
Lighting fixtures at the center of a room are a good place to start — cover these with plastic film. Use production-grade tape when securing film-to-film. Protect walls, windows and other surfaces by masking with multi-surfaces tape.
Group furniture and other large pieces towards the center of the space. This allows access to the walls and ceiling. Cover furniture with lightweight plastic sheeting as well. Face furniture inwards to discourage people from sitting. This will keep the furniture protected for the entire paint job.
Protecting the floors (Don’t overlook this paint prep must!)
Wipe off or vacuum the floor surface near the walls to remove residual dust and dirt so the tape sticks correctly. Use a tape suitable for hardwood floors, or any production or multi-surface tape on carpet.
After taping, cover the remaining floor with plastic film or canvas drop cloths. You can also use masking paper on adjacent floors when painting, or you can attach paper or plastic sheeting with tape.
Masking other surfaces
For surfaces like mirrors, countertops, vanities and sinks, masking with paper or lightweight plastic will keep the protected from paint spatter. Production-grade tape is best for securing paper to paper and plastic to plastic. Save the multi-surfaces tapes for walls, trim and other surfaces where paint lines matter.
When precision counts
Mask with premium painter’s tape when sharp lines matter. For example, baseboards and trim, switches and hardware that can’t be removed, adjoining walls of differing colors, windows, cabinets and backsplashes.
So Amigos, do you recommend any other tips to properly prepare the job site? Comment below…
Also, check out Paint Amigo’s taping product recommendations below (Amazon affiliate links)…
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