How to Get Your Home Ready for Interior Painters

• Finalize your colours. Test samples on the actual walls and look at them in morning and evening light. Changing colours on painting day can delay the job.
• Decide on the details. Are ceilings, trim, doors or closets included? Confirm the scope so there are no surprises. (Each of these affects the price, as we explain in what drives interior painting costs.)
• Plan where things will go. Pick a room or garage space where furniture and belongings can sit while the painters work.
• Flag anything on your calendar. If you are hosting guests or expecting a delivery during the job, let your painter know so the room order works around it.

• Clear small items. Take down pictures, mirrors and curtains, and pack up anything on shelves, dressers and tables.
• Move what you can. Shift lighter furniture out of the room or to the centre. Large pieces can stay; the crew will cover them.
• Empty closets if they are being painted.
• Store valuables and breakables somewhere safe and out of the way.
• Clear a path from the door to each room so the crew can bring in equipment easily.

Don't worry about taping or covering floors. That's part of the painters' prep.

• Keep pets and kids out of work areas. A closed door or baby gate saves wet-paint handprints and paw prints.
• Plan your days. Know which rooms are being painted when, especially bedrooms and the kitchen.
• Keep the heat on. Most interior paint needs the room at roughly 10°C or warmer to dry and cure properly, so leave the thermostat at its normal setting in rooms being painted.
• Keep air moving. Windows stay closed in winter, so run bathroom and range fans or your HVAC fan to help the paint dry.
• Ask questions early. If something does not look right, mention it while the crew is still there.

• Give it time. Paint feels dry within hours, but it takes a few weeks to fully harden. Wait before scrubbing walls or pushing furniture tight against them.
• Rehang carefully. Put pictures back up after a day or two, and avoid tape on fresh paint.
• Keep the leftovers. Label extra paint with the room and colour. It makes future touch-ups much easier.
• Do a walkthrough. Look over each room in good light and point out any spots that need attention.

Bay City Painters has painted interiors across Hamilton, Burlington, Stoney Creek, Ancaster, Dundas, Waterdown, Binbrook, Grimsby, Brantford and the surrounding communities since 2017. See our painting services, or call (905) 518-6417 or request a free estimate.