Hey everyone! I'm pretty new to home improvement since I've just bought my first house, which belonged to my great grandmother and has been around for about 60-70 years. Luckily, it's in good shape, but there's one room that needs some help. My cousin's kids painted it a bright hot pink and there are also some marker drawings on the walls. I want to make it look better before some family comes to visit. I'm thinking of painting the room white or off-white and I'm curious about how to prep the space. Aside from getting the paint and the necessary supplies like rollers, tape, and a tarp, do I need any special prep work? Do I require a primer to cover up the bold pink properly? And how can I make sure that the marker stains don't bleed through? I'd appreciate any beginner tips too! Thanks a lot!
1 Answer
For tackling that bold pink, I highly recommend using a "high hide" primer. It'll help a lot with covering up the color. Also, make sure to wash the walls where the markers are just in case there's something like crayon lurking around, which can cause the new paint to not stick well. Brands like Killz and Zinsser are excellent choices for primer. You might want to do two coats of primer if the color is really strong—it’s typically cheaper than doing double coats of paint anyway! And since you're just starting out, avoid the temptation of taping everything off. Spend some time learning how to 'cut in' with the brush; it’ll save you time and get you a cleaner finish. Check out painting tutorials from This Old House for some great tips!
Do you suggest any specific cleaner for the marker stains that won’t damage the walls, or would simple soap and water work just fine?
Thanks for the advice! I've heard of Killz before since my uncle does some painting, but didn't know if it was the right choice for this situation. I really appreciate the video suggestion too, I was set on taping everything, but if that can mess it up, I’ll follow your tip instead. Super helpful!