Hey everyone, I inherited my grandparents' home which has some untouched plaster walls with the original paint from the 1950s. I'm planning my first DIY project after dealing with a bad experience on a bathroom renovation I paid a bunch for. I've already had the wallpaper taken down by my awesome mom while I was recovering from surgery. Now, I'm ready to tackle the large master bedroom, but the walls feel gritty after the wallpaper removal, and I can't stand the thought of just washing them and painting over that condition. I know I need to sand the walls to prep them properly, but I'm stuck on how to approach the sanding. Is it better to get a random orbital sander or a circular sander on a pole? Given the room's size and my height (I'm only 5'1"), I'm worried it may take forever and would require a ladder. What other methods or techniques would you suggest for sanding and prepping these walls for a fresh coat of paint? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
1 Answer
I’d suggest reconsidering sanding altogether and going for a skim coat instead. It can save you a ton of time and gives the walls a nice smooth finish without the hassle of extensive sanding.
Thanks for the suggestion! Skim coating sounds more manageable than a full sanding job. I really appreciate the resource!
Totally agree! A guide I came across, [Family Handyman](https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/how-to-skim-coat-walls/), has solid tips on skim-coating and might help you out!