5 Steps to Properly Painting Over New Plasterboard

As one of the most widely applied in universal building materials of our day, plasterboard is a common commodity you will come across at some point in time as a homeowner. Also known as gypsum board, sheet rock, or drywall, fresh plasterboard requires a nice finish for optimal aesthetic appeal. In place of a skip trowel or texture design, homeowners can choose to paint over the new plasterboard. However, be sure you know the proper techniques and the right kind materials before getting over your head in a drywall painting project.

Continue reading to learn the 5 steps it takes to properly paint over new plasterboard, as well as, where to turn if you find yourself in need of some professional assistance or advice.

Indianapolis Drywall Contractors 317-269-7319
Indianapolis Drywall Contractors 317-269-7319

Let’s Get Started With What You Need

Visit your local department store or home improvement store, and pick up these supplies to properly paint over your freshly-installed and finished drywall:

✒ High Quality Paint and Primer
✒ 2.5 or 3 Inch Tapered Paint Brush
✒ Paint Rollers W/Covers
✒ Roller Extension Handle (Optional)
✒ Painters Tape
✒ Paint Pan
✒ Drop Cloths or Tarps
✒ Damp Sponge
✒ Screwdriver
✒ Ladder (Optional; Depending)

Once you’ve gathered all of your necessary supplies, organize them in a fashion so that your workspace is all set up and ready to go. This includes donning any protective gear, such as safety goggles, gloves, and painters’ apron, as well as, setting up drop cloths and furniture coverings to protect all surrounding areas and structures.

Now You Are Ready To Paint Your Plasterboard

Step 1

Using your damp sponge, give you our new plasterboard a wipe down to ensure all dust and solid matter are eliminated. During this process you might notice some imperfections or problem areas. In this case, make all necessary repairs, and finish by sanding and re-wiping your sheet rock.

Step 2

Apply your painters’ tape and all necessary areas of your workspace, including around electrical outlets, baseboards, window frames, door frames, ceilings, and more. Be sure that all of your drop cloths or plastic tarps, whichever one you’re using, are perfectly in place and covering any areas that might get paint splatter.

Step 3

If you need your ladder, get it ready to go. If you can reach all areas of your plasterboard with your paint roller, forget the latter. Just grab your paint rollers and paint brush. Pour your primer into your paint pan, and began applying your paint primer. Start with corners and edges first, creating a border. Then, starting at the center of the wall, fill in the rest of the space using straight and diagonal movements to ensure a streak free finish.

Step 4

After you have allowed the primer to dry, you may need to apply a second coat. But if not go ahead and move forward step four, which involves applying your finishing paint coats. First, apply your painters’ tape below the edges of the ceiling. Then pour your paint into your paint pan, and begin painting the ceiling first. Generally, ceilings are painted all white. After the ceiling has completely dried, remove your painters’ tape, and begin applying your finishing paint to the walls, which might be a different color than the ceiling.

Step 5

After the ceiling and walls have dried completely, you may need to apply a second coat. In fact, it is usually best practice to do so. Also during this step, go ahead and add in any touchups you need using your smaller tapered paintbrush. Finish by removing the rest of your painters’ tape from your workspace.

Professional Drywall Installation and Painting Services in Indianapolis

Call Drywall by Local Builders at 317-269-7319 for drywall installation and interior painting services in Indianapolis, Indiana. We are experienced drywall contractors who offer a wide range of residential and commercial drywall service, including painting, repair, replacement, installation, new home construction, metal stud framing, custom drywall texture, grid ceilings, and much more. Call 317-269-7319 to request a free estimate, today.

Indianapolis Drywall Contractors
Indianapolis Drywall Contractors 317-269-7319

Call Drywall By Local Builders for Drywall Installation and Repair in Indianapolis

When you need trusted customer service, competitive pricing, and outstanding results that last, you need the licensed and qualified experts at Drywall By Local Builders! Whether commercial or residential, we have what it takes to deliver this promise!

Indianapolis Drywall Contractors
Indianapolis Drywall Contractors 317-269-7319

A Professional Indianapolis Drywall Repair Company

Here at Drywall by Local Builders, we are a licensed, bonded, and insured drywall construction company in Indianapolis, Indiana. We provide professional drywall repair, replacement, installation, and finishing for both residential and commercial properties in Indianapolis and throughout Central Indiana. Our general contractors have more than 10 years of experience in the building and construction industry, and provide a wide range of drywall and painting services for properties and complexes of all sizes.

Our experienced drywall contractors offer both residential and commercial drywall service, including repair, replacement, installation, level 5 finishes, new home construction, metal stud framing, custom drywall texture, grid ceilings, and much more. Whether you need acoustic drywall service, new home construction drywall, or something in between, we are the highly-skilled Indianapolis drywall contractors to trust for the results you expect.

We Can Conquer Any Job, Large or Small

Drywall by Local Builders is always fully-equipped to manage any project, regardless of size and scope. We get the job done right the first time, and offer convenient schedule flexibility to accommodate your personal agenda. Our strong dedication to old fashioned values of honesty, integrity, and quality set us apart from our competition. And our “Satisfaction Guarantee” lets you know you can trust our work and be happy with the results for many years. When you enlist our professional Indianapolis drywall crew for drywall service and repair, you are making a safe and educated investment for your property!

How to Get in Touch for a Free Estimate

Getting in touch with one of our licensed Indianapolis drywall contractors is easy. Just contact our office at 317-269-7319 to learn more about our drywall services, or to schedule an estimate today. We also offer free estimates, in-home consultations, and complimentary advice about drywall replacement.

Indianapolis Drywall Contractors
Indianapolis Drywall Contractors 317-269-7319

How to Paint Like a Pro

Want to know how the professionals make a painting job look so good? The answer is to combine the right techniques with the right products. Continue below to learn how to paint just like a pro!

Indianapolis Drywall Contractors
Indianapolis Drywall Contractors 317-269-7319

Painter’s Tape is Crucial

When you tape up baseboards before painting, it can seem like a pretty straightforward task. Apply the tape so that the woodwork is covered and move on; right? Well, many times, after the painting is finished and the tape is removed, you can find streaks or drops that managed to seep their way through. To avoid this, do what the pro’s do and use a putty knife to apply the painting tape on baseboards and molding. Press the knife against the tape to ensure a thorough seal. This prevents any paint from getting through.

Hole-Patching and Sanding

One of the most important steps to painting is preparation. Preparation of course includes choosing the proper paint, deciding on a color, purchasing needed supplies, and laying out protective drop canvas for flooring and furniture. But when we mentioned preparation in terms of what the professionals suggest, we mean hole-patching and sanding.  All holes and deficits should be filled in with a joint-compound patching product, smoothed down evenly, and allowed to dry completely. Once these areas of dry, you can sand away all the uneven surfaces.

It is vital to sand away any surface flaws, like spackle, joint-compound patches, nicks, nail holes, scores, scratches, chips, and more the best you can. Do this using a fine grit sandpaper and sanding pole. The fine grit will protect your walls from over-sanding, while the pole will allow you to reach all the way to the high walls and ceiling. Sand baseboards, molding, walls, and more to get an even smooth surface. Once you have an even and smooth surface, you can move forward with your painting project.

Tinted Primer

When joint compound is painted over, it can sometimes absorb all the moisture from the paint and leave a duller, discolored look. This makes all the patched areas on a wall noticeable. To avoid this problem, which professionals refer to as “flashing”, be sure to apply a primer to your walls before painting. But to paint like a professional, don’t just use any primer, use a tinted primer. Although white primer is acceptable and frequently used, professionals typically use a gray-colored primer, or a primer that is close to the color of the finishing paint. This covers patched areas and existing paint better than plain white or ivory primers. This results in a more vibrant finish and less applications.

Paint Boxing

Although you can purchase the same color in five cans, it is not guaranteed that all five cans will look exactly the same. This can be evident in a paint job when a new container is opened halfway through painting. It can result in a different color tones on a wall. To avoid this, professionals “box” their paint by pouring all cans into one large bucket to achieve one consistent color.

Paint Extenders

Ever wonder why a self-paint job looks streaky and a professional’s is always smooth and even? Well the secret is adding a paint extender or paint conditioner into your paint. Popular products, like Floetrol, are designed to slow down the drying process of the paint, allowing a more even application and finish. Not only do paint extenders hide brush strokes, they also eliminate dark lap marks from painting over semi-dried paint.   

Ceilings

When ceilings are textured or bumpy, it can be virtually impossible to paint a clean line between the wall and the ceiling. For this reason, professionals will use a screwdriver to scrape a ridge along the edge of the walls and ceiling. This creates a platform for painting a smooth straight line between ceiling and wall and prevents paint from sticking to ceiling bumps. The resulting ridge should be fine enough so that the lost texture is never noticed, but wide enough for brush bristles to fit.

Is the Job Turning Out to Be a Little Too Tough?

Call Our Indianapolis Drywall and Painting Contractors in Indianapolis!

When a painting project gets to be too much for you to take on, just call Drywall by Local Builders at 317-269-7319 for Indianapolis drywall and painting service you can afford! We are experienced drywall contractors who offer a wide range of residential and commercial services, including drywall, painting, repair, replacement, installation, new home construction, metal stud framing, custom drywall texture, grid ceilings, and much more. Call 317-269-7319 to request a free estimate, today.

Indianapolis Drywall Contractors
Indianapolis Drywall Contractors 317-269-7319