Interior Painting: What to Know Before You Start

I get calls every few months from homeowners who painted their own interior and now want it repainted. Not because they hated the color — because the paint started peeling at the corners, or the roller marks showed up once the light hit the wall at an angle, or the bathroom finish is staining and won't clean. Most of these problems trace back to the same few mistakes. And the good news is all of them are avoidable if you know what to do before you pick up a brush.

Prep Is 80% of the Job

This is not an exaggeration. The painting part — rolling the walls — is actually fast. What takes time, and what most people skip, is the prep. That means cleaning the walls first. Grease, dust, and old residue will cause paint to bond poorly, especially in kitchens. A simple wash with TSP cleaner or a degreaser makes a real difference.

Then fill every nail hole and crack. In League City homes from the 1980s and 1990s — a lot of the houses in neighborhoods like Calder Woods or Hometown — you often find textured walls that have been patched in multiple spots over the years. Those patches need to be sanded smooth and primed before you paint over them, or they'll ghost through the new color. Every time.

Tape your trim and baseboards carefully. And put down drop cloths that actually cover the floor, not just a strip of paper. Paint splatters more than people expect.

Why Primer Matters — Especially After Drywall Work

If you've had any drywall repair done, or if you're painting new drywall, you need primer. Not paint-and-primer-in-one — actual separate primer. New drywall and fresh mud patches absorb paint differently than the rest of the wall. Without primer, those spots will look flat and dull compared to the surrounding surface. You'll see the patches right through your finish coat, no matter how many times you paint over them.

I use a PVA drywall primer on new drywall, and a shellac-based primer on serious stains or water damage. For standard repaints over clean, previously painted walls in good condition, a tinted primer matching your top coat will help you get full coverage with two coats instead of three.

The Right Paint Finish for Each Room

This is where a lot of people go wrong. They buy one finish for the whole house and it ends up being wrong for at least half the rooms. Here's what actually works:

• Flat or matte — ceilings only. Flat paint hides surface imperfections well but it doesn't clean. Never use flat on walls you'll be touching.
• Eggshell — living rooms, bedrooms, hallways. It's got a very slight sheen, it's washable, and it looks good in natural light. This is what most of our interior wall work uses.
• Satin — good for kids' rooms and higher-traffic areas where you need a bit more durability than eggshell gives you.
• Semi-gloss — trim, doors, baseboards, and bathrooms. Semi-gloss holds up to humidity and cleans easily. Bathrooms need it on the walls too, not just the trim.

Cutting In and Coat Count

Cutting in — painting the edges at the ceiling line, corners, and along trim — needs to happen before you roll the walls. And it needs to be done carefully. Sloppy cut lines at the ceiling are the most visible flaw in an interior paint job. A good angled brush and a steady hand will get you there. Take your time on this part.

As for coats: two is the standard minimum on walls. One coat is almost never enough to get full, even coverage, especially when you're changing color. Dark to light usually takes three coats. And between coats, let the paint dry completely — in Houston humidity that can take longer than the can says.

Do it right once and it'll look good for years. Rush it, and you'll be calling someone like me to come fix it before the year is out.