When preparing for painting, you should ensure your work space is protected from any potential paint marks and that you have all the tools and equipment you need for the job close by. For example, paint brushes, rollers and roller covers, along with paint stirrer sticks and a paint tray.

If you’re painting over paint with the same type of paint as used previously, then theoretically you can paint over it without priming and prepping the surface. It is important to note that there are some paints which you can’t paint over others. An example of this is oil based paint which can’t be painted over latex paint, however, latex paint can be painted over oil paint, provided the surface has been sanded down slightly.

When prepping your exterior walls for painting, smooth out your walls by using a sand block or sandpaper and wipe any dust away with a damp cloth, before leaving to dry. This will ensure that the walls are clean prior to painting.

If it’s needed or desired, you can use warm water and a sponge to clean your walls prior to painting, make sure the walls have dried completely before applying primer or paint.

As exterior walls tend to experience more wear and tear, it’s important that they are prepared properly prior to paint application. You should brush your exterior walls to remove any dust, debris or dirt. If your exterior walls have any cracks you should fill these in with filler to repair them and you can use a stiff bristle brush (not a wire brush) or pressure washer to remove any flaking paint if the wall has already been painted previously.

In instances where filler has been used for gaps, holes or cracks - you will need to sand the wall to smooth the area prior to painting.