If you’re planning a fresh paint job for your home in the near future, you probably know you can’t simply jump in without a decent amount of preparation. The following are all the steps you should take when preparing your home for a paint job, to ensure the job goes smoothly and the new paint lasts.

Remove Any Loose Paint

Walk around your home and look closely for any loose or peeling paint. Any paint that comes within sixteen inches of the concrete base should also be scraped away. Look for scrapers made especially for loosening and removing paint. If any joints you see are filled with caulking, dig this out as well.

Sand for Stronger Adhesion

While you walk around and scrape loose paint away, look for corners and areas that your scraper can’t reach. Using sandpaper, dig into these small nooks and crannies and sand away any paint. Your best bet is to use paper with 60-80 grit. This type of grit will easily loosen and remove paint, and it will leave behind an optimal surface for applying primer.

Make Space Away from the Concrete

Where the trim touches the concrete, use a saw to separate the two. Leave a quarter-inch gap between the concrete to prevent the trim from absorbing paint-destroying water from the ground.

Prepare the Wood

Once the bare wood has been exposed on walls, apply a solid coat of water repellent to it. If some of the repellent doesn’t soak into the wood, simply wipe it off with a spare paper towel or rag.

Soak the Bottom of the Trim

Wet a paper towel with the water repellent and slip it into the gap you made between the trim and concrete. Maneuver a putty knife underneath the paper towel and press it upwards to apply water repellent to this hard-to-reach spot.

Apply Masking to the Concrete and Ready the Trim

Use painter’s tape along the concrete’s edge against the trim, and apply primer underneath the trim using the putty knife again. Once the underside has dried, caulk any nail holes or joints you see.

Paint Your Trim

Lastly, use only a solid brand of latex paint to apply a few coats to your trim. You’ll also need to paint underneath the trim, just after applying the coat of primer. Using the putty knife, slide the paint into the gap and apply it to the underside. After you’ve done this, the rest of your home will be ready for that fresh new paint job!

About the Author: Emma is a freelance writer living in Boston, MA. When not writing, she enjoys reading and indoor rock climbing. Find her on Google +. Informational Credit to Student Works Painting