Painting Teen Bedrooms: How to Prep Your Walls

I’m planning on repainting my teen bedroom. I’ve decided on a color and have the paint, I’m just not sure of all the steps involved in preparing my walls. Do you have any guidelines for painting teen bedrooms?

When it comes to painting teen bedrooms, you’ll find the greatest success by doing a little basic prep work. I believe if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.

The steps involved in prepping your teen bedroom walls are important to know as they are the same techniques used for any wall painting project.

Before we get started on the steps involved in painting teen bedrooms, talk to your parents about the required materials e.g. drywall mud (compound), putty knives, scrapers, sandpaper, painter’s tape, brushes, rollers – and of course, how much paint you’ll need.

Next, call in the troops – gather your friends together and turn the event into a fun ‘painting teen bedrooms’ party. As an incentive promise your friends you’ll order pizza afterwards and return the favor when it comes time to makeover their own teen bedrooms (which chances are good they’ll be doing sooner than later once they see how awesome your teen bedroom turned out).

Okay now let’s get down to it.

Step 1

Dress for the occasion. Think function vs. fashion. You and your friends should be comfortably attired in clothes you don’t mind getting paint splatters on. Tie your hair up, put on some continuous play music and get started.

Step 2

Undress you teen bedroom walls. Carefully remove any posters, wall art, mirrors etc.

Step 3

Turn off the power and remove all your outlet covers including the plate on your light switch.

Step 4

De-clutter surfaces like the top of your desk or dresser. Box these items up for safe keeping.

Step 5

Move all your furniture into the middle of your teen bedroom (this is where your friends come in real handy.)

Step 6

Cover all your furniture and belongings with plastic cloths or old sheets (check with your parent’s first before raiding the linen closet).

Step 7

Use drywall mud to repair any nail and push pin holes as well as any other wall blemishes like nicks and dings.

Step 8

With the aid of a manual paint scraper remove cracked and/or bubbled paint. (If your walls are wallpapered you’ll want to use a steamer or a wallpaper removal product prior to scraping.)

Step 9

Once the drywall compound has dried and any wallpaper has been removed you’re ready to sand. Lightly sand your teen bedroom walls so your new paint will adhere better.

Step 10

Remove any dirt and dust particles by cleaning your walls with a mild cleanser.

Step 11

Line your teen bedroom wall and door trim with painter’s tape (unlike masking tape it can be easily removed without leaving a sticky residue). To keep paint from seeping where you don’t want it to, go over all the taped edges with a putty knife to create a seal.

Step 12

Cover any exposed floors with newspaper or plastic drop cloths. Secure with tape to maintain coverage and avoid accidents caused by slipping on loose paper or cloths.

Step 13

Grab some damp rags for those evitable drips and start painting!

Wishing you much luck with your ‘painting teen bedrooms’ party!