Hey everyone, has anyone else tackled repainting the walls in an older London flat and found certain tiny prep steps that totally changed the final look? Mine's this classic conversion from the early 1900s with plaster that's seen better days—last time I rushed the job and ended up with visible roller marks plus some flaking a year later. Really kicking myself now because I skimped on proper sanding and filling those hairline cracks properly. What little details in surface prep do you swear by that actually make the biggest impact, especially with these uneven, aged walls? Would love to hear what actually works in real flats around here.
12 Views
Yeah, those small cracks and uneven bits can ruin everything if you don't sort them first. In my last place—a similar old conversion—I learned the hard way that just slapping on new paint without thorough cleaning and light sanding leaves everything looking patchy pretty quick. Washing down the walls properly to get rid of grease and dust, then going over with fine sandpaper to knock back any gloss from previous layers really helps the new stuff stick. Filling and feathering out those imperfections so they're flush is key too; otherwise you see every bump once the light hits. I've used pros before who really take their time on that stage, like the commercial painters london team I found through — they were brilliant at making old surfaces feel brand new without overdoing it. Totally worth it for a smooth finish that lasts. Anyone else notice how much difference good priming makes after all that?