Getting your home painted is a process that makes you realize the difference between expectation and reality. You might be imagining scenarios of you and your loved ones having fun with the paint and the blank wall that you planned to paint yourself with simple, colorful patterns, doable patterns, while laughing and teasing each other. Chances are, till you reach that wall, all of you might be exhausted, wanting to finish the process as soon as possible, and in the worst case scenario, might have dropped the DIY project of painting your home. To avoid exhaustion, irritation, or mistakes, prepare thoroughly before you begin. In case of DIY painting, if you move ahead without prep work, you might end up with uneven finishes, wasted paint, or a house that feels quite different from your vision.
Moreover, if you are planning to hire paint experts, that would be a different circumstance with different demands. You need to be comfortable with a team of painters operating in your household. You need to be patient with the process, as it can take some time.
Be it a DIY or through professionals, preparing, looking into the options, and pulling socks for the upcoming process and events is essential. Here’s your much-needed home painting checklist, with a few steps you should take a few days in advance as part of painting preparation, if you are planning to get your living space painted.
If you hire professionals in Canada, check that they are licensed and insured—this protects you in case of accidental damage or workplace injury.
1. Choose the right timing: Seasons and Circumstances
Peak monsoon would be quite a bad time to paint the house. While exteriors can get ruined with rain, in a moist environment, interior paint might take forever to dry out completely, and it can affect the quality and appearance of the paint. On the other hand, if you are anticipating any big event in the house in the near future, you might need to plan to make sure the days don’t clash.
For eg, if your kid's birthday is coming next month, it’s better to plan the painting during the current month or after the birthday celebration is over. You don’t want to have 30 kids running around the house while one room, in the worst case, the living room, is covered with floors and paint buckets with furniture moved out. The same goes for a Christmas meet-up or Thanksgiving.
In Canada, timing is even more important, exterior painting usually requires daytime temperatures above 10°C, while winter interior projects need proper ventilation despite closed windows and heating
2. Visualize Your Chosen Shades and Designs Before Starting
Before your living room walls are painted with bright yellows or strong reds, imagine the shades with rooms and furniture, and make decisions while keeping light in mind, too. A shocking pink wall may look good on the wall of a chic cafe or a restaurant, but a not-so-big kitchen with the same wall color might not be the best idea. However, fetch all your ideas and let them take your imagination abilities (though strategically). Be sure of what you want for the large living room that has enough light, or for the guest room that is not exactly large and has only one mid-size window. Consider how you want the accent walls to look, with or without the wallpaper.
Note that large rooms can go well with bright, dark, and strong colors (depending on your home decor), and small rooms will require light shades to make them look big enough.
3. Safety Measures
Painting walls is not just too much work; it is also enough planning, and that should cover the safety of all members and pets of the home. Pets are especially vulnerable to paint chemicals. Also, those whose respiratory systems are less than strong should keep the masks and inhalers handy. The scraping of the wall will add to the dust particles in the air, and paint chemicals can make the allergies worse. Take care of all the safety measures and health precautions before the paint experts arrive.
In Canada, low-VOC paints are strongly recommended (and in some provinces required) to protect indoor air quality during long winters when homes are sealed tight
4. Declutter
It is a universal truth that, before any form of renovation or repair work happens at home, you need to move your furniture pieces, including the sofa, lilo, chairs, TV unit, if it's movable, and dining table, away from the area that is getting painted. If that is not possible or easy, you might need to take it far away from the walls. These movable items include furniture, decor, and electronic appliances. Missing out on anything here might stain your pricey furniture or decor, breaking your heart and wallet!
5. Protect and Cover Everything That Stays
Paint is sneaky. Even the neatest painter will deal with tiny splatters and drips. To avoid regret, make sure to cover floors and every item that you can’t move away from the room that is being painted, according to Benjamin Moore paint prep tips. For covering, use heavy-duty plastic or fabric drop cloths for flooring. Additionally, apply tape on the edges of the cover to ensure no paint touches the floors and other surfaces. Wall paints are built to stay forever on the surface; one drop of paint on your lovely furniture or decor pieces can ruin them.
This step is especially crucial if you’re hiring professionals. Don’t assume they’ll cover everything exactly as you want. Set things up beforehand to give yourself peace of mind.
Preparing your home for painting is about much more than tape and drop cloths—it’s about setting yourself up for success. From choosing colors wisely to ensuring safety, decluttering, and timing things around your life, every step makes the process smoother.
Canadian suppliers like Benjamin Moore, Dulux, and Sherwin-Williams recommend heavy-duty fabric drop cloths, which work better than plastic in dry winter air where static can cause plastic sheets to shift.
Whether you’re rolling up your sleeves for a DIY project or working with professionals, patience and preparation are your best tools. The reward? Freshly painted walls that feel like a transformation, not just a coat of color.