Why Paint Prep Matters More Than the Paint Itself

Here's a truth most painters won't tell you: prep work is 60–70% of a quality paint job. The paint itself matters, but even the best Benjamin Moore paint will fail on poorly prepared surfaces.

What Proper Prep Looks Like

### Interior Prep
1. Patching — Fill nail holes, dents, and cracks with spackle or drywall compound
2. Sanding — Smooth all patched areas to be flush with the wall
3. Cleaning — Wipe down walls to remove dust, cobwebs, and grease (especially in kitchens)
4. Caulking — Seal gaps between trim and walls, around windows, at ceiling lines
5. Priming — Spot-prime patches, stains, and any bare surfaces
6. Taping — Clean, precise taping of all edges (we use Frog Tape for the sharpest lines)
7. Protection — Drop cloths on floors, plastic over furniture, tape on fixtures

### Exterior Prep
1. Power washing — Remove dirt, mildew, and loose paint
2. Scraping — All peeling paint removed to a sound edge
3. Sanding — Feather rough edges for smooth transitions
4. Wood repair — Replace or fill any rotted wood
5. Caulking — Seal all gaps, joints, and penetrations
6. Priming — All bare wood and repaired areas primed

What Happens When Prep Is Skipped

We often repaint homes where the previous painter cut corners on prep:
- Visible nail pops and patches — because they weren't sanded flush
- Peeling around trim — because gaps weren't caulked before painting
- Bubbling on exterior — because moisture was trapped under paint
- Stains bleeding through — because problem areas weren't spot-primed

The BITR Difference

Our crew spends more time on prep than painting. It's not the exciting part, but it's what separates a 2-year paint job from a 10-year paint job. When you see our final result, what you're really seeing is the prep work underneath.

Every BITR project follows a detailed prep checklist. No shortcuts, no skipped steps — that's how we back every job with a 2-year warranty.