How to smooth a wall before painting
A well-prepared wall changes everything about the finish. The essential steps for smoothing an interior wall with Bricolisse.
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- Language
- English
- Tags
- smoothing, preparation, painting
Paint does not hide a poorly prepared wall — it shows it up. Before a tin is opened, the substrate has to be sound, clean and flat. Here are the five steps for smoothing with Bricolisse, the 8-in-1 multi-purpose interior filler, mixed with water.
1. Check the substrate
The substrate must be clean, sound, free of dust and of any trace of mould oil. Highly absorbent substrates are dampened first. Cracks to be filled are opened to at least 5 mm, and cut edges left clean and dust-free.
The list of suitable substrates is a closed one and appears in the technical data sheet. A substrate that is not on it is not covered by the manufacturer's documentation.
2. Prepare the mix
Always add the powder to the water, never the other way round: sprinkle Bricolisse evenly into the measured water without stirring. Then mix, by hand or with a slow-speed paddle, to a smooth paste with no lumps.
Mixing water: 15 to 16 L per 25 kg bag. Figures for the other pack sizes are on the product page.
Avoid breathing in dust when mixing.
3. Apply the filler
Apply with a filling knife, a smoothing trowel or a float, depending on the use. Work in even passes, crossing directions, and never reuse a paste that has begun to set.
Application and drying temperature between +5 °C and +30 °C, substrate temperature. High temperatures shorten the working time, low ones extend it.
4. Allow the drying time
Between two coats, allow 2 hours of drying. That is the manufacturer's figure: cutting it short means working on a coat that has not finished setting.
5. Sand if needed
A light sanding is enough to take down any high spots before painting. Dust off carefully afterwards: even a film of dust is enough to compromise the paint's adhesion.
Cleaning tools: with cold water, immediately after use.
Before you start
Interior use only. Before any application, consult the product's technical data sheet: it is the authority on suitable substrates, conditions and precautions for use.