A professional interior repaint isn't just about rolling paint on walls — it follows a careful, logical sequence that ensures a durable, great-looking result. NZ painters typically work through distinct phases: preparation, priming, cutting in, rolling, and finishing. Understanding this order helps you know what to expect when you hire a painter, and why the job takes the time it does.
1. Initial Assessment and Protection
Before a drop of paint is opened, a good painter walks through the space and assesses the surfaces. They're looking for cracks, holes, water stains, mould, peeling paint, and surface contamination — all of which must be dealt with before painting begins.
Once assessed, the painter protects everything that isn't being painted:
- Furniture is moved to the centre of the room or removed entirely
- Floors are covered with drop sheets (canvas or plastic)
- Skirting boards, architraves, light switches, and power points are masked off with painter's tape
- Light fittings are either removed or carefully masked
This protection phase is often underestimated by homeowners, but it's what separates a tidy job from a messy one.
2. Surface Preparation
Prep is the most time-consuming part of any repaint — and the most important. Professional painters in NZ typically follow this order:
Cleaning
Walls are washed down with sugar soap or a similar degreaser to remove dust, grease, and grime. This is especially important in kitchens and bathrooms. Mould must be treated with an appropriate mould killer before painting — simply painting over it will not work.
Repairs
Holes, cracks, and dents are filled with filler or plaster compound, then sanded smooth once dry. For larger repairs to GIB plasterboard, a painter may apply multiple coats of stopping compound, feathering each coat out. GIB's technical information is a useful reference for plasterboard repair standards.
Sanding
Once repairs are dry, surfaces are sanded to create a smooth, even profile. Existing gloss or semi-gloss paint is also lightly sanded (or de-glossed) to improve adhesion for the new coat.
Priming
Any repaired areas — and sometimes entire walls if the surface is porous, stained, or changing colour dramatically — are spot-primed or fully primed. Primer seals the surface, improves adhesion, and helps achieve a uniform finish. Resene and Dulux both offer a range of interior primers suited to different NZ conditions, including high-humidity areas like bathrooms.
3. Ceilings First
Professional painters always paint ceilings before walls. This is a fundamental rule of sequencing — any drips or splatter from the ceiling work lands on unpainted walls, which can then be covered when the walls are done.
Ceilings are typically rolled with a flat or low-sheen ceiling paint, with edges cut in first using a brush. Two coats are standard for a quality result.
4. Cutting In Walls and Trim
Once ceilings are done, painters cut in the walls — this means carefully brushing paint along all the edges: where walls meet ceilings, corners, around windows, doors, and skirting boards. A steady hand and a quality cutting-in brush are essential here.
Cutting in is done before rolling so the roller can blend into the wet or recently dried cut-in line, minimising visible brush marks at the edges.
5. Rolling Walls
With edges cut in, the painter rolls the main wall surfaces. A 9–12mm nap roller is typical for standard plasterboard walls; a thicker nap may be used on textured surfaces. Rolling is done in a consistent 'W' or 'M' pattern to distribute paint evenly and avoid lap marks.
Most quality interior jobs require two coats, with adequate drying time between coats as specified by the paint manufacturer. Rushing this step is a common cause of poor results. NZ's variable climate — particularly humidity in Auckland and the West Coast — can extend drying times, so painters factor this in.
6. Painting Doors, Architraves, and Skirting Boards
Trim work — doors, door frames (architraves), skirting boards, and window reveals — is typically painted after the walls are complete. This is because trim is usually a different sheen level (often semi-gloss or gloss) and a different colour, and it's easier to mask or cut in against a finished wall.
Doors are often removed from their hinges and painted flat to avoid runs. Hardware such as hinges and handles is either removed or carefully masked.
7. Final Inspection and Touch-Ups
Once all coats are dry, the painter does a walk-through inspection in good light — ideally with a torch held at a low angle to reveal any missed spots, holidays (thin patches), or brush marks. Touch-ups are made, masking tape is carefully removed, and the space is cleaned up.
A professional painter will also check that all paint edges are crisp and clean, particularly around trim and ceiling lines.
Typical Sequence at a Glance
| Step | Task |
|---|---|
| 1 | Assess, protect, and mask |
| 2 | Clean, repair, sand, and prime |
| 3 | Paint ceilings (cut in, then roll — two coats) |
| 4 | Cut in walls |
| 5 | Roll walls (two coats) |
| 6 | Paint trim, doors, and skirting boards |
| 7 | Inspect, touch up, and clean up |
When to Call a Professional
While enthusiastic DIYers can tackle a straightforward repaint, there are situations where a professional painter is strongly recommended:
- Extensive surface damage requiring significant stopping or plastering
- Mould problems that may indicate an underlying moisture issue (worth checking with BRANZ guidance or a building inspector)
- High stud ceilings or stairwells requiring scaffolding or specialist access equipment
- Older homes where lead paint may be present — this is a health and safety issue governed by WorkSafe NZ guidelines and should not be sanded or disturbed without proper precautions
- When you simply want a high-quality, lasting result with minimal hassle
You can find qualified, experienced local painters on tradedirectory.co.nz.
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