Painting & Wall Coverings
Book an independent local Pro for interior and exterior painting, brick and concrete painting, and wallpaper installation or removal.
Subcategories
Interior Painting
Paint walls, ceilings, rooms, trim and other indoor surfaces. Book an independent local Pro, compare profiles and availability, and book online.
Exterior Painting
Paint siding, doors, trim and other outdoor surfaces. Book an independent local Pro, compare profiles and availability, and book online.
Concrete & Brick Painting
Paint brick and concrete walls, foundations, patios and other masonry, inside or out. Book an independent local Pro and compare profiles online.
Wallpaper Installation & Removal
Hang new wallpaper or strip the old paper from your walls. Book an independent local Pro, compare profiles and availability, and book online.
What painting and wall coverings covers
This hub is for changing how a surface looks, inside or out:
- A single accent wall, a whole floor before you list the house, or a nursery: interior painting
- Faded siding, a front door that needs a new color, peeling porch trim: exterior painting
- A brick fireplace surround, basement walls or a garden wall: brick and concrete painting
- A patterned feature wall, or dated paper that has to go before you paint: wallpaper installation and removal
Damaged walls come first. Dents, cracks and water-stained patches go to drywall and wall repair before the paint goes on.
Planning exterior work around Virginia weather
Exterior paint and caulk each have a minimum temperature for application, printed on the label, and they need dry surfaces and a dry forecast. In Northern Virginia the season ends at different times: on average, the first fall frost comes around October 14 at Dulles and November 6 at Reagan National (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Western Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William run closer to the Dulles dates, and Arlington and Alexandria closer to Reagan's. Plan outside work for the warmer months, and settle on a date well before the first frost where you live.
How to prepare
- Choose colors and sheen early. Try samples on the wall and look at them in daylight and at night.
- Agree with the Pro who buys the paint, which brand and line, and how much.
- Move furniture to the middle of the room or out of it, and take down pictures, curtains and wall-mounted TVs.
- For exterior work, trim shrubs back from the walls, clear the ground along the house, and point out any peeling or soft wood.
- For wallpaper removal, tell the Pro how old the house is and whether you know if the walls are drywall or plaster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ask the Pro what their prep includes. Filling small nail holes is often part of painting prep, but larger holes, cracks and water stains may need drywall repair first. Patched spots also need primer before the finish coat.
It can be done, but seams and edges often show through, and the moisture in paint can loosen old paper. Removing the paper first usually gives a better result, so ask the Pro to look at the wall before deciding.
It depends on the color change, the paint and the surface. A big change from dark to light, or bare new drywall, usually needs a primer coat before the finish coats, so ask the Pro what they plan.
Yes. Brick and concrete are porous and hold moisture, so they need a primer and paint made for masonry, on a surface that has been cleaned and has dried out. Ask the Pro which products they plan to use.