Wall painting - walls and ceilings in an apartment

When painting is enough

Before painting, the surface is examined: cracks, holes left by wall plugs, flaking old paint, remains of wallpaper adhesive. If there is little damage, it is filled locally. If there is a lot, the whole wall is skimmed, and for that see wall skimming.

Painting uneven walls without skimming is possible if you accept that the unevenness will stay visible. This can be a sensible choice, for example before handing over a rental apartment, when fresh paint matters more than a perfect surface.

What the paint manufacturer requires of the surface

In the Tikkurila Euro Smart 2 data sheet, the manufacturer recommends painting in two coats; the second coat is applied after 2 hours at +20 °C and 65% air humidity. The surface must be dry, its temperature at least +5 °C, and the air humidity must not exceed 80%.

Rough, absorbent surfaces and surfaces skimmed with dry mixes must be primed before painting. The paint reaches its final hardness in about a month. For other paints the figures may differ, so see the data sheet of the paint you choose.

How wall and ceiling painting is done

1. Clearing the room Before the work the room is cleared or the furniture is stacked in the middle of the room. Write in your request whether the room will be empty.
2. Checking the surface Cracks, holes and flaking are found, and it is decided where local repair is enough and where the whole wall must be skimmed.
3. Priming Absorbent and skimmed surfaces are primed as the paint manufacturer requires.
4. Ceilings before walls If the ceilings are painted too, they are usually painted before the walls.
5. Painting in coats The paint is applied in coats, observing the time between coats that the data sheet states.
6. Finishing The socket frames and skirting boards are put back when the paint is dry.

Ceiling painting and painting wallpaper

Ceiling painting uses the same line, from €4/m². The ceiling area is usually close to the floor area, so for a 15 m² room the ceiling is about 15 m².

Painting wallpaper is possible if the wallpaper manufacturer intends it for painting and the wallpaper holds tightly to the wall. If it is coming away, it is removed first; for that see wallpapering.

What to decide before the request

• the colour and sheen, and whether you will choose the paint yourself;
• whether only the walls are painted or the ceilings and window reveals as well;
• whether the walls must be skimmed over the whole area or only in places;
• whether the room will be empty.

Painting walls and ceilings does not need construction documentation, the municipality explains. In the form, write the address, the rooms and the room dimensions.

How much wall painting costs

Painting walls or ceilings: from €4/m². Prices are for labour. Materials are calculated separately in the estimate. Skimming is a separate line: from €10/m².

An example: a room of 15 m² with 40 m² of walls. Painting 40 × €4 = €160. If the walls need skimming, 40 × €10 = €400 is added, in total from €560. If the ceiling is painted too, 15 × €4 = €60.

The price is affected by the condition of the walls and ceilings, the area of the surface to be painted, the number of window and door openings and the chosen finish. An exact estimate can be made after seeing the apartment.

What the painting price includes