When painting a wall, preparation is essential. It’s important to fill any cracks any properly sand the surface to ensure a smooth, imperfection-free canvas that the paint can adhere well to.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to sand walls using Gator^® products for the ultimate, flawless finish.

How to sand a wall prior to painting 

Below, we’ll show you how to sand a wall by hand using our hand sanding range. If you’re dealing with a larger space, there are other options available, such as an electric wall sander or using wall sander attached to a pole to reach the top of high walls. 

The method outlined for sanding a wall below is best if your walls are in generally good condition, with a few imperfections you want to iron out. Let’s get started... 

1. Prepare the room 

First things first, make sure that your room is well ventilated and wear a mask and protective gloves.

2. Fill holes and cracks 

Next, repair and fill any holes or cracks. Remove loose plaster from the crack and vacuum any dust. Clean the crack with sugar soap to completely remove any debris. Use a filling knife to push filler into the crack and smooth it flat against the wall. Once the hole has been completely filled, leave to dry.

3. Sand the filler 

Once dry, sand the filled area in all directions with a fine grit sandpaper of 120 or higher. Continue to sand until you get a smooth, flat finish.

4. Sand the walls 

After all cracks have been filled, use fine grit sandpaper to lightly sand the rest of the walls and remove any peeling or flaking paint. This will make sure that the paint adheres properly and provide a smooth finish.

We recommend using the Gator^® Super Sanding Sponge, Gator^® Zip^™ Handy Block or our Gator^® Premium Sanding Sheets to smooth the surface. Make sure to use a 120-180 grit sandpaper from the Prepare range. 

5. Clean the walls 

Cleaning your walls with sugar soap will remove dust or debris after sanding. It will also remove grease, grime, fingerprints and any other dirt too. Make sure that it is diluted as directed and apply the sugar soap to the wall, wiping down with a clean sponge. Once you’ve cleaned all the walls, rinse with warm water to remove soap residue. Let the walls dry completely before applying your first coat of paint.

From sandpaper sheets and sanding blocks to our innovative Zip sanding tools, Gator has a wide range of high-quality finishing products to suit any project. Not sure which of our sandpapers to use? Check out our handy guide on how to choose the right grit for your project.