Before painting a mural in your home, it is important to prepare your wall surface properly before you paint. If you are dealing with a brand new wall, meaning bare drywall you must take certain steps to make sure the wall will accept the paint and your mural painting will adhere to the wall properly.

After drywall is installed, taped, and drywall mud is applied to finish the drywall, and is dry, it is important to wipe down the drywall to remove any excess dust from the wall. Don't use a wet cloth, just use a soft bristle broom or a dusting cloth to remove any dust or particles.

Next, prime the wall surface with a good quality primer. Ask your paint professional to recommend the proper paint for the job. Let paint dry thoroughly. The primer acts as a sealer which will allow your paint to adhere to the wall. I have used Glidden's Primer paint called "the Gripper".

Beware that this paint will adhere very well to the wall and really will adhere to skin too. I always use gloves when painting with primer. Although the primer is water based you really have to scrub to get it off your skin. Make sure you wipe drips off you or other surfaces immediately with a wet cloth.

Finally, it is recommended that you paint your background with a paint that has an eggshell or satin sheen. This allows your paint to flows on the wall easily. It also allows easy cleanup of paint drips.

Note:

1. Benjamin Moore carries a self priming paint called "Aura". This allows you to skip the two step process of priming then painting again with the background paint.

2. We also recommend sealing your finished murals with a clear latex glaze.