Why prep matters more than the paint you choose

Homeowners often spend the most time picking a color and the least time thinking about the wall underneath it, but the surface prep is what determines whether that color still looks good in two years.

That means filling nail holes and dents, sanding them smooth, and priming any repairs so they don't flash a different sheen once painted. It also means cleaning walls near kitchens and bathrooms where grease or moisture can keep new paint from bonding properly.

Painter's tape only works as well as the surface it's applied to — dusty or uneven trim will let paint bleed underneath no matter how carefully you tape it.

None of this is glamorous work, but it's the difference between a paint job that looks crisp from across the room and one that looks crisp only up close, for a few weeks.