Millions of house fires occur every year. It could be from faulty electrical appliances, unattended cooking, smoking, and other accidents.

House fires spread fast, and a small flame could turn into an inferno in seconds. Seeing your home catch ablaze is frightening and watching it reduce to ashes is heartbreaking. 

If your home has suffered minor or moderate fire damage, it will need restoration. If on the other hand it has extensive damage, you may need to demolish the rubble and seek to rebuild altogether.

When it comes to restoration, a painting contractor will play a significant role in the whole project. However, there is a lot that needs to be done to get your house returned to its former glory, which is detailed below.

Assess The Damage

After a fire, there is so much damage that can be identified. Furniture and belongings may be destroyed. But besides the ash and toxic gases, the walls will say a lot. 

On the walls, burn marks and smoke may be seen. This is, if you are lucky enough the house was not reduced to ashes. 

There will be a lot of work involved to restore the beauty of the home. It all starts with getting the interior of the home restored and then you can start redecorating.

It is only after surface preparation, painting and decorating is completed that your home will be back again.

Plan What Needs To Be Done

To restore your home’s curb appeal and make the home comfortable once again, a professional contractor should be hired. Companies such as Rapid Restoration are able to assist you with the recovery of the contents of your home. Your belongings can be packed, cleaned and prepared for storage by professionals. Contents packing and storing services are vital in quickly securing your property while you navigate the next steps following a fire.

The burn marks and smoke on the walls and ceiling must be removed and whenever possible, the painting should be done immediately. To keep the beauty of your home’s interior, the contractor will follow a few steps. 

Dry Clean The Interior 

The first step to restoring your interior walls is to clean the smoke and burn marks. Painting over the affected areas can seem to be a challenge but not with experts. 

A painting contractor will first work on neutralizing the damage. Contrary to what many believe, dry cleaning is the first step in preparing the surface. It helps in removing stains, and the soot stuck on the walls. 

To avoid causing more damage, a dry-cleaning sponge will be used. This can be quite demanding, but with the right skills and techniques, it will not be too hard. 

The expert will focus on removing soot, stains, and as much debris as possible. What cannot be removed through dry cleaning will be removed through wet cleaning. 

Proceed To Wet Cleaning

During dry cleaning, the difference of work may not be visible. There will still be burn marks and discoloration on the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. 

Dry cleaning cannot remove all this and to paint over it will be a bad idea. What you need to know is the importance of removing ash and smoke cannot be underestimated. 

As the contractor focuses on removing the pollutants, they make sure they adhere to safety. Cleaning such a house can be a health risk, especially to those with respiratory issues. 

Besides wearing protective gear, they will use the best heavy-duty cleaners to remove the pollutants. All stains must be removed first before moving on to the next step. 

Time To Prime Up 

Now that the cleaning part is complete, it is time for more preparation. Until the final coat is applied, the standard painting procedures will be followed. 

A quality primer will be applied to the entire surface covering all stains. Most experts will use a solvent-based stain-blocking primer as it is perfect for sealing discoloration. 

Also, the primer will help prevent cracking and peeling of the paint. It will stay in place for a long time to come, and paint adhesion will not be an issue.

Paint The Walls

The walls are clean, and the base coat has been applied, this is where you start seeing the transformation. The next step involves painting the walls. 

Types Of Interior Paint To Choose From

There are different types of paints with varying textures and colors. As you work on transforming your home, there will be numerous options. 

For a subtle shine, sturdiness, and easy maintenance, eggshell paint will be ideal. It gives a room a soft appearance making it ideal for a dining room. 

For the hallways and the kitchen, go for gloss paint. Why is it so? Besides, it gives a beautiful shine to space, it is easy to maintain, especially when there is heavy foot traffic. 

Perhaps there are areas in your house that are exposed to a lot of moisture. A good example is a bathroom. In such areas, satin paint that comes with a minimal shine will be useful. Rather than opting for latex-based satin paint, it is recommended that you go for the solvent-based ones. 

The ceilings also need to be painted. It would be unappealing to do a perfect job on the walls, but the ceiling still has soot and burn marks. This part of the house does not need reflective paint. 

This makes flat paint an excellent option with its low-sheen appearance. 

On the other hand, the trim also needs some touch-ups. If it is the entire house that was subjected to the fire, trim work was also affected. The best paint for these areas is the semi-gloss one. It gives the surface a hard finish with a slight shine. 

Some areas of the house may not need regular cleaning, unlike the kitchen. A bedroom is one of the places that will rarely be dirty. Matte paint turns out to be the best option for such areas. It does not shine and will leave the room feeling calm.

Conclusion

Seeing a home go up in flames is a devastating experience. It can be reduced to ashes, but if you are lucky it may sustain repairable damages. If it does not need rebuilding, then restoration will be the best option.

It will involve hiring a painting contractor to give your home back its curb appeal. 

Dry and wet cleaning is essential to eliminate soot and burn stains. It is best done by an expert to make sure that the surface is prepared, and ready for paint adhesion. 

The advantage of working with an expert is that they do not rush through the job. They will take their time as they focus on the results.