Which three surface preparation steps must be evaluated for poor execution before painting?

• A. Sanding, priming, masking
• B. Cleaning, painting, sealing
• C. Masking, filling, and sanding
• D. Filling, cleaning, texturing

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is understanding which surface-prep actions you must inspect for quality before you start painting. The three you look at are masking, filling, and sanding.

Masking is about protecting edges, trim, and nearby surfaces and ensuring clean, sharp paint lines. If masking is sloppy, you’ll end up with paint where it shouldn’t be, creating messy edges and extra touch-ups.

Filling takes care of dents, holes, and cracks. When this is done poorly or not fully cured, you’ll see visible patches, cracks reopening later, or soft spots that can show through the paint over time.

Sanding smooths the surface and removes gloss to give the paint something to grip. If sanding is incomplete or too aggressive, you can leave shiny spots that hinder adhesion or gouge the substrate, leading to a rough or peeling finish.

These three steps directly influence adhesion, appearance, and durability, making them the best trio to evaluate for poor execution before applying paint. Other options mix in steps that aren’t part of the core pre-paint prep assessment.