Painting over a few decades - advice
Discussion
We're repainting the hallway of our 70s house which was painted sometime in the 90s ish in some rather dark colours. It was done using cheap B&Q "Colours" range vinyl silk. The paint is crap, and very very rough to touch, plus there are some weird bubbled areas, but not damp related - seems like it was just applied very badly on top of the previous coat.
So, we're going to repaint it all to a (light!) colour we actually like.
I've already removed the dado rails which left holes in the plaster. I've sanded back and filled all dents in the wall that I can see so far.
The plan was to sand the whole wall once dry to a smooth finish, not necessarily removing all paint. I've done a test of this, and it looks like it could be a good surface and any 'bad' bits of orange paint will come off in the process, but will it be enough? Do I need to strip the paint?
How would you approach this next?
PS. Can't afford to skim, so please don't say skim the walls!
So, we're going to repaint it all to a (light!) colour we actually like.
I've already removed the dado rails which left holes in the plaster. I've sanded back and filled all dents in the wall that I can see so far.
The plan was to sand the whole wall once dry to a smooth finish, not necessarily removing all paint. I've done a test of this, and it looks like it could be a good surface and any 'bad' bits of orange paint will come off in the process, but will it be enough? Do I need to strip the paint?
How would you approach this next?
PS. Can't afford to skim, so please don't say skim the walls!
Thanks for comments so far. Really reluctant to skim unless the finish is really unusable just as it's such a large area (includes downstairs, upstairs landing too) so could come out very costly - and we have bigger fish to fry elsewhere.
But, lining paper sounds almost worse as I remember last time I did lining paper it took forever.
I like the idea of doing a basic paint job on it and seeing what it looks like first.
The cabling is a sore point. There's alarm cabling (and the occasional terrifying electric cables going to things we're removing) all over the place which I've not yet decided on the destiny of yet. If it was being skimmed it would probably make sense to chase it into the wall.
But, lining paper sounds almost worse as I remember last time I did lining paper it took forever.
I like the idea of doing a basic paint job on it and seeing what it looks like first.
The cabling is a sore point. There's alarm cabling (and the occasional terrifying electric cables going to things we're removing) all over the place which I've not yet decided on the destiny of yet. If it was being skimmed it would probably make sense to chase it into the wall.
Update. Have spent a lot (lot) of time filling, which has been largely successful. Got myself a nice Makita 1/4 Palm Sander which is brilliant, way better than the cheap 1/3 I found in the shed here.
Had loads of different opinions, went down the middle with local paint merchant advice to get some contract white emulsion as a couple of base layers and see how I get on. Had plasterer over to quote the artex ceiling upstairs, but we agreed that if we're to gallery most walls (we have a lot of framed prints that in the old house covered the walls) and we're likely to do significant works to the house, it's not worth skimming it as it'll get damaged in no time.
Spent today sanding with 80 on my 'test' wall. Super easy to get the plaster repairs into good shape. However, paint is super problematic. I have an amazing smooth surface but there are parts where it refuses to sand and goes into tiny little crackled patches, which once worn, encourage other patches.
Eventually cut my losses, left messing with the (rather troublesome edges) and just got the roller out just to see what it'd be like. Have done the first coat and it's not too bad. My view has been that, as mentioned here - it'll never be perfect. So I'm going to accept that and if it looks real bad with a fully opaque coating of contract white, we'll have to skim it.
Had loads of different opinions, went down the middle with local paint merchant advice to get some contract white emulsion as a couple of base layers and see how I get on. Had plasterer over to quote the artex ceiling upstairs, but we agreed that if we're to gallery most walls (we have a lot of framed prints that in the old house covered the walls) and we're likely to do significant works to the house, it's not worth skimming it as it'll get damaged in no time.
Spent today sanding with 80 on my 'test' wall. Super easy to get the plaster repairs into good shape. However, paint is super problematic. I have an amazing smooth surface but there are parts where it refuses to sand and goes into tiny little crackled patches, which once worn, encourage other patches.
Eventually cut my losses, left messing with the (rather troublesome edges) and just got the roller out just to see what it'd be like. Have done the first coat and it's not too bad. My view has been that, as mentioned here - it'll never be perfect. So I'm going to accept that and if it looks real bad with a fully opaque coating of contract white, we'll have to skim it.
I've surrendered. We're going to get it skimmed.
I could cope with the work, the perpetual filling, but the dust which will be 30x that thin strip of wall (literally) is just something I'm not sure is practical never mind safe in the house! And ultimately we'd still be doing the wall the 'wrong' way.
So, plasterer it is.
I could cope with the work, the perpetual filling, but the dust which will be 30x that thin strip of wall (literally) is just something I'm not sure is practical never mind safe in the house! And ultimately we'd still be doing the wall the 'wrong' way.
So, plasterer it is.
mart 63 said:
What about 1400 lining paper?
I've helped a friend lining paper a room, and we both swore never to do it again. If there is a secret to it I can imagine it's a secret as big as good skimming is a secret.Also, the walls aren't particularly flat on average - some palm width dips in the plaster - so I think I'd be chasing air bubbles for the rest of my life. And I still think I'd need to sand all the rough paint flecks.
It's OK. My fancy extractor fan plan has been replaced with some nice smooth walls instead.
Part way through a similar job, although I couldn't live with painted stairs so we've done a refurb in oak.
We didn't have to have our walls skimmed in the end, I just put a lot of effort into filling the cracks and dents and then getting everything a uniform white before top coat.
You going to water down your first coat on the fresh plaster?
We didn't have to have our walls skimmed in the end, I just put a lot of effort into filling the cracks and dents and then getting everything a uniform white before top coat.
You going to water down your first coat on the fresh plaster?
You were brave. I know the wood is going to be multiple weekends as it is and the walls were horrendous. I didn't realise just how wobbly they were never mind rough.
All the wood's being stripped (with my patient hands...) and eggshelled. The wood isn't quality enough grain to be varnished and a refurb would be pretty difficult, so we're avoiding that.
Plan with the walls - we have contract matt emulsion from Brewers, which will be 30% watered down and mist coated one or two times. Then, painted a very light greyish (Clouded Pearl 3) in Dulux Trade Diamond Matt for hopefully just 2 coats.
All the wood's being stripped (with my patient hands...) and eggshelled. The wood isn't quality enough grain to be varnished and a refurb would be pretty difficult, so we're avoiding that.
Plan with the walls - we have contract matt emulsion from Brewers, which will be 30% watered down and mist coated one or two times. Then, painted a very light greyish (Clouded Pearl 3) in Dulux Trade Diamond Matt for hopefully just 2 coats.
Don't be tempted to touch it for about 3-4 weeks
Then thin down emulsion 3 to 1 and put it on.
I used to work in paint and it all ended in tears if you put a full coat of emulsion on the day after finishing plaster work
It will probably involve a few weekends of filling in hairline cracks with with liquid filler and a tiny brush.
Then thin down emulsion 3 to 1 and put it on.
I used to work in paint and it all ended in tears if you put a full coat of emulsion on the day after finishing plaster work
It will probably involve a few weekends of filling in hairline cracks with with liquid filler and a tiny brush.
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