Painting is not straight forward as one may think. Paint job is a reflection of the preparation put in before the paint is applied. Any peeling paint or dirt that affects adhesion will detract from the new paint job. Then comes the choices, usually latex or resin-based paints for the inside with oil based for exterior trim. The surface reflectance is important when choosing between surfaces, everything from flat, satin, semi-gloss and gloss not mention manufacture’s marketing like ‘eggshell’ to describe the surface sheen.
Pressure Washing, Scraping Old, Peeling Paint & Caulking Before Painting
Regardless of the choice of paint, the preparation is the most important part, even on new surfaces. Flaking and peeling paint needs to be removed. A treatment becoming more available is high pressure water blasting, that will remove paint down to the substrate. Used a lot for graffiti removal. But scraping has its application on the interior wall and of course abrasives in the form of sanding. This ‘feathers’ adhering paint to maintain and blend with the surface texture. Caulking is necessary to fill cracks is the base material, a dominate problem on stucco surfaces and some concrete surfaces. Special paints with a thick rubbery consistency can hide structural blemishes.
How to Fix Paint Bleed Through with Primer
Speaking of blemishes on interior walls there may be stains and some colors and know to bleed through new paint, these have a primer like KILZ primer that hides stains and prevents bleed through, particularly if the new coating is a lighter color. Primer also aids in the adhesion of the paint to the substrate. A saying is that ‘the tapers hide the mistakes of the drywaller, and paint hides the mistakes of the taper.’ As the paint is the final surface that we will be living with it needs to be done right. Flat finishes hide surface blemishes. As the finish approaches glossy the blemishes like texture and wall prep become much more critical.
How to Prep Old Drywall for Painting
On one hand, painting is a DIY project for smaller jobs, but any major job seems to go on and keeping furniture and flooring protected is frustrating, so you should consider a pro painter for those more extensive jobs, especially where such things as working height becomes a factor. A new paint job maybe indicated by whether; the paint is old peeling and worn or personal preferences not consistent with current occurring color. One aspect that needs consideration is drywall. Drywall is the predominate wall covering replacing lathe and plaster of the past. It is cheaper and requires less expertise. Holes must be patched and there are those nails. In older homes the drywall was nailed to the studs not held by drywall screws. Vibrations of passing traffic, or ground movement tend to ‘pop’ the nails providing unsightly bumps. These need to be reset and the dimple caused by the hammer is filled with spackling compound dried and sanded. Any holes and tears need to be addressed by patching with dry wall and the texture re-applied to match the walls, and if you desire a new texture it can be added to change the appearance. Let’s face it the ‘orange peel’ finish of track homes is kind of blasé and change in texture may be in your future.
Interior & Exterior Painting & More in Bechtelsville, Bernville, Birdsboro, Blandon, Bowers, Boyertown, Centerport, Douglassville, Earlville, Fleetwood, Geigertown, Hamburg, Hereford, Kempton, Kutztown, Leesport, Lenhartsville, Limekiln, Lyon Station, Maxatawny, Mertztwon, Mohnton, Mohrsville, Morgantown, Muhlenberg, New Berlinville, Oley, Rehrersburg, Robesonia, Shartlesville, Shillington, Shoemakersville, Straussstown, Temple, Topton, Virginville, Wernersville, Womelsdorf, Wyomissing & Greater Reading, Pennsylvania
A pro knows how important preparation is though for most of us it is pure drudgery. Often it just pays to have a professional painter do the job, especially if you want professional results. Call Bill Engler Painting for all your painting related needs!
