I’m going to give you some tips on how to deal two of the most difficult places to handle old paint.

Old Paint On Ceilings

I was painting the ceiling in my bathroom recently (bringing my work home with me, again) and disaster struck.

When I began the job the original paint looked fine. I cut in the edges (making a border), and was up to the point of using the roller to roll on some new ceiling paint.

As I rolled the new paint onto the old paint on the ceiling the new paint started soaking into the old paint.

It started coming off in sheets as I was rolling over it, all the way down to the original plasterboard. It was wrapping around the roller and crumbling. Not very pleasant.

If this happens, stop painting. You’ve got major problems.

How To Fix Old Paint Coming Off In Sheets

Unfortunately there isn’t a quick fix solution. You will have to get a large paint scraper and scrape off as much of the old paint as possible. Thankfully this should be quite easy as the paint was never bonded correctly to the original surface.

Next, get some top coat plaster (like Selleys Spakfilla) and skim over all of the edges of the old paint that is left. Once this top coat is dry, give it a really light sand just until it’s smooth to get rid of the edge.

Touch up any plaster with a wallboard sealer and continue to put two coats of paint over the top.

If you’ve dealing with the bathroom ceiling like I was, I recommend using low sheen paint as the moisture does not suck into this which makes it naturally more resistant to mould.

Old Paint On Architraves (Frames)

The second issue I found while doing up my home was that the surface on my architraves (the frames around your doors and windows) were never prepared properly which has caused the bond between the paint and the surface to break.

How To Test Your Architraves For Dodgy Paint

Peeling paint on your architraves occurs because of poor preparation. Check this article for my painting preparation tips on how to prepare your paint surface.

The best way to test your architraves for dodgy paint is to run your fingernail down the frame. If the paint comes off, you need to rip it all off, prepare the surface properly and repaint. It’s not fun, but it’s the best way to ensure that the paint will not peel off entirely in the future.

How To Fix Old Paint On Your Architraves (Frames)

Problems occur on your architraves because of the way the frame was prepared originally. If the preparation was skipped or done incorrectly you’ll experience the same problem I had.

To deal with this grab a sharp window scraper and hold it flush against the frame. Slowly peel off the paint. Once you’ve removed as much paint as possible give the frame a light sand.

Next, apply one coat of a product called P.S.U (Primer, Sealer, Undercoat). You can find it at any hardware store, I recommend Solver Maxi P.S.U. This is the P.S.U I use on a daily basis.

Finally, apply two coats of your selected architrave paint.

Problems? Need Professional Help?

Old paint can be extremely difficult to handle especially if you’re tackling a big job. Even some professionals who aren’t accustomed to dealing with renovations can run into issues.

One of my specialties is in dealing with renovation projects. If you’re renovating your dream home, or even fixing up an investment property, I can take some of the stress of dealing with that old paintwork away. Give me a call and we can arrange a no-obligation quote.

Without good preparation, many things can go wrong including ruining the final finish or causing premature peeling or cracking.

Filling Wall and Ceiling Gaps

There’s nothing nastier than a giant gap between the walls to detract from a great paint job.

Before you get started with your painting it’s essential to fill cracks and larger gaps with the correct type of filler.

For small to medium sized cracks we recommend using Bostik gap filler. It’s best to use this product for gaps roughly 1-4 millimeters wide.

For larger gaps try a product called Caulk in Colours made by Fuller. This sealant is a flexible, water based acrylic joint sealant for use in sealing expansion and other joints in residential construction work and tiling.

Basically this is the type of sealant used in new homes to account for natural expansion between building materials and with a +/- flexibility of around 20% you won’t see any splits or cracks.

Preparing Your Frames For Painting

If you don’t prepare your door frames, window frames and skirting boards correctly the paint won’t stick properly and once dry even the slightest knock will chip off paint. Gloss enamel paint hardens quite well which might cause you to think it’s alright, but eventually furniture rubbing or a child running past with a toy will reveal that the paint hasn’t bonded properly with the frame.

You must sand down all door frames, window frames and skirting boards then remove the resulting dust from between the decorative grooves.

Applying undercoat to the frames is a good idea as it will give the final coats of gloss enamel something secure to bond with.

The final part to preparing frames is giving a final light sand to the paint work before you apply your final coat. This will ensure a silky smooth finish and it will look a million bucks.

Preparing The Walls For Painting

As with your frames, walls will require a good sanding as well to give the paint something to stick to. The walls will require a sand with a pole sander to get rid of any grit on the wall and get them back to smooth.This is also the time to fix up any imperfections in the wall’s finish.

We recommend using a top coat filler to smooth out wall imperfections. Try applying CSR Gyprock top coat to fill any dents and holes. It dries hard and sands well which means you can do your sanding in one go.

If you prefer, you can try using an orbital sander instead of doing it manually to save your arms, but make sure you use a sturdy ladder to get to the high places. I would still recommend a block and sand paper to give any patches a light rub, this should be all they need to get those edges away.

Summary

Now that your painting surface is prepared properly, you’ll definitely get that smooth finish you desire!

If the job is getting too big Keigher Painting & Decorating can take on any sized job. We love preparation because we know it’s the key to a job well done. Call us now!