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Painting & Decorating
Old gloss paint - do I have to strip back to wood?
Anonymous user 8 January 2014 - 3.02 PM
Hi my 1939 semi is old white gloss on the woodwork throughout, it was quickly reprinted for sale by vendors, paint chips and peels as job not done properly. Do I have to strip back to wood everywhere or can I sand, undercoat and gloss? If I have to strip is the paint likely to be hazardous and if so what's the best way to strip it (there's a lot of it!). Thank you
3 answers from MyBuilder tradespeople
Anonymous user
Preparation is key to a good finish with any paint product, but with gloss you'll get noticeably better results if you spend a little extra time preparing the surface. The simple step of rubbing down the undercoat with wet and dry paper, for example, helps the gloss to flow on better, giving a shinier finish to the job. Keep things clean; specks of dust, pet hair and flying insects can all conspire to ruin the best-applied paint. A vacuum cleaner and a tack cloth will be your best defense against them. Use 240-grade sandpaper (wrapped around a sanding block, where possible) to put a key onto the surface so the undercoat will adhere to it. Always sand in the direction of the grain. If the surface you plan to paint has several layers of old paint on it, you may have to start with a coarser grade of paper to get rid of any imperfections. Always finish off with a finer grade paper like 240 or you'll end up with scratches that will show through the undercoat and top coat. Wear a dust mask for this part of the job - once you've finished rubbing down, use a vacuum cleaner to get rid of the rubbing-down dust.
Answered
8 January 2014
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Hi, I agree with "Perfect Paint" regarding how important is preparation. Sometimes you can use liquid paint remover (for complete renovation), Most of the paint will be taken out or even all of them (but can make project bigger). Anyway usually sanding is good enough. Lead or asbestos which sometimes included in old paints is an issue... protection and possible specialist primer is need. Better spend more time to make nice as you will be happier to see it in next years :) Have fun Konrad
Answered
8 January 2014
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If the paint on the wood is as old as the house then you ought to take a sample and get it tested. If it contains lead or asbestos DO NOT try sanding it down. Even with protection you are going to spread it through the house and it's not worth the risk. If it does turn out to have asbestos you need to employ specialists to strip it off or you will just need to wash the paintwork down and paint over it. Start with a high adhesion primer. You won't have a flawless finish but you might stay healthier for longer!
Answered
19 June 2015
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