Whether you just moved into a new home or you’re just ready for a fresh look in the home you’ve lived in for a while, painting is a great way to give a room a facelift. But, there are some things that you need to know about painting over old paint before you dive in.
Taking your time and doing the prep work will ensure that your paint job looks fantastic and will last for years. So before you pour that paint and grab that roller, you will need to:
Know What Kind Of Paint You’re Painting Over
Paint has changed a lot in the last decade. So before you paint the walls in your home, you need to know what kind of paint you’re painting over. If your home is an older or a vintage home and hasn’t been painted in decades, there could be lead-based paint on the walls.
The use of lead-based paints in residential homes was banned in the late 1970s, but if you have a historic home, the paint in that home could pre-date the 1970s. The best thing to do if you have an older home is to test the paint before you paint over it to be sure it’s not lead-based.
Choose The Right Kind Of Paint For The Job
Most of the paints that homeowners use these days are water-based paints. They are easy to use, clean, and dry faster than other types of paint. Water-based paints also contain only low levels of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. VOCs can cause respiratory and other health issues. They are part of the reason why some paints have such a strong odor.
But if your home wasn’t built in the last 20 years, it may have oil-based paint. There’s nothing wrong with oil-based paint, but it can take longer to dry, be harder to work with and cause more VOCs.
You need to know what type of paint your home has because if it has oil-based paint, you will need to paint over it with another oil-based paint or with a primer that will seal it so that you can paint over it with water-based paint.
Prep The Walls
Prepping the walls of your home to be painted isn’t fun. However, it’s the only way to be sure that your painted wall will look amazing when it’s finished. First, clean the walls with a degreasing soap-like dish detergent. Then fill in any nail holes and patch any areas that need to be patched. Make sure the walls are smooth, even, and uniform. Then they are ready to be painted.
Prime It
You may not need to use a primer if you’re using paint with a primer in it or if you are painting over a light color. But a primer is a good idea if you’re painting over a dark or wild color and you want a light color as your final color.
Contact Rob Ross Painting
Once all that is done, you’re ready to paint! Call Rob Ross Painting today if you need advice on painting from the pros or want a free estimate for professional painting for your home.
