Simple Guidelines for Repainting

Inspect Painted Surfaces

It is necessary to have a periodic inspection of interior and exterior surfaces by anyone familiar with paints and goof painting practice. Experience indicates that considerable savings may be attained provided that maintenance painting is scheduled at the right time. By spot painting any real damaged is done, the life of a paint job can be prolonged and maintenance painting costs are reduced substantially.

Surface Conditions and Preparation

The most important in any repainting job is the surface preparation. This is because most of the problems in repainted jobs are caused by faulty surface conditions, inadequate preparation, and moisture entry. Preparing surface properly will give you a much better final result. The extra time invested is worth it.

It is not advisable to simply apply a fresh coat of paint over a surface that already has a thick paint build up-up. The adhesion between the new and old layers of paint coatings maybe weakened the new paint expands and controls with changes in temperature. The old paint underneath will lose its elasticity and peel-off causing a paint failure. Better check if the existing paint is in good condition, its adhesion is of utmost importance. Do a test coat on a small area to establish suitability for re coating.

Beware of peeling or flaking in the existing paint film. Cut a small cross-section in the old paint with a sharp blade. Apply masking tape over it and remove; if the old paint comes off, the old paint film needs to be stripped. Scraping, wire brushing and sanding will remove lose paint in most areas. Applying a paint and varnish remover to facilitate scraping of old paint may be useful. In some cases, sandblasting may be necessary.

Next, clean the surface thoroughly using the gentlest means possible yet achieving the level of cleanliness required. Water, chemical and mechanical methods are available for this purpose. Surface must be rid of dirt, dust, chalk grease, wax polishes, alkali, etc.

After the surface preparation, complete the priming operation as soon as possible. Use a suitable primer for a particular surface which is also compatible with the desired finish.

Remember, when painting never try to put too much paint on at once. Two coats at recommended coverage rate are better than one overly thick coat