House Decoration Problem - Paint

[Pete Logan]

I got to do the living room, only 10 years after we moved in

The ceiling is gloss painted, and various people are saying the white emulsion we use for everything won't stick to that.

Are they right, and what do I have to do to get this right first time ?

Thanks for any help.

Pete The Ignoramus

[Nathang]

Is it flat of textured?

If I was painting over glossy paint, just to be sure it would stick, I'd rough it up pretty good,

if it was a room near the cooking area where grease might accumulate, or in the house with smokers,

or where somebody likes candles, I'd think about scrubbing with some potent cleaner like TSP (trisodium phosphate)

I'd get several pads of that tough nylon-wool abrasive, in the US it's called Scotch Brite Pads,

it's like steel wool made of plastic except the tiny plastic fibers are embedded with something like crushed glass.

I'd get several pieces, of a pretty coarse grade of Scotch Brite



Sanding pole, with leverage and reach, you could scrub the paint off a car if you wanted to.

[Dave63]

+1000 to Nathan's suggestion.

My recommendation, exactly. Scotchbrite pads. If it's shiney, new paint *may* come off or peel. Especially with temp changes.

I'd rather sand a ceiling, then have to strip one, due to pealing paint.

We just redid the upstairs bathroom. People before us used some fancy-schmancy sponge thing on the walls, with gloss paint. Whole room got sanded with scuffie pads (red) to knock off the shine and the high spots. Looks like that crap was never even there. No pun intended. (bathroom....crap)

It took 2 pads to do a typical sized bathroom, with a bath tub, toilet, vanity and closet. They can be washed, or beaten to get dibris out and last a long time.

[Nathang]

Be careful to wear a dust mask, that Scotch Brite is great about not clogging

like sandpaper would, but it'll make dust like crazy, and you never know

what's in paint dust, maybe lead?

...and goggles too. Lungs are a bad place for toxic particles, but eyes are bad too.

[Dave63]

Originally Posted by Nathang

Be careful to wear a dust mask, that Scotch Brite is great about not clogging

like samdpaper would, but it'll make dust like crazy, and you never know

what's in paint dust, maybe lead?

Depending how old it is, maybe.

Even latex paint dust isn't good to inhale. A dust mask is good, but an inexpensive respirator is even better. I bought one for the garage for less then $30.

Of course, I smoked for 25 years, painted god knows how much without one and NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN, I'm worried about my lungs...........

[Nathang]

Depending how old it is, maybe.

Or if it was made by a sub-contractor in China.


.

[Dave63]

Originally Posted by Nathang

Or if it was made by a sub-contractor in China.


.

Who also makes children's toys? Count on it....

[Bonsai]

Great comments by Nathan and Dave and I'll add one more. After sanding a good primer is the best ticket before painting. Primer has better adhesion qualities than paint.

Plus if what's there is an oil base and you use a latex over the top without primer in between you're setting it up for failure down the road.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Pete Logan

I got to do the living room, only 10 years after we moved in

The ceiling is gloss painted, and various people are saying the white emulsion we use for everything won't stick to that.

Are they right, and what do I have to do to get this right first time ?

Thanks for any help.

Pete The Ignoramus

Kilz and Zinsser both are good products. I prefer Zinsser.

Bulls Eye 1-2-3 at Lowe's: Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer-Sealer Stain-Killer

Both will bond to slick surfaces and they offer varying degrees of stain blocking. For the best results vacuum any dust from the surfaces to be painted, then wash with TSP (Tri-Sodium-Phospate) cleaner. It is sold in the paint department at most big box stores. Let the walls dry, then prime them with a water based Zinsser or Kilz product. Let it dry, lightly sand with 220 paper on a drywall sanding pole, touch up the primer as needed, the paint with a good quality acrylic latex paint. You don't need to spend any time sanding before the primer is put on and in a lot of cases you don't need to sand the primer either, unless it was put on unevenly.

Pete

[Pete Logan]

Thanks, guys. The paint looks like it's the original, which would make it 60 years old There is a wood fire in the room - closed oven - so occasional smoke.

I'll go look for some Scotch Brite and a primer.