Painting Interior Woodwork & Metal

If the gloss is firmly stuck then you can sand down the edges and undercoat to the edge a couple of times to build up to a level. You can also use a fine-surface filler to get a perfect finish.

There are visible “knots” in some areas and some are quite noticeable and dark in colour. Are they to be treated separately or can we paint over them. Also what paint is best to apply to new skirting boards. We have done the whole bungalow so this is a lot of painting. We have a limited budget and want to do this ourselves. Thanks, Linda

This is quite a subject and not one I can answer properly in a few sentences but, briefly…

If you’re using a traditional oil-based undercoat & gloss then you’ll need to treat the knots with Patent Knotting which is available in most DIY stores. This will stop the resin bleeding through the finished paintwork.

If you are using a water-based finish then you shouldn’t use knotting as it can have an adverse reaction. For most knots you can just paint over them with water-based primer or undercoat. Because the knots are resin based they will not normally bleed through.

In extreme cases you should used an aluminium wood primer for oil-based finishes or, for water based finishes a product such as Ronseal Knot Block (available at B&Q) will work well enough.

What paint is best depends on the finish you want, how much work you’re willing to do and your budget. My general advice is to stick to well-known brand names.

For new skirting you may find a water-based system is easier but if you want a traditional glossy finish then you should use an oil-based undercoat & gloss.

Sounds like the door surface is contaminated or has some sort of waxed or polished finish. You’ll need to give it a good de-greasing and rub-down. You may get away with using an adhesive primer such as Zinnser B-I-N but you’ll still need to give the surface a thorough clean and remove any previously applied paint finish.

I have been painting 6 indoor doors, which had gloss on originally. I painted them today with satinwood and on all doors there are patches where it looks like it has smudged and taken the paint off again. What do you suggest? Stephen

Without seeing the problem I can only guess some kind of contamination? It could also be the case you’ve tried to cover in one-coat without thorough prep?

Give it a couple of days for the new paint coating to harden (longer, ideally) and give a good clean, light rub-down. Maybe a wipe with white spirit and then a wash with sugar soap solution.

Then try a test area to see if the problem reoccurs before attempting a full repaint.

Hi, I painted some interior doors well over a month ago now with Dulux Quick Dry Satinwood and all the doors along the edges close to door handle are slightly tacky.

The edges aren’t tacky further up or on the rest of the doors so I’m baffled as to why they are like this and what I do to correct the problem?

Can you also recommend a better satinwood, I don’t reckon much to this one. Fiona

It is normal for areas around door handles to accumulate a lot of oil and grease which contaminates the surface. This should be removed prior to painting but often isn’t, hence the problems you’re experiencing.

Water based paints, such as the one you’ve used, are OK but only if the surface has been thoroughly prepared beforehand.

Oil-based paints take longer to dry and are less pleasant to use but you can sometimes ‘get-away’ without doing so much preparation since they are less likely to react with minor contamination such as oil and grease around door handles.

You’ll need to remove the affected paint (pure alcohol or ammonia tends to work best on water-based paints), then rub down and start again – making sure any surface contamination has been removed.

A quick wipe with white spirit followed by a wash-down with a sugar soap solution and then a rinse with warm, clean water should do the trick. Don’t use washing up liquid or household cleaner because they’ll leave a residue which only causes more problems.

I gloss painted my interior doors a week ago & when we open & shut the doors they stick, also I painted fire surround with the same paint and when my wife picks up ornaments they feel like they stick a bit. Does this mean the new tin of paint I used was no good? Stephen

Not necessarily, paint can take a few weeks to fully harden. Manufacturers should make this more clear, I will concede.

I have painted and undercoated new pine wooden steps with a green gloss oil based paint and after 3 days it is still tacky. I have used different colours from the same make and they have dried within 18 hrs.

Can you tell me if the paint is ‘off’, as it has been in storage, but unopened for 2 years, as indeed had the other colours. Linda

When paint is stored for a long time it will separate into its component parts and needs a very good stir (much more than you might imagine). It’s also possible the surface of the steps were not thoroughly cleaned beforehand. It could also be a combination of both?

It’s going to be a messy job but if you wipe the steps with a cloth dipped in white spirits you should be able to remove most of the affected paint, leave to dry and start again making sure the paint is thoroughly stirred first.

Hello I have stair handrail that’s light oak stained & varnished but I want to paint it with white gloss, so do I have to sand & undercoat it first? I’m not sure if you can paint stained wood, I would be grateful for your advice thank you. Susan

The process for painting a stained handrail is quite labour intensive since they are often varnished and need thorough cleaning before any paint is applied. Preparation is, therefore, essential – otherwise you are best not bothering since the paint will scratch and peel-off over time.

• Ideally, remove the varnish coating with a chemical paint stripper, wash down and rub-down to bare smooth wood. Then prime and paint as normal.
• Not ideally, wash down the surface with a sugar soap solution, rinse off and sand down the surface so most of the shine is removed.
• Apply one or two coats of adhesive/stain blocking primer such as Zinsser Bulls-Eye 123
• Most stains are spirit based and this will stop the colour bleeding through but some times a water-based stain is used and you may still see a bit of discoloration. In which case an oil-based undercoat will stop this.
• Paint as normal with undercoat and gloss or at least two coats of your chosen alternative.
• If you use a water-based finish it can take weeks for the surface to fully harden – so you should avoid any abrasion for as long as possible.

I am repairing an interior window sill which due to window condensation has water dripping down onto it in the corners which then cracks.

I have scraped and sanded all the cracks, treated with Zinsser Peel Stop, filled them and will sand again then prime with Zinsser 123.

I need my top coat to be moisture resistant and to not crack so thinking gloss? Oil or water based and best one to buy as I hope this will last years as the prep is taking ages. Sandra

Water-based finishes tend to be more flexible but, as always, your top coat is only as good as what is underneath it. Based on what you say, I’m not sure it’s going to make much difference either way?

Solve the condensation problem, which I know is easier said than done, or accept that regular maintenance is the only way you’re going to keep on top of this problem.

With a traditional oil/solvent-based gloss, yes, because there is very little pigment and you’ll find it difficult to cover and to get a decent finish.

With water-based (quick-drying) paints there is generally a higher pigment content and you may be able to get a decent result. You may have to give it two coats though but you’re not risking anything by trying. Obviously, if you’re changing colours, you’ll always need an undercoat regardless.

I have a room painted in egg shell and want to repaint with emulsion. I’m concerned the emulsion won’t absorb and will sit on the egg shell. What’s the solution? Sand down? or is there a primer or initial coat of something I can apply before the emulsion? Mike

Yes Mike, lightly sand down the surface and use an adhesive primer such water-based (labelled as quick-drying) acrylic prime/undercoat. A specialist primer such as Zinsser Bulls Eye 123 would be ideal but may be costly if it’s a big area?

Hi, I’ve just painted a skirting board with Dulux Once Gloss Paint. It needed a second coat so I left it for 24 hours before applying the second coat (the tin said 16 hours between coats).

While I was painting the second coat, there was one area where the underneath started wrinkling and it’s left a right mess in just a very small area.

The first coat was obviously not quite dry. Is there any way that I can rectify this one area without having to repaint the whole lot? If not, how long do I leave it before I have to sand the whole lot off?

Any hints and tips would be gratefully received. Diane

Sounds like there was a bit of contamination on that area (a bit of grease, furniture polish, etc) which has impeded the drying process.

For a small area you should be able to lightly rub-down the affected area and touch up but for a large are you may well have to re-do the entire length of skirting.

The problem with one-coat paints is that the film can be quite thick and will take a long time to fully harden (or cure) even though the surface appears dry.

I would leave it as long as possible to allow the affected area to cure ( a week at least) otherwise it could get a bit messy. If, however, the paint is still soft I would try and wipe off as much as you can with a cloth and a bit of *white spirit before attempting to re-paint. This should also remove any remaining grease or dirt that caused the issue to begin with.

*Assuming this was a solvent based paint. If it was water-based then substitute white spirit for warm water.

Could you please recommend a good (but not too expensive, preferably) white paint for radiators?

The radiators are only a few years old. There’s no rust I can see. They just look a wee bit dingy. To be honest they were never brilliant white in the first place but next to the newly painted woodwork, they now look kinda grotty.

They have never been painted before. Any suggestions you may have would be great. Sheila

There are a few DIY products available which are called ‘radiator paint’ but the results are often quite disappointing.

You can use ordinary oil-based undercoat and gloss; the result should be acceptable although the finish will diminish over time so you’ll need to re-do whenever you redecorate.

Oil and solvent based paints do tend to yellow over time and the usual remedy is to use a water-based paint instead. However, for a fireplace this may not be possible since you also need to use a heat-resistant coating and these are usually solvent based.

I would, therefore, suggest using the best quality heat-resistant enamel you can (in other words, usually the most expensive) because the quality of the resin and pigments will help ensure the yellowing process is less prevalent than with cheaper alternatives.

It could be resin that’s seeping out from the wood or some other kind of contamination. Either way, you can usually remove it with white spirit. It will take a few attempts but perseverance is the key.

Stripping paint is often a very messy job, as you have found out.

We had our woodwork repainted with crown satin wood and have been left with patches of tacky paint that over the years had started to peel.

We assumed the problem was with the crown paint but now wondering if it’s due to the original oil based gloss not being rubbed down properly. Is this a hazard when using satinwood over previous gloss work? Lucy

Yes, it’s very likely the previous surface wasn’t properly prepared. The smallest amount of greasy residue will prevent any further coats of paint from drying and adhering properly.

Ideally, surfaces should be washed down with a sugar soap solution and rinsed with clean, warm water. Then, when dried, properly rubbed down with fine sandpaper to provide a key.

You may find that much of the paint surface remains intact and it only peels off where there was previous contamination of grease? Certainly remove as much as you can before re-painting.

It depends what kind of finish you want? Normally, I would would use a primer which is the opposite of the finish I am using.

So, for example, if I was using an oil-based finish I would use a water based primer – or visa versa. In extreme cases you can use a spirit-based primer such as Zinsser 123

Hi, I’m looking for some advice about my banister, it had varnish on top and I used B&Q wood paint about 1 year ago but over time it peels off when scraped with a nail or something sharp, I’m looking to paint over it and was wondering if I need to strip the old paint or just sand it as I’m looking opt paint it a similar colour. Julia

The reason the paint is peeling is likely a combination of surface condemnation and lack of preparation. Handrails, by their nature, have a lot of hand contact which transfers oil and grease to the surface. This needs to be thoroughly removed before any paint will adhere successfully to the surface.

Another problem is that varnish is notoriously difficult to paint over and needs much more rubbing down than would a conventional paint finish. Ideally, the varnish should be completely removed first.

However, you are where you are and nothing you do now, short of removing all the paint/varnish and starting from scratch, will rectify the problem. Any paint coating is only as good as the surface it is applied to.

Paint does harden over time though and you may have seen the worst of the problem, painting over it won’t make the situation any worse. It may mean you have to touch up now and again though.

Hi, I have a new flat which was decorated throughout and then new carpets fitted. Although I haven’t seen it yet I’m told there is a tide line caused by the new carpet on the stairs being lower than the old carpet. How can I remedy this without getting paint on the new carpet? Kevin

Use a good quality masking tape, 2-inch wide ideally. Press down as you apply and take time to ensure you get right to the edge.

Paint down to the level of the tape and although you can touch it with the paint, try not to as you want the least amount of paint gathering around the margins. The best way to do it is to imagine the masking tape isn’t there at all. You don’t have to paint the entire string, just enough to cover the line.

If the line is quite distinct you may need more than one coat to get a good result. For best results, use a quick-drying (water based) undercoat first.

Allow 48 hours to ensure the paint has fully dried and remove the tape. Be careful though and only remove small lengths at a time.

It takes a bit of confidence, more than anything, so try a small area first.

Just be aware that if you use a solvent based (oil-based) paint on the stairs it will take a while to fully harden so you’ll need to avoid walking on the stairs for a couple of weeks to avoid spoiling the finish.

You’ll also need to take this into account when applying a protective coating and, also, the potential that it may not be compatible with the paint you’ve chosen. In which case, you are advised to do a small test area first just in case there is a problem.

Obviously, it may not be practical to avoid using the stairs at all for such a length of time but the more you can plan around this issue the better.

As you have, no doubt, found calcium plumbate sticks very well to some metal surfaces and can be difficult to remove. A further complication is that the high lead content rules- out some obvious mechanical solutions since this would cause contamination.

A chemical-based stripper may be your only hope and, unfortunately, this can be a case of trial and error because some work better than others.

I would avoid some of the ‘extra-powerful’ options because they can react badly with metal surfaces – causing severe oxidation – so the proprietary brands tend to be the safest option, although not the most effective.

To put it simply, it can be a slow and tedious process but try a few different brands and, to be safe, do a small test area first.

Yes you can although there are two problems you’ll face:

1) The paint may not adhere very well to a door that has a gloss finish. You’ll need to do more preparation, ensuring the surface is fully cleaned and rubbed down. The use of an acrylic primer/undercoat will help – these are usually labelled as water-based or quick-drying in DIY stores and are all pretty much the same.

2) The paint will not be as durable or as easy to keep clean as a regular gloss paint because it hasn’t been formulated for such use. However, if you are very careful for the first few weeks you will find the paint hardens when it has fully cured and will be much less prone to damage.

I plan to paint some old sliding wardrobes, as for the time being I don’t want to rip them out! They are currently white and I’m assuming they are melamine.

They have not been painted before. I’m thinking of using a primer such as Zinsser BIN (as this would ‘stick’ to the surface without sanding, I think), and then painting over with a washable matt emulsion. Does this sound sensible, or am I on the wrong track? James

Washable or not, emulsion isn’t going to cut it. Use a satin or eggshell finish, applied with a foam roller.