 | Mike Goebel
has been involved in the construction and home improvement industry for more than 40 years and is currently the Senior Vice President of the Home Center Division at Star Lumber & Supply Co. Inc. You may contact Mike by e-mail at mgoebel@starlumber.com or by phone at (316) 942-2221. |
Home Improvement
2003-04-01 11:23:00
Painting new inside wood
ANSWER: Yes there is. Let's take a look at painting new wood first:Start by cleaning it to remove any sawdust, dirt or other contaminates. Once clean, prime with a quality latex or oil base primer. When dry, fill all of the holes with spackling compound and caulk all cracks. Lightly sand with 120 grit sandpaper and wipe it clean using a damp cloth or tack rag prior to applying your finish coat of enamel. Two coats of finish paint are recommended with sanding in-between using 150 grit sandpaper. Now, for previously painted or stained wood: It is never a good idea to apply latex base paints over oil base paints. You can determine what you have by rubbing the surface with a rag and denatured alcohol. Latex base paint will soften and leave a residue on the rag... oil base will not. If your existing coating is a latex, simply patch the holes and dings, sand lightly using 120 grit sandpaper, caulk cracks, wipe clean with a damp cloth and apply your finish coat of enamel. If you have oil base you can prepare and re-coat using an oil base enamel. You can switch to a latex paint system but preparation is critical. Converting to a latex base paint is something that is going to have to be done eventually as most oil base paints are being phased out by manufacturers in order to comply with new EPA standards. A thorough de-glossing of the surface is necessary, using 120 grit sandpaper. Be sure to sand all surfaces. "Liquid Sandpapers" are not recommended for this as they tend to leave an oily film. Clean well with fresh water and rags. Dry and apply a coat of latex primer designed for adhesion. Allow to dry completely, at least 48 hours, sand lightly using 120 grit sandpaper, and then apply your finish latex enamel. In any painting situation, follow all manufacturer's recommendations for preparation and application. They want you to succeed and be happy with their product.
