Prep decides how long a paint job lasts. In Providence that is doubly true, because most walls are old plaster and most trim has many layers of old paint. These are the questions we hear most.
Do I need to prime before painting?
You need primer on anything bare, patched, stained, glossy or changing a lot in color. You do not need it on clean, sound, flat paint that is getting a similar color. New drywall, bare wood, bare plaster and joint compound all need primer, or the finish coat soaks in unevenly.
Do I need primer if the old paint is in good shape, and can you paint over old paint?
Yes, you can paint over old paint that is clean, dull and firmly stuck, and it does not need a full coat of primer. Wash off grease and dust first. Spot prime any repairs. Old paint that is glossy needs sanding or a bonding primer so the new coat can grip.
Do I need to sand the walls before painting?
Not every wall. Flat walls in good shape need only a wash and a light pole sand to knock off bumps. Glossy walls, trim and patched areas do need sanding. In a home built before 1978, sanding old paint can release lead dust, so it has to be done with lead-safe methods and never by dry power sanding in the open.
Do painters fix nail holes, cracks and dents first?
Yes. Filling nail holes, small cracks and dents is a normal part of prep, and we include patching, sanding, caulking and priming in our quotes. Larger repairs, such as loose plaster or holes bigger than a hand, are listed separately so you can see them.
Old plaster cracks tend to come back along the same lines as the house moves with the seasons. Taping the crack before filling it holds longer than filler alone.
How do I paint over a water stain so it does not bleed through?
Seal the water stain with a stain-blocking primer first, then paint. Ordinary wall paint will not hide it. The brown mark comes back through coat after coat. Fix the leak before anything else. In Providence the usual sources are a bathroom on the floor above, a roof leak or ice at the eaves in winter.
Can you paint over smoke stains or pet smells?
Yes, with the right primer. Smoke and nicotine are washed off as far as possible, then sealed with a stain and odor blocking primer before the finish coats. Paint alone lets the yellow and the smell come back. Pet odor in a wall can be sealed the same way, but odor in the floor or subfloor has to be treated there.
Mold on the bathroom ceiling: can it just be painted over?
No. Mold or mildew must be killed and washed off first, or it grows back through the new paint. After cleaning, the ceiling gets a stain-blocking primer and a bathroom paint that resists mildew. The cause is moisture, so a working fan matters more than the paint. Many older Providence bathrooms have only a window. If mold covers a large area or comes from a leak, that is a job for a remediation company. HomeGuide puts a small remediation area at $500 to $1,500.
Paint is peeling to bare wood on my old house. What prep does it need?
It needs every loose edge scraped, the edges sanded smooth, the bare wood primed the same day and open joints caulked. Bare wood left out in the weather for weeks turns grey and holds paint poorly. On a house built before 1978 this is lead work: plastic sheeting on the ground, wet scraping, special vacuums and no open-flame burning.
Why is my paint peeling?
Paint is peeling because something broke its grip, and it is nearly always water. Outside, water gets behind the boards from failed caulk, leaking gutters or damp air moving out through the wall. Inside, it is steam, a leak or paint put over a dirty or glossy surface. Very thick old paint also cracks and lets go under its own weight.
Why is paint bubbling or peeling in my kitchen or bathroom?
Bubbling and blistering in kitchens and bathrooms come from moisture and from surfaces that were not cleaned. Steam gets behind a weak paint film and lifts it. Grease near the stove and soap film near the shower stop paint from sticking. The fix is to scrape, clean, prime with a moisture-tolerant primer, repaint and improve the ventilation.
How do I know if old paint is oil or latex, and can latex go over oil?
Rub the paint with a rag wet with rubbing alcohol. If color comes off, it is latex. If nothing comes off, it is oil-based. Latex can go over oil only after sanding and a bonding primer. Put straight on, it peels off in sheets. Most trim in older Providence houses has oil-based paint somewhere in its layers.
Do bare drywall patches need primer?
Yes. Bare drywall patches and joint compound must be primed before paint. Unprimed patches soak up the finish and show as dull spots, which painters call flashing. A quick spot prime over each patch, and sometimes a full coat on the wall, stops that.
A free on-site estimate with a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your job. Call or text (401) 414-4566.