Guide to Prepping and Painting an Older Room

House Painting Sydney

If we want to repaint an older room, we will need to do some preparation. Preparation is half the battle in most projects; it makes the project easier and usually results in a better end product. In some cases, a lack of preparation can prevent the project from working at all.

New rooms in a home that has just been built require one type of preparation; the walls need primer. Repainting in older rooms requires a different type of preparation. Walls need to be degreased and the entire space needs to be made dust-free. There may also be stains and mould to be dealt with, and other damage to the walls that require repair.

Mould can be a problem in any building, but is more common in damp conditions. Mould is bad for our health, and will prevent new paint from properly bonding to the walls. Use an ozone generator in the room for a few hours. Seal the windows and doors and run the ozone generator on a timer. This will kill off anything in the room, including insects and mould. Make sure no humans or pets are in the room when using the ozone generator, and for a few hours after use as the room is left to air out.

Wash the walls with a mixture of vinegar and water (equal parts of each). You can use a spray bottle to apply the vinegar/water solution. Leave this on the walls for an hour, then wipe clean with a cloth and warm water. Let the room air out for at least a day.

Wash the walls with sugar soap and then wash them again with warm water and a cloth. Antimould paint will go a long way to preventing further mould from developing. This can be in an undercoat or in the final colour. Antimould paint is effective for preventing (or at least greatly reducing) mould and similar problems for about five years. After this time, you may need to repaint again.

If there is a water leak in the roof or walls, you will need to fix this issue, or the mould will tend to reappear.

Dust is an issue when painting. If dust in the air settles on the paint before it dries, then the finished product will be badly compromised. The room will need to be thoroughly vacuumed before we repaint. This includes the ceiling, light fixtures, furniture, and the carpet.

Walls will inevitably suffer some scratches and dents over time. Each piece of damage will need to be filled and sanded flat before repainting. Put a layer of undercoat over each repair to prevent the repair from showing through the final paint. The best undercoat will be tinted the same colour as the final paint.

After repainting, let the room air out for a day or two. Even though modern paint has greatly reduced odour, there will still be some chemical residue in the air. Antimould paint has more chemical residue than other paints. Let the room air out, as we do not want to inhale these chemicals.

Oppa undertakes office and house painting Sydney-wide. We take pride in delivering the best possible results, in new buildings or old. This includes preparation of the walls and (when required) preventative measures against mould.

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Oppa Painting is about professional quality paintwork in homes, offices and commercial situations. Call us for a consultation.

 

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