It's raining...paint?

March 11, 2011 4:29 PM

What is the most efficient way to paint over high gloss paint?

I recently moved into a new apartment and I'm having a pretty big paint problem. I've been here a month and am experiencing a flaking of paint all over my hallway and door jams - it looks like the landlord merely painted high gloss paint over the existing high gloss paint, and now it's just coming off in ribbons!

I think my best option is to paint over it - but how? Whats the best method to avoid recreating the same scenario?

posted by amycup to Home & Garden (12 answers total)

I think you might have to scrape and sand it quite a bit.
posted by small_ruminant at 4:31 PM on March 11, 2011

If it's peeling, you need to scrape and/or sand. But regardless, start with a primer. Even with the primer, you'll get best results by scuffing the surface with sandpaper.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 4:34 PM on March 11, 2011

Normally, de-greasing and sanding would do the trick. But in this scenario, your paint will come off together with the layer that's already peeling. So you need to strip the old layer off. You need a good scraper and a lot of patience. Then wash and roughen the surface with fine sandpaper; clean again, dry, and paint.
posted by Namlit at 4:36 PM on March 11, 2011

scrape, sand, use a good primer.
posted by violetk at 4:38 PM on March 11, 2011

a heat gun and a scraper will help you take off big swaths of paint, much faster than sanding.
posted by gnutron at 4:55 PM on March 11, 2011

Why isn't the landlord dealing with it?
posted by gyusan at 5:03 PM on March 11, 2011

Well, after hearing this....he will be.
posted by amycup at 5:12 PM on March 11, 2011

Sounds like someone painted acrylic over oil-based paint. Everyone above is right; that is going to be a laborious job for someone to get it all off.
posted by Kronur at 7:15 PM on March 11, 2011

HA!

I knew you were in LA before I even clicked on your profile. Here's what happened...

The state of California outlawed oil-based paint products not too long ago. The painter your landlord hired painted acrylic over the oil-based without priming first with a primer designed to bond these two chemically discordant layers (moldings, doors, etc. traditionally have an oil-based or extra glossy paint to help with cleaning.)

Memail me if your landlord refuses to get this fixed and/or needs references for good and affordable painters in LA. I've got suggestions.

Good luck!
posted by jbenben at 10:22 PM on March 11, 2011

Unless you have some desire to show the original woodwork, this question will begin and end at KILZ.

Sorry, the link to KILZ is goofy.
posted by Sphinx at 12:47 AM on March 12, 2011

You should wash it with TSP (tri-sodium phospate) which comes in a powder form at paint stores.. It's highly abrasive. You mix it up in a bucket and apply it with a sponge..

After that you can use an "adhesion primer" which is a specific type of primer that is incredibly sticky. You could prime glass with it and you'd have a hard time scraping it off... Don't waste your time at a big box store, go to a Sherwin-Williams or Benjamin Moore store and ask them for an "adhesion primer". It's about 50 bucks a gallon, but one gallon should get you a long way.

This might be overkill after the TSP wash...
posted by Glendale at 2:25 PM on March 12, 2011

Thanks everyone! Landlord came over today and will be fixing it this weekend - didn't look too thrilled with the situation but gave me no trouble about it. what a pain!!!
posted by amycup at 4:03 PM on March 15, 2011