Most paint failures start under the paint. In Salinas the usual culprits are moisture from fog, mildew and dust left on the surface. Good prep deals with them before the first coat.
Do I need to prime before painting?
You need primer on any surface that is bare, stained, glossy or patched. That includes new drywall, bare wood, joint compound, raw stucco, metal, water or smoke stains and old oil-based enamel.
A clean, sound, previously painted wall in a similar color does not need a full coat of primer. Primer is not a thicker paint. It seals, bonds and blocks stains, which finish paint is not made to do.
Do I need primer if the old paint is in good shape, and can you paint over old paint?
No. If the old paint is clean, dull and firmly attached, you can paint straight over the old paint without primer. Wash it, fix any damage, spot prime the repairs and apply the finish.
Prime the whole surface when you are making a big color change, covering a glossy finish or painting over stains. If the old paint is chalky, peeling or powdery, it has to be dealt with first, since new paint is only as strong as what is under it.
Do I need to sand the walls before painting?
Walls in good condition need only a light sand, and sometimes none. Sanding is needed on patches, on glossy paint, on rough spots and drips, and on all trim and doors before enamel.
A quick pass with a pole sander knocks off dust nibs and gives the new paint a better grip. On homes built before 1978, sanding old paint can release lead dust and must be done with lead-safe methods.
Do painters fix nail holes, cracks and dents first?
Yes. Filling nail holes, small cracks and dents is a normal part of a paint job, and with us it is included. The filler is sanded flat and spot primed so the repair does not show.
Larger repairs, such as holes bigger than a fist, loose tape or water-damaged drywall, are priced as separate lines. Cracks at the corners of doors and windows are common in Salinas and get taped so they are less likely to return.
How do I paint over a water stain so it does not bleed through?
Seal a water stain with a stain-blocking primer before painting, or it will bleed through. Ordinary wall paint will not hold it back, however many coats you apply. Oil-based or shellac-based primers are the most reliable for this.
Fix the leak first and let the area dry out. Here, water stains often appear below windows and on ceilings under roof valleys after winter storms. If the drywall is soft or crumbling, it is replaced, not painted.
Can you paint over smoke stains or pet smells?
Yes, with the right primer. Smoke residue and odor are washed off as far as possible and then locked in with a shellac-based or oil-based sealing primer. Latex paint alone lets both the yellow stain and the smell come back.
Pet odor in walls is treated the same way. Odor in the subfloor or carpet pad is a separate problem and has to be sealed or removed at the floor.
Mold on the bathroom ceiling: can it just be painted over?
No. Mold or mildew painted over will grow back through the new paint. It has to be killed and cleaned off first, the surface dried and then primed with a stain-blocking primer before a moisture-resistant paint goes on.
Bathroom mildew is very common in Salinas because the outside air is damp for much of the year. The lasting fix is ventilation: a fan that works and is left running after a shower. A large or returning patch can point to a leak, and that needs a specialist. HomeGuide lists mold remediation for a small area at $500 to $1,500.
Paint is peeling to bare wood on my old house. What prep does it need?
Where paint has peeled to bare wood, every loose flake has to be scraped off, the edges sanded smooth, the bare wood primed with an exterior wood primer and gaps caulked before two finish coats.
Wood that has been bare for a season turns gray, and that weathered layer must be sanded away or the primer will not bond. On an older Salinas house the old layers may contain lead, so scraping is done over plastic sheeting with lead-safe methods. Check for the moisture source, since peeling to bare wood usually means water is getting behind the paint.
Why is my paint peeling?
When paint is peeling, the cause is nearly always moisture or poor prep. Either water is reaching the surface from behind, or the paint went onto a surface that was dirty, damp, chalky or glossy.
- Outside: fog-wet siding painted too early in the day, failed caulk, sprinklers, leaking gutters, bare end grain.
- Inside: steam in bathrooms and kitchens, leaks, paint over grease or soap film.
- Anywhere: latex paint applied over old oil-based enamel without a bonding primer.
Why is paint bubbling or peeling in my kitchen or bathroom?
Paint bubbles and blisters in kitchens and bathrooms because of moisture and residue. Steam gets behind a weak paint film and lifts it. Soap film, grease or hairspray on the wall stops new paint from bonding in the first place.
The repair is to scrape the blisters, wash and degrease the wall, sand, prime and repaint with a paint made for damp rooms. Then keep the room ventilated.
How do I know if old paint is oil or latex, and can latex go over oil?
Rub the paint with a cloth wet with rubbing alcohol. Latex softens and comes off on the cloth. Oil-based paint does not. Old trim, doors and cabinets in houses built before the 1990s are often oil-based.
Latex can go over oil only after the surface is cleaned, sanded dull and coated with a bonding primer. Skip that and the new paint will peel off in sheets.
Do bare drywall patches need primer?
Yes. Bare drywall patches and joint compound must be primed before paint. Compound is more porous than the painted wall around it and soaks up the finish, which leaves a dull spot known as flashing.
A coat of primer on the patch evens out the surface. For the repair to disappear completely, the whole wall is then painted from corner to corner.
Questions about prep on your own house? Call or text (831) 257-0052.