Painting Walls

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stircrazy

Hello everyone. I have been to the site several times and now have decided to jump in. I have a question. Our home is solid white throughout and now we are wanting to add some color. The walls are vinyl covered sheetrock. Can I just paint this or is there something else I need to do before I paint.
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Greg
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Location: Weedsport, NY

Hi & welcome. You should at the very least clean the walls, Many here recomend using TSP. Depending on the condition you may want to prime them first. Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
stircrazy

What is TSP? The walls are in new condition. I just do not want to put the time and the money into this and realize I should have done some sort of preperation. I'm hoping to just clean them and then paint them.
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Yanita
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Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:16 pm
Location: Eastern N. Carolina

Hi,

JMO, new or not you will want to clean them, this is easy. A bucket of warm water with a non soapy cleaner works fine, TSP, tri sodium phosphate. Even new walls will have residual dust and grime from the building process.

If your walls are vinyl coated you will have to prime them with a primer of your choosing, most around here choose Kilz Premium, Kilz or Zinnser.

Then choose a good quality paint.

There are many threads on this subject in the decorating forum, take a look around, alot of great ideas for decorating your home or refinishing walls.

Welcome to the site.

Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
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Robin
Posts: 83
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:00 am
Location: Epps, Louisiana

I have the same kind of walls as the o.p., but mine aren't solid white. My question is, would I have to re-paint? I don't think I would mind painting ONCE, but I'm quite sure that's not something I want to do often. Yanita, what's your opinion on this? Just curious, because it will definitely have some bearing on whether I paint my walls or just leave them as they are.

I know painted walls will get dirty, just as any other wall does, but can't they be cleaned? Does paint fade? I just don't know much about painting, obviously!!! LOL
stircrazy

Thanks for the info. I was hoping I could just paint and not do the primer, but you are saying since they are vinyl coated that I have to use the Kilz or it will not work out? Not really a big deal but a step saved is a step saved, but I also want it to be right and to look good.
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Yanita
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Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:16 pm
Location: Eastern N. Carolina

Hi Guys,

Sorry, you definitely have to prime vinyl coated walls, no paint will stick to these walls without the proper prep.

Robin, not sure what you are asking... repaint? If your walls have a print on them the prep and painting is the same process as if the walls were white. Although depending on the quality of primer or paint that you use you may need to prime your walls twice to get complete coverage of the design.

No, typically interior paint does not fade. Interior semi gloss paint is washable, a flat interior paint is not. Keep this in mind in high traffic areas or if you have young kids.

Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
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Robin
Posts: 83
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:00 am
Location: Epps, Louisiana

There's sooooooo much I don't know about paint! I was just wondering if the walls would be washable if they get dirty, without having to re-paint. Not really fond of the idea of putting so much work into the project, and 5 years down the road having to re-paint. My MIL has sheetrock walls, and she re-paints often, but I think it might be the type of paint she is using, as well as the fact that her house is not centrally heated or cooled - her walls tend to sweat and mildew.

Thankfully, I don't have those types of problems!
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Yanita
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Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:16 pm
Location: Eastern N. Carolina

Hi Robin,

As I said before, yes, painted walls are washable, UNLESS you use a flat paint. Flat paint does not wash well.

Any wall treatment, paint, wallpaper, textured etc may very well have to be touched up or redone after 5 years. That will depend on how gentle/rough you treat the walls. For instance is furniture being knocked into the walls regularly. In my home no furniture is actually pushed tight to the walls, this eliminates any scratches, dents being put on the surface.

Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
Guest

Hi, I recently painted the whole interior of my MH, using Valspar ultra premium semi-gloss white. House was fairly new and was painted with cheap white flat latex. I google this and this is the least amount of fading, (highest rating) of course it's not cheap, but they say go with best you can afford. OK I didn't wash the walls or anything since the home was new, but so far it's looking really good and I'm really happy with the results.
klm9707
Posts: 44
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 6:03 pm

I have painted my walls also but cleaned them with a mild solution of vinegar and water first, even in a new home. The new homes have "construction dust" on the walls. You will be surprised how much dust you can remove from the walls. I then used Kilz primer. Wait until the primer is TOTALLY dry then paint. If not done properly as been described by others, the paint may peel, but if done properly, it will last forever. Good luck with your project! :D
Guest

I highly doubt any small layer of dust is going to caused the paint to peel what will happen is the small layer of dust will be removed from the walls and mixed into the paint and become part of the paint itself especially if you rolled the paint over a few times like I did mine, home was new it did quickly vaccum the walls with a brush type attachment to remove as much as possible but I did not wash them, but for best results you should wash them.
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Yanita
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Joined: Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:16 pm
Location: Eastern N. Carolina

Hi,

Like I have said, preparation is key. I gave the advice as I know will work for interior vinyl coated walls. Should you choose not to follow any or part of the advice that is your choice. It is your home and your money and time.

I believe all questions have been answered in this thread so I am going to lock it off at this time. Should anyone have further questions for prep, painting, etc for interior walls please start a new thread but please do so in the Decorating Forum.

Yanita
The difference between success and failure is who gives up first!
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