Repainting the home is an exciting home improvement project for homeowners. A fresh coat of paint from a professional painting contractor gives the property an improved appearance and the walls a new lease of life at an affordable cost. People consider repainting their homes for several reasons. It makes a good choice when the old paint starts to fade, peel, develop spots, has mold growth, or other defects, there is a need to replace the old inferior quality paint with one that has a glossy and long-lasting finish, people get bored of the old paint job and need a change, or while shifting to a new home previously occupied by someone else.
A common question that bothers most homeowners considering repainting is whether they should remove the old paint from the walls before repainting them or paint over it directly. Some circumstances may demand scrapping the existing paint, while for others, it is advisable to repaint over the old paint.
Let us look at a few factors to assess the need for old paint removal:
Old And New Paint Type
The old paint may require scraping if the new paint type is considerably different from the old one. For example, if the homeowner wishes to repaint the oil-based paint with water-based paint or oil-based paint over distemper, removing the existing paint might get necessary as the new coating may chip or peel after some time.
Age And Condition Of The Old Paint
If the walls have not been repainted in a long time, consider removing the old paint. Repainting over an old and worn-out wall creates several issues. The new paint may not stick to the walls properly, and there is an increased possibility of the newly painted walls developing defects. Painting over walls painted many years ago may not look even and pleasing, leading to a waste of time, money, efforts, and resources. While it may seem easier to paint the walls directly, it may devoid the walls of a smooth appearance.
Removing old coating is also necessary if the old paint has significantly cracked, peeled, flaked, chalked, blistered, and has developed other painting defects like bittiness, saponification, and algae or fungus growth.
Presence Of Lead
If you are repainting the walls of an old property, there are increased chances of lead in the old paint, which needs proper removal by experts. Call professionals or buy DIY kits from the market to check the paint for lead presence and get rid of it before repainting.
Minor Stains And Spots
If the existing paint is in good condition, with small spots, stains, and damage, and there is not much difference between the type and color of the new and old paint, you can repaint the walls without removing the whole paint.
The Walls Suffer From Water Damage
The appearance of dampness and salt deposits on the walls is not a good sign. Get professionals to remove the old paint and repair the walls through proper treatment before applying a fresh coat of paint.
Though repainting the existing paint saves homeowners time and money, it becomes inevitable sometimes to remove the old paint for great results and a lasting paint job. Generally, most walls require a good wash before repainting. Hire a professional painting contractor to examine the walls, and determine which method will work best for your home walls.
About the author: This article is written by Jeremiah from Superior Painting – experts in Miami condo painting and drywall repair