fixing a bad paint job?
After a large renovation (including all new doors, casing, trim, etc), we have found ourselves stuck with a really awful paint job. (We just assumed that anyone we would pay to do it would do at least as good a job as we would ourselves. Foiled! Live and learn I guess. Word to the newbies:…
After a large renovation (including all new doors, casing, trim, etc), we have found ourselves stuck with a really awful paint job. (We just assumed that anyone we would pay to do it would do at least as good a job as we would ourselves. Foiled! Live and learn I guess. Word to the newbies: either do it yourself or pay the big money for a good paint job, especially if you’ve just spent a year of your life and your life savings on everything else. It’s worth it!)
Anyhow, the walls are passable, but the most frustrating part is that new doors and trim now look like they’ve been there for 20 years, there are so many drips along the edges and roller marks, etc. We first told the painters that we wouldn’t pay for it until it was fixed but then their attempts at fixing were just making things worse (and I actually think they were trying to fix them, which is the sad part).
We decided to just pay them (to leave, really) and now want to know whether/how we can fix these things ourselves.
Trim paint is Eggshell Benjamin Moore. Is there any reason we shouldn’t get a palm sander and just sand off one or two layers of the paint on the trim?
Any recommendations on sandpaper type? Any other suggestions?
Fresh latex paint? Don’t use a power sander it will melt the paint into a gummy mess.
Oil paint has a higher component of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which are air pollutants. There are a number of paints on the market now that have low or zero VOC.
1: Ignore 9:58, the only interesting thing about those types of comments is it makes me curious what life has done to someone to make them so petty and stupid. Even if, like those who race to post an AY Effect comment, they are just trying to get your goat, they are pitiful human beings.
Slick-Don’t worry about stupid questions. Trim is installed first then caulked, holes filled, etc and sanded and painted.
2: It may be possible to scrape or sand just the drips, sort of blending them into the surrounding painted area. If you are not yet living in the space, one or two coats of paint may not be that hard to strip with a good stripper or heat gun-might be worth it.
3: In this case, consider yourself lucky that eggshell was used—it may be easier to scrape and sand.
4: When ready to repaint, the most commonly used finish on trim is semi-gloss or gloss. Oil based is even better, but you may need to reprime if you use oil. This thicker type finish may also help to hide some of the more minor finish problems left by your original poor paint job.
5: Finally, don’t beat yourself up. Only someone that has done or is doing what you are doing can really relate. With all the business out there, there are many people who, overnight, become a tradesman. There is LOTS of crappy work being done out there. I am doing most of the work on our place and will consider a real pro to paint for me (budget permitting) for the following reasons: 1) I really don’t like to paint 2) If I take my time, I can paint pretty well, but it still does not look as good as a real pro job 3) There is something almost magical and hard to define about a truly great paint job after a real Pro is done 4) aside from electric and plumbing trim-out, its one of the last things done on a job—it’s what you see. It’s one of those things that most people think that they can do easily (thus the experience you just had)—it’s just not the case.
Call JP Interiors who advertize on this Forum. Have John come over and give you an estimate for fixing the trim. It won’t be inexpensive because, as you correctly observe, the new paint will have to be at least partially removed before it can be re-done. I also recommend using oil-based semi-gloss. Although not every paint store will sell it to ordinary consumers, Benjamin Moore still makes it and a painting contractor will have no difficulty buying it. Like “1910” points out, you get a better finish with semi-gloss and oil-based semi-gloss is even better yet.
After sanding – I think paint finish with a little more sheen than eggshell is best for molding. Eggshel on molding tends to look dry and cake-y.Glossier finish Goes on easier, better for cleaning if you get handprints or smudge. If you don’t like semi-gloss try luster or pearl finish.
9:58 PM, why so obnoxious? How do you know they were being cheap, if they hired someone else to do the paint job? They never mention the cost, they ended paying the people in full, they just trusted someone to do a professional job who clearly was not capable of delivering. It’s obnoxious and unfriendly posts like yours that make this site more and more difficult to stomach.
as a stupid question, arent you supposed to put the molding on after?
Serves you right for being cheap.
Wow! That sounds really bad. You have little choice but to sand and scrape the molding, prime and paint it again, or install new molding. The Benjamin Moore pro line is good stuff, it’s nice and thick and will not run as easily as other paints do. Good luck.