FAQ- Interior

Frequently Asked Question about painting Inside

How can I remove mould from walls and ceiling?

Scenario:  Bathroom walls that have been previously painted in a water based paint.  Due to lack of ventilation the room is very moist and a black mould has grown on the ceiling and upper section of the walls.

Answer: The only real long term solution for this situation is to eliminate the cause of the problem by improving the ventilation in the room. The walls then need to be washed down with a solution of household bleach and water and then rinsed thoroughly.  A preparatory coat of an anti-mould solution is necessary for bad mould and then two coats of a premium quality satin acrylic or enamel with the addition of a fungicidal additive into the paint should be applied. 
STEPS:
1.  Wash area thoroughly with a bleach solution
2.  Use an anti-mould preparatory product
3.  Two coats of satin acrylic or enamel with a fungicidal additive.

My bathroom has been previously coated in an enamel and I now want to use a water based finish.  What do I need to do?

Answer:   The walls need to be thoroughly washed with warm soapy water, rinsed and sanded so that no gloss remains.  One coat of acrylic sealer undercoat is necessary for adhesion before two topcoats of preferably a satin acrylic is applied.

If I paint a large wall inside, will the colour look lighter or darker than the colour chip?

Answer:  Lighting plays a huge part in the appearance of a colour, but generally the colour will look darker when seen on a large, interior area.

How much paint do I need to paint a small bedroom?

Answer:   As a rough guide, most acrylic interior wall paints will cover about 13 -15m2 per litre, but always check the manufacturers label.  Remember to calculate enough paint for two coats.

Must I always use two topcoats of interior wall paint?

Answer:  To ensure the proper durability and washability of paint, two coats must always be used to obtain a thick enough film build.  Two coats are also important for even colour coverage.

I want to paint a hallway in a very dark, bright colour and still have good washability and scrub resistance.  Is a low sheen acrylic good enough for this use?

Answer:  Generally speaking, the lower the gloss and the darker the colour, the more noticeable marks, such as scuff marks, will be.  For high traffic areas the choice of a satin acrylic or oil based finish may be the better option.  Where scuff and scrub resistance is a high priority, (irrespective of colour) enamel paints are the preferred option.  Resistance properties generally improve with increasing gloss level.

I have chosen a bright colour to paint my interior walls with.  Why do I need to use a tinted undercoat?

Answer:  Because strong colours are tinted from a Clear or an Accent Base, the opacity of the finish comes mainly from the tinters.  Some tinters, especially the yellows and reds, do not have the opacity to provide good coverage, regardless of the brand of the product or the tinter.  A grey undercoat underneath helps these colours to have an even finish and to provide a solid colour.

Why shouldn't an 'exterior only' grade paint be used inside?

Answer:  In terms of film properties, there is no reason why exterior paints can't be used inside.  There may be other reasons (eg sheen level) why they may not be considered suitable.  Drying times may also have to be extended.

Do you carry a ceiling paint that will cover very rough plasterwork on gyprock? We are renovating and would prefer not to redo the ceiling.

Answer:Haymes does have a product called Ceiling White. It is one of the best ceiling paints on the market. However it isn't a filling paint, it is the flattest paint available and like all flat paints, it does cover imperfections. However if the plaster is extremely rough, then Ceiling White wont fill the gyprock to make it smooth. There is currently no paint on the market that is a filler as well as a paint. You will need to purchase a filler, for example Polyfoil, or re plaster the ceiling.

I am wanting to paint over the doorframes and skirting boards with paint but these have been stained when the house was built (about 25 years ago). What do I need to do?

Answer: If the doorframes and skirting boards have a clear finish over the stain simply clean the surface thoroughly; apply a coat of Haymes Tricoat undercoat, followed by 2 coats of the topcoat of your choice.
You could use either of the following;
High Gloss Enamel
Semi Gloss Enamel
Acrylic Trim Gloss
Acrylic Trim Paint Semi Gloss

If the door frames and skirtings do not have a clear seal on them then you would need to remove as much as the stain as possible by sanding. Then apply the Haymes Tricoat and top coats.

How can I go about painting a fridge?

Answer: First you will need to thoroughly wash down the fridge to ensure it is perfectly clean. Then sand the current coating with wet and dry paper until it is completely dull. This creates a key for the new paint to stick on to. If this is not done properly the new paint will not stick.

Then apply a coat Haymes General Purpose Undercoat followed by 2 coats of either Haymes High Gloss or Semi Gloss Enamel. The new paint will take 7-10 days to reach full hardness. During this time you will need to be particularly careful not to mark the new paint.

I have painted a wall using Real Copper Paint and in some places verdigris has occurred, can I repaint with an Acrylic paint directly over the verdigris?

Answer: Before you paint over the Real Copper Paint you will need to thoroughly scrub down the wall to remove all of the "verdigris". The verdigris is the remains of a reaction between the Real Copper Paint (water based paint) and the Oxidising Patina (acid). Paint will not stick over the acid so it must be removed by thorough washing. Ensure the remaining paint is sound. Then apply a coat of Haymes Tricoat and 2 coats of the new topcoat.

The inside of my house is covered by retro wallpaper. The wallpaper is in pristine condition but severely outdated. I am wanting to paint all the walls within the house and I have heard it was possible to paint over wallpaper, is this correct? I am unsure what type of wallpaper it is, but from what I can tell it is paper not vinyl. If this is possble can you tell me how to go about doing so?

Answer: We do not recommend painting over wallpaper as there is a chance that as the paint dries it will pull the wallpaper off the wall. However some people do take this risk and successfully complete this type of job.
If you were to take the chance and do this, first wash the wallpaper down with sugar soap as you would prepare a painted wall, apply 1 coat of Haymes Tricoat, followed by 2 coats of the top coat of your choice.