Painting Walls and Ceilings

Painting Walls and Ceilings

Questions about painting walls and ceilings and the many challenges they pose.

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Questions with Answers

• Correcting wall color. - I recently painted my bedroom walls and the color dried slightly off from what I wanted. Was thinking of applying an opal glaze product, by mixing in with the remaining can of paint. Will that work?
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• Splotchy ceiling. - We have painted our living room ceiling and we keep getting a splotchy, chalky appearance. Why is this happening and what can I do to correct it?
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
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• Cutting-in in stages. - Can I cut in the rooms (I have several I'm doing with high ceiling and lots of corners!) ahead of time? I have back problems and can't afford to hire a painter. I wondered if I could do it in stages over say a two week period? Then I could have...
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
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• How much paint. - When you paint over painted walls do you need to use primer paint first? I have been told if you don't the paint will not stick. Is this true? Because it would be cheaper if I don't use primer or two coats of paint so I can budget for my project....
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
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• Painting Walls - I used a brush and painted all of the walls just under the crown molding then took a roller and painted the room. The painting I did with the brush is now darker than the walls even after rolling on two coats. What did I do wrong?
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• Fire residue or soot. - I have soot on the ceiling in my kitchen from burning candles and I would like to paint. What kind of paint do I use and/or do I have to clean this first with a special solvent because it seems to have seeped through the last paint job.
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
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• What type of paint to cover paneling? - I have 4.5 walls that have paneling on them. Do I need to fill the creases or can I paint right over it? Also what type of interior paint do I use for this?
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• Prep New Drywall - How would you prep and paint freshly hung drywall?
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
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• Runs in fresh paint. - So the painter left heavy runs over a freshly primed and drywall area. We notice in the evening what should we do? Scuff it, peel it off? Aura paint from Benjamin Moore.
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• New paint peeling off walls. - I painting my bedroom. I used painters tape around the bases etc. But once I take off the tape, my paint starts to peel off the walls. What do I do?
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
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• Trimming around carpeted stairs? - Any tips for trimming around carpeted stairs?
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• Painting over Shire Fields Green - Painted over green with Dover white. Used 2 coats...still won't cover. What should I do?
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• How to apply red interior paint? - I am trying to apply red paint to a interior wall and the paint wont coat evenly. I keep getting different shades through out the walls. I have put down white Kilz primer already.
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• Can steam damage paint? - A few months ago I repainted our bathroom, primed plus 2 coats, it looked perfect. Now the ceiling looks like I only put on one coat. My husband takes very long hot showers, could the steam be ruining the paint?
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• Tape peeling the paint away. - When I remove the painters' tape that I've used to mask door facings, trim etc., when painting a wall, some of the new paint will peel off too.
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• Painting over colours. - At the moment, the room is a pale blue with a strip of dark blue. I want to paint the whole thing cream. I think (and hope!) the pale blue will be OK but I don't know if the dark blue will show through. Do I have to put a primer on the whole wa...
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• Painting Paneling - The grooves in my paneling are 2" apart and I would like to fill them in before painting the paneling but do not want to worry about what I fill them in with to fall out after I have painted the walls. What should I use.
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• Primer won't stick to the walls ? - I'm painting over previously painted walls. While trying to prime, and keep a "wet edge", the primer comes off with every other stroke of the brush. It's just not sticking to the walls. I washed the walls with an aggressive cleaner and sanded with...
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• Latex paint cut in. - After cutting in do you need to let it dry before rolling the walls?
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
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• Which roller to use on plaster. - We have had our room recently plastered and we are now trying to emulsion the walls. However which ever roller we appear to use we seem to be getting a stipple effect. Can you please advise which roller we need to use to get a smooth finish?
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
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• Eggshell vs Flat - I purchased eggshell finish by mistake instead of flat (which my other living room walls are). Will it look odd to have one wall with eggshell and the others flat?
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• Painting rough cut siding indoors. - Hello, We have rough cut western red cedar in our bathroom that is tired and shows some stains and we were wanting to paint it white. What would be the best way to go about it.
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
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• Peeling paint on plaster wall. - We are repainting a bedroom using a latex primer. The walls and ceiling have been lightly sanded prior to applying the primer. As the primer dries the paint underneath is separating from the wall below but appears to be bonded to the previous laye...
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
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• Semi gloss over semi gloss. - Can I prime the wall with semi gloss if I am gonna paint it with semi gloss paint? I was told that I would have to use flat after I bought it and had it colored to match.
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
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• Half painted walls needing repainting. - Powder room walls were painted at the bottom and wall papered at the top. Once the wall paper was removed, it was clear that the bottom painted area had received several coats of paint, so the two surfaces do not match up. I want to paint the en...
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