GET RID OF MILDEW
CLEAN THE AREA
PREPARE GLOSSY SURFACES
PREPARE BARE WOOD
PREPARE OTHER UNPAINTED SURFACES
PREPARE PREVIOUSLY PAINTED SURFACES
PREPARE STAINED AND DISCOLOURED SURFACES
PREPARE WALLPAPERED SURFACES

GET RID OF MILDEW

This spotty black, grey and brown mould is sometimes stubborn to eliminate, but if it is not removed before priming, painting or staining, it can grow through the new coating and ruin your paint or staining job. Mildew thrives in warm, moist, low light environments. Laundry rooms, bathrooms and basements should be carefully inspected. If it's present, treat the mildew with a 3:1 mixture of water and household bleach. Sponge the bleach on the mildew allowing a 300 - 600mm margin around the affected area just to be safe. Allow it to remain on the surface for at least 20 minutes, and reapply as it dries. Rinse the area thoroughly with water and then wash it with a mild detergent and rinse again.. Always wear goggles, rubber gloves and old clothes when working with bleach. never mix bleach with ammonia products. The combination can release poison vapors

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CLEAN THE AREA

A clean surface will maximise paint adhesion and minimise stain bleed-through. On smooth surfaces like walls and doors a mild detergent and warm water applied with a rag or sponge is usually sufficient. Rougher areas like masonry or tile can be cleaned with a bristle brush. A stronger cleanser like TSP or Sugar Soap should only be used where grease and dirt build-up is substantial. Always rinse thoroughly to eliminate any detergent residue and allow the surface to dry completely.

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PREPARE GLOSSY SURFACES

New coatings do not adhere well to high-gloss surfaces, so it is recommended that all glossy areas be dulled for the best primer or paint adhesion. Use a fine grit paper such as #180 or #220. After sanding, remove any dust with a damp rag. Chemical deglossers are also available, but require care and caution. Leaving the product on the surface too long can soften and wrinkle the old coating. Make sure there is ample ventilation, open windows and use fans to keep the fumes from building up in the room. Follow all manufacturer's instructions and treat these products as strong solvents, exercising safety precautions with protective goggles, gloves, respirator, and clothing.

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PREPARE BARE WOOD

Inspect wood for mildew and if present treat as recommended in the "Get Rid of Mildew" section. Fill any holes or cracks with a suitable wood filler, allow to dry. If the wood surface is rough it should be sanded smooth with a medium grit garnet paper (100-120 grit). Be sure to sand with the grain, never against it, diagonally or across the grain. Wipe away any dust with a rag. To achieve the smoothest appearance, apply a coat of water to the wood with a wet but not soaking wet rag. Allow it to dry 30 minutes to raise the grain of the wood. Sand with fine garnet paper to remove the raised grain. This will avoid grain raising when applying primer, paint or other coatings. Use a stain-blocking primer applied in a heavy coat and allow it to dry overnight. A second coat can be applied if staining is evident. Oil based and alcohol-based stain-blocking primers are most effective over high-staining woods such as mahogany and redwood. Light sanding may be required before a finish coat is applied. Follow manufacturer's recommendations for best results. When using oil or alcohol based primers, proper ventilation is required along with use of a respirator.

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PREPARE OTHER UNPAINTED SURFACES

New Wallboard
Before painting materials like new sheetrock or gypsum board be sure all joints and patches are sanded smooth, dusted with rags or vacuumed. Next apply a PVA wallboard-specific primer. Pay attention to the manufacturer's instructions and spread rates. As an alternative, a general purpose stain-blocking interior primer can be used. If staining occurs with a PVA wallboard primer, apply a stain-blocking primer.

New Plaster
Allow plaster to dry thoroughly. With a simple patch job, this will take one to two days, for larger areas like walls and ceilings it can require a week or more depending on the weather and interior humidity conditions. Thick plaster applied in extremely humid conditions it can take a month to dry adequately. Once dry, all rough areas must be sanded smooth with medium grit paper followed by a second treatment with fine grit paper. Clean surface of all dust with dry rags or vacuum and then apply a stain-blocking interior latex primer recommended for plaster surfaces. Be sure to wear a mask and protective eyewear when sanding.

Tile
Treat any suspected mildew and inspect grout joints and repair them as necessary. Next wash the entire surface with a detergent and an abrasive non-metallic pad. Rinse and dry thoroughly. As an option to guarantee maximum adhesion, sand the tile surface with a fine (#220) aluminum oxide sand paper. Clean area off with a damp rag. Use a high-adhesion interior acrylic bonding primer. This type of primer requires the use of a respirator and ample ventilation. Allow it to dry thoroughly before applying a finish coat.

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PREPARE PREVIOUSLY PAINTED SURFACES

Inspect the surface for cracking, peeling, flaking, loose paint. Depending on the severity of the damage you may choose to employ one or more the methods described here to prepare the surface for a new coating.

Scraping
This is a traditional effective approach for most flat surfaces from plaster and wallboard to wood and ferrous metal. Use shaped scrapers like triangle or oval shapes to get into corners and on rounded profiles. Take care not to gouge, score or otherwise harm the surface. Feather sand all rough edges with a medium, then fine grit garnet sand paper.

Wire or Bristle Brushing
Use a stiff wire brush, being careful not to damage the substrate. Once all loose paint has been removed sand the surface with a medium then fine grit garnet sand paper.

Sanding
If the surface is just flaking slightly you can simply sand the are with progressively finer grit garnet papers starting with coarse, then medium, then fine.

Chemical Removers
Choose a paint remover that is recommended for the coating and substrate you're preparing. Apply a heavy coat of the remover with an old or a low-end natural bristle paint brush since the remover will likely ruin the brush. Give the product plenty of time to work as recommended by the manufacturer, usually 15 to 20 minutes or longer depending on the thickness of the old paint. Carefully remove the softened paint using a putty knife or wooden blade and scrape the material into doubled paper grocery bags inside a cardboard carton. Reapply more stripper if needed and then clean the surface with wadded up paper toweling, newspaper or a commercial pad designed for this purpose. Before using these products, clear the area of children and pets. Cover floors and steps and remove plants, rugs and furniture. Dispose of all refuse after the job carefully following manufacturer instructions. Wear goggles or face mask for eye protection; use chemical resistant gloves, long sleeve shirt and pants to protect the skin; and protect breathing with a respirator designed for use with chemical solvents. There are low odour alternatives to the strong solvent removers, but they may take several hours to accomplish the same job. Once the remover has done it's work, sand the surface thoroughly with fine garnet paper and dust before applying primer, stain or varnish.

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PREPARE STAINED AND DISCOLOURED SURFACES

Water Stains
The first step to covering water stains is to make sure that their source has been eliminated. Once you are assured that no more damage will occur, begin the preparation process. Clean as much of the stain as possible from the surface and rinse. Allow the surface to dry and apply a stain-blocking oil-based, alcohol-based or acrylic primer. If there is still evidence of stain-through, apply a second coat. Oil-based and alcohol based primers are the most effective in stopping stubborn stain-through problems, but require plenty of ventilation and an appropriate respirator. Once the primer has thoroughly dried, apply the finish coat.

Tobacco, Fire Damage, Soot, Grease
Clean the stained area as much as possible with a detergent and rinse thoroughly. Allow the surface to dry and apply a stain-blocking oil-based, alcohol-based or acrylic primer. If there is still evidence of stain-through, apply a second coat. Oil-based and alcohol based primers are the most effective in stopping stubborn stain-through problems, but require plenty of ventilation and an appropriate respirator. One the primer has thoroughly dried, apply the finish coat. In the case of fire damage, oil-based primers provide the best combination of stain hiding and minimising odour.

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PREPARE WALLPAPERED SURFACES

It is far better to remove wallpaper and residual adhesives before painting. If not you risk a variety of problems from lifting and curling to staining and uneven textures. It is sometimes however necessary to paint over it. Here is how to handle either situation. Wallpaper can be removed by peeling, soaking and scraping, or steaming and scraping. Scrub off any glue or sizing and rinse thoroughly. Any gouges or scratches can be patched with plaster or spackling compound, then sanded and dusted with a damp rag. Interior oil-based or acrylic stain-blocking primer should be applied prior to painting.

When painting over wallpaper begin by checking for loose areas of paper and poorly adhering seams. Re-glue these problem areas and then try paint test in an inconspicuous area of the room to make sure it will look acceptable, making sure there is a seam included in the test area. Apply an oil-based stain blocking primer using ample ventilation and a respirator. Allow it to dry overnight and inspect it to ensure there is no discolouration and apply a second coat if necessary. Apply a finish coat to the test area and allow it to dry. Flat finish paints will minimise the texture of the underlying paper. Consider applying a second coat and then evaluate the test area to see if you will proceed with the entire room.

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