Can You Paint Over Chipped Paint

Spring is a great time to repaint, says Mark T. Knaebe, a chemist at the Forest Products Laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin. He recommends starting with a quick test to determine the extent of the work. First, choose an inconspicuous place where the paint is worst. Clean the surface, let it dry and paint a small patch. The next day, press on a Band-Aid and then quickly pull it off. If the tape is clean, it's safe to repaint after scrubbing the whole house.

If the tape pulls off all the paint down to bare wood, the house needs to be stripped before it's repainted. If just new paint comes off, the old paint is too chalky and you'll have to coat the whole house with an oil primer first. Sand all bare wood and exposed paint edges or the new paint will be thin there and will chip in no time.

Scrub the walls with water and kill any mildew by using a solution of one par household bleach to three parts water. To repair peeling paint, start by scraping the peeling paint off of the surface with a flat blade. Next, fill any cracks or holes in the surface with quick-setting patching compound, let the compound dry, and sand the area. Then, apply a thin, even layer of primer over the surface and let it dry completely. Finally, repaint the repaired surface with two coats of new paint and let it dry for at least 24 hours before touching or using the space. It's unlikely any peeling paint will survive scraping, washing and scrubbing.

But if it does, you can remove it with a light scuff sanding. Use a 150-grit sanding sponge, which is easier to manipulate than sandpaper and won't gum up as easily. Wipe the trim down with a rag, and apply the primer and first coat of paint.

A Wagner FLEXiO sprayer will make the job go much faster and produce a more professional finish than a brush. Prior to applying the second coat, use the sponge to scuff up the surface. Sprucing up trim with paint may take a bit of patience, but you'll be happy with the transformation.

To prevent cracking of newly installed plywood, sand and prime with a latex primer. If cracking has already occurred and is severe, replace the wood, as it is not re-paintable. If the cracking is not extensive, remove all loose and peeling paint. Clean the surface thoroughly with a bleach-and-water solution. Damaged or rough surfaces may need to be sanded to the fresh wood. Seal all bare wood with an oil/alkyd primer, followed by the desired topcoat.

Remove all peeling and flaking paint using a paint scraper. Cover the ground with drop cloths to catch paint chips, dust and debris. You can rent or buy a disc sander with 60-, 80- and 120-grit sanding discs.

For very limited areas, use a random-orbit sander, hand sander or disc sander drill attachment. Begin sanding with a coarse abrasive and finish with a fine one. Pay particular attention to smoothing the edges between painted and scraped areas. Painting will accentuate, not hide, any ridges and edges you leave.

Sills and other horizontal surfaces peel because water runoff is slow and in the meantime can work its way through any crack in the paint. Heat from sunlight also drives the moisture into the wood. Scrape, sand and recoat these highly vulnerable areas as soon as peeling paint begins.

Then they let the wood dry for at least five days before priming it. When paint begins to peel off your soffits (Fig. B), one likely culprit is a clogged or leaky gutter. The best prevention is to clean your gutters twice a year. Many veteran painters recommend removing the gutters entirely and eliminating both the peeling paint and the cleaning chore at the same time. Other painters disagree, because gutters keep runoff from splashing up, soaking and ruining the paint on the lower siding. Despite the cleaning chore, we generally recommend gutters because they protect the foundation from water damage.

Use a wire brush or paint scraper to scrape off all loose paint. Once the peeling paint is removed, you might be left with cracks or holes; these should be fixed before you repaint. Apply a patching compound with a putty knife; smooth and let dry according to the manufacturer's directions. If your repair didn't turn out well the first time, don't fret—there are ways to salvage it. After your previous attempt dries, sand the spot back down to the primer with a 360-grit 3M Wetordry sandpaper.

This time, it's imperative to stay within the repair zone, so you probably want to trim your sandpaper circle to sit even with the radius of your stick. Wipe off any extra dust or moisture, then repaint the spot. Wet sand the spot with 1000-grit sandpaper once the paint is completely dry.

This tedious process slowly built up new layers of paint to sit even with the original surface. The ceiling is plaster, house is about 90 years old. I don't know why paint was peeling, I just figured they had done a poor job of prepping or cleaning dust before they painted before they sold the house.

When I scraped off the peeling paint when I started the job, there were no indications of dark spots or water damage from what I could see. I followed your steps and still have cracking paint once it's dry. Old paint can chip, flake or peel, leaving behind cracks and small holes. This can't just be painted over without causing future problems. You'll need a paint scraper, wire brush, sandpaper and a primer. If you try to paint over peeling paint, you will not have a smooth, professional finish.

Paint will not bond well to wood exposed by sanding. Before you paint, be sure to use a high-quality paint primer, like True Value EasyCare Ultra Premium Exterior Primer/Sealer. This seals porous surface material so your topcoat won't soak in and dry unevenly. Priming also helps prevent peeling, rusting and bleed-through .

Apply with a brush, roller or spray applicator to all bare wood. Allow it to dry completely before moving on to the next step. Once you get that squared away, get cracking on those cracks! Protect the floor with a drop cloth, and have a receptacle handy to catch the refuse. Gear up with goggles and a face mask, because tiny flakes of paint are sure to go flying. Then—using a putty knife, wire brush, or paint scraper—carefully remove all the chipped or peeling paint from the walls and ceiling.

The most common causes of latex paint peeling from hard or slick surfaces is lack of curing time after painting and poor surface preparation. Although most quality latex paints dry very quickly, the hardening or curing process takes much longer, ranging from 2 to 4 weeks. During the curing period, latex paints are very susceptible to damage by abrasion or scratching. Over a properly prepared surface, enough time for curing is all that is needed for a satisfactory job. On some surfaces, special preparation is necessary or failure of the topcoat can occur.

Priming is an important stage to renovating and fixing a peeling paint job. When the holes from the paint chips are filled and sanded down, wipe down the surface with a damp cloth and prepare for priming. When starting a decorating project, you want the best possible base to achieve the best results and to keep your paint job looking great for the foreseeable. When you're learning how to fix flaking paint, it helps to understand the underlying issue that could be causing the damage.

To put it simply, it peels and chips when the surface wasn't prepared properly. Paint adheres best to a clean wall that's free of moisture so it's a good idea to nail this step to save yourself problems in the future. Luckily, peeling paint on your walls and ceilings can be fixed—it's simply about removing the old coat and applying a new one, this time correctly. Always make sure to exercise adequate safety precautions and to use the proper tools. Wear the appropriate clothes for working with paint. Protect your eyes from falling paint chips by wearing safety goggles, and where a dust mask to stop yourself from breathing in paint particles.

Water is the primary cause of flaking paint on bathroom walls and ceilings, as well as on exterior walls. When water penetrates through the coats of paint, it causes the layers to separate and detach from the surface. This results in bulging, cracking, and finally, peeling. Peeling paint occurs when moisture collects under a painted surface.

Moisture enters wood surfaces from the unpainted side, gets absorbed and then dries. This repeated swelling and shrinking of wood causes the paint to pull away from the surface, which results in cracking and peeling paint. Locate sources of moisture by checking areas for leakage from gutters or eaves of the house.

There may be the occasion when there is so much flaking paint that the entire area, wall or ceiling may need stripped back to the original plaster. Painting over flaky patches or paint chips can be easily rectified, larger areas must have all the peeling paint removed before attempting to repaint. Remove all peeling paint and sand rough edges smooth. Prime with appropriate primer and recoat with a high quality paint.

Remove all loose peeling paint and sand rough edges smooth. Prime with appropriate primer and recoat with good-quality paint. If your surface just has a few minor paint chips from general wear and tear, repainting the small patch is a perfectly simple solution. It's only when you have widespread paint peeling that you should repaint the whole wall. The end result will be more consistent and look fresher for longer.

This will also prevent touchups for newly chipped paint. Simply prepare the surface by applying a high adhesion primer. Paint tends to peel or flake near joints between dissimilar materials—think siding and trim, window frames and glass, etc.

This is where water seeps into cracks and soaks into the wood, causing the paint to peel. Use an old screwdriver or similar tool to scrape out any failed caulk from joints and cracks. Allow any moisture to dry completely before applying exterior paintable caulk with a caulking gun. William C. Feist thinks he knows why this happens and how to deal with peeling paint. In the United States, almost all paint companies turn to Rohm & Haas and its Paint Quality Institute in Spring House, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. There, in a six-acre field draped with two miles of odd-looking fences, 25,000 paint samples are in a contest with time, weather and the sun.

For galvanized metal, the protective layer of oil must be completely removed. Solvent wiping (mineral spirits, lacquer thinner, etc.) is recommended. Weathered galvanized metal develops a layer of "white rust" which must be removed by wire brushing and sanding. Thoroughly remove all dust, then wipe with solvent and topcoat with latex paint or a direct-to-metal primer/finish.

If the paint is just peeling back to the layer below then there is an adhesion issue which needs to be tackled. Or are you potentially painting over a glossy or older oil-based paint which could react with water? Cleaning and prepping a surface properly first is key.

Next, cover the repaired areas with a quality primer. This is crucial in ensuring the paint adheres to the wall effectively. It also seals out any unwanted moisture and prevents peeling paint from happening again.

Ensure the newly cleaned area is completely dry before you start priming otherwise you're back at square one. Be sure to clean the area after sanding to remove any dust and molecules for better paint adhesion and prevent future paint peels. Make sure that you allow the area to be completely dry before painting.

We do want flaking paint as a result of moisture under our paint. If you've been meaning to do something about the peeling paint on your walls, grab a few supplies and get started! Lay down a cloth or tarp to catch any dried paint before you begin. Then, use a putty knife or flat blade to scrape away the peeling paint. Repair the surface by filling holes or cracks, cleaning the surface, and priming it.