Consider Before painting an New House & Old Painted House

A: Newly Built House

Before you pick up a brush, keep these professional tips in mind:

Curing Period: This is the most important rule. New plaster needs time to dry completely. Wait at least 28 days to 3 months after plastering before applying paint. If the walls are still damp inside, the paint will bubble and peel.

Weather Check: Avoid painting during the monsoon or peak humid seasons.

The best time is during dry, sunny weather so the paint dries naturally and evenly.

Quality of Materials: Don’t compromise on the quality of primer and putty. These form the “foundation” of your paint.

Sample Testing: Always buy small sample cans of your favorite colors and test them on a small patch of the wall. Colors often look different under room lighting compared to the store.

Step-by-Step Painting Process

To get a professional, smooth finish, follow these steps in order:

1. Surface Preparation (Cleaning)

New walls often have dust, cement splashes, and loose particles.

Action: Use a wire brush or sandpaper to scrape off any excess cement or grit.

Wipe the walls down with a dry cloth to ensure they are dust-free.

2. Applying the First Coat of Primer (Undercoat)

Primer acts as an adhesive between the wall and the paint. It also prevents the wall from absorbing too much expensive paint.

Action: Apply one coat of Water-Based Cement Primer. Let it dry for 6–8 hours.

3. Wall Putty Application

Putty is used to fill in minor cracks, holes, and unevenness in the plaster to give you a “mirror-smooth” surface.

Action: Apply two coats of Wall Putty.

Note: The second coat should be applied only after the first one is completely dry (usually after 4–6 hours).

4. Sanding

Once the putty is dry, the walls will feel slightly rough to the touch.

Action: Sand the walls using a fine-grit sandpaper (usually 180 or 220 grit). This makes the surface perfectly flat and smooth. Wipe off the resulting white dust.

5. Second Coat of Primer

Many people skip this, but it’s a mistake. Applying primer over the putty ensures the paint sticks perfectly and the color looks uniform.

Action: Apply one more coat of primer over the sanded putty.

6. The Topcoat (Final Paint)

This is where the actual color goes on.

First Coat: Apply the first coat of your chosen paint (Emulsion). Let it dry for at least 4–6 hours.

Second Coat: Apply the final coat. This provides the depth of color and the desired finish (Matte, Gloss, or Sheen).

B: Old Painted House

Check for Dampness (Seepage): This is the biggest enemy. If there is moisture in the walls, no amount of expensive paint will stay. You must fix any leaking pipes or roof cracks before starting.

Loose Paint Removal: You cannot paint over peeling or flaking paint. It must be scraped off entirely.

Fungus and Algae: Older walls often have black or green spots (especially in humid areas). These need to be treated with a bio-wash or a bleach solution; otherwise, they will grow back through the new paint.

Cracks: Look for “hairline cracks” vs “structural cracks. ” Hairline cracks can be filled with putty, but larger cracks need specialized crack-filler paste.

Step-by-Step Process for Repainting

1. Scraping (The Most Important Step)

You need to remove the old, loose layers of paint to get to a solid surface.

Action: Use a scuffing tool or metal scraper to remove all flaking or bubbling paint. If the old paint is still very firm and not peeling, you can just lightly sand it to “de-gloss” it so the new paint sticks better.

2. Washing and Cleaning

Old walls accumulate grease, dust, and smoke over the years.

Action: Wash the walls with water to remove dust. For kitchen walls (which might be greasy), use a mild detergent solution. Ensure the wall is 100% dry before moving to the next step.

3. Treating Cracks and Dampness

Action: Dig out any visible cracks slightly and fill them with Crack Fill Compound. If there is a major dampness issue, apply a Waterproofing Coat (like Dr. Fixit or similar damp-block products) on that specific area.

4. Patch Putty (Spot Priming)In an old house, you usually don’t need to apply putty to the entire house unless the walls are in very bad shape.

Action: Apply Wall Putty only to the areas where you scraped off old paint or filled cracks to level them with the rest of the wall. Once dry, sand these patches until they are flush with the wall.

5. Priming (Deciding the Coat)

Action: Apply a coat of Primer. This is crucial in old houses because it blocks old stains from bleeding through and ensures the new color looks uniform across patched and unpatched areas.

6. Final Painting (Topcoat)

Action: Apply 2 to 3 coats of your new Emulsion paint.

Note: If you are changing the color drastically (e.g., going from a dark blue wall to a light cream wall), you might need an extra coat of paint to cover the old color completely.