Advice on painting over grey paint on door frames and skirtings

[tanguero12]

I'm going to be painting over a number of door frames and skirting boards painted either a mid-grey or dark red gloss by the previous owner. I want to paint these white. I'm not too fussy about what type of paint to use but I want to buy paint that's suitable - presumably an undercoat and at least two topcoats, but I have read all sorts of ideas on which paint is best - water based or emulsion based, type of finish - and I'm getting confused!

 

[Sunshine32]

Those are dark colours to paint over in white so be prepared for a fair few coats.

If they are painted with gloss then it’s likely an oil based paint has been used. It’s easier to put another oil based paint on top of another rather than swap to a water based paint.

If you come back and check this thread, please post some pics of the woodwork so we can see the paint and what state the woodwork is in.

Then someone can advise you better.

 

[essex123456]

We had a dark blue ceiling, we primed it with Zinsser Bulls eye primer, only needed one coat and then a top coat of white emulsion, job done.

Just done all wood work with Dulux trade satinwood, didn't want gloss and read its harder than eggshell.

 

[Sunshine32]

We had a dark blue ceiling, we primed it with Zinsser Bulls eye primer, only needed one coat and then a top coat of white emulsion, job done.

Just done all wood work with Dulux trade satinwood, didn't want gloss and read its harder than eggshell.

Zinsser 123 Bulls Eye Primer is perfect when it’s applied over water based paint surfaces and has water based paint applied over the top of it, but this person is no doubt looking at oil based woodwork so Zinsser 123 wouldn’t necessarily work for this person in this context, but I agree a suitable primer over dark colours is the way to go.

 

[essex123456]

Zinsser 123 Bulls Eye Primer is perfect when it’s applied over water based paint surfaces and has water based paint applied over the top of it, but this person is no doubt looking at oil based woodwork so Zinsser 123 wouldn’t necessarily work for this person in this context, but I agree a suitable primer over dark colours is the way to go.

What about the Zinsser Shelac primer? I was really impressed with the other version, not cheap but does the job properly.

 

[Sunshine32]

What about the Zinsser Shelac primer? I was really impressed with the other version, not cheap but does the job properly.

Yes Zinsser BIN is great on oil based paint surfaces as long as you are using an oil based paint on top. The problems occur when you start mixing up water based coats of primer or whatever with other oil based coats of paint. Not all paints like each other as many people find out to their detriment!

I’ve had to strip a Dulux oil gloss paint off because it doesn’t even like other oil based paint on it. It doesn’t sand, it peels. It was a one coat model they had in the late 90s or early 00s. It was painted over everything. There is so much silicone in it that it behaves like sealant when you attempt to remove it. I stick to water based paints now!