Interior House Painting Questions & Answers
My FAQ About Interior Painting
Here you will find questions and answers about interior painting. Plus this is the place to ask your own interior house painting
question or offer an answer.
Due to the volume of house painting questions I receive via email every day I decided to build this page for easy access to the answers
you need.
The idea here is simple – Ask a Question or Answer a Question!
This way you can save others the trouble of asking the same painting question or become my co-expert on this subject by rating and submitting
comments.
I'd appreciate a little help! :-)
If you have a particular interior house painting question and cannot find the answer, use the form below and I or a site visitor will
provide the answer ASAP. To answer a question simply click on a question and navigate to "Comments" at the bottom of the page.
Offer Your Own Answers
I could really use your help answering some interior painting questions. I get a lot of questions and do the best that I can to give a detailed
answer, but maybe you have a better answer to offer.
Feel free to answer as many painting questions as you want. To answer a question simply click on it and navigate to "Comments" form at
the bottom of the page. Add your ideas then press submit. It’s that easy!
PS - There is a good chance your interior painting question has already been answered. Use my site search below by entering
your search term or question.
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Your Interior House Painting Question
Feel free to type your question below and check back soon to view any answers or comments. I always do my best to answer or reply to your queries as soon as I can. You may use your real first name or not, it’s up to you, but please state the real location where you live.
You also have the option to upload a photo; this could be very helpful with giving you the best possible answer.
Your Interior Painting Questions Answered
Click below to see questions and read the answers from other visitors to this page...
Painting walls that have been skimmed.
What is the recommended time to wait before painting walls that have been skimmed? Our house is approximately 60 years old, and many of the interior walls ...
A white antique look on 2 small pine chest of drawers.
I have just sanded the 2 chest of drawers as they had a number of coats of varnish which made them look very orange! We are trying to achieve an 'antique'...
Spots in Paint That Look Wet
I bought a house and am in the process of painting it. The living/dining room was painted white and I painted it a Camel color. Two days after painting,...
Primers have not stopped bleed through, what's next?
My house is about 30 years old. I recently painted over exiting off-white trim in two rooms with white alkyd enamel. The new white paint turned yellowish ...
Painting after Staining?
Bought 2 pre-hung doors and stained them with Minwax. Easy job, but now the wife wants to paint over the stain. Can this be done with regular latex interior ...
Painting Doors and Jambs, What Color?
I am going to paint the hallways in our house. My uncertainty is regarding the doors and door jams. Our house is about 40 years old. The doors (to rooms ...
Will a flat ceiling latex cover the over-spray of a trim latex semi-gloss?
I want to spray the trim with latex semi-gloss then come back and roll the walls with latex satin and roll the ceilings with a flat. Will this work? Will ...
How can you tell if inside trim paint is oil base or latex?
I have to paint the walls and trim in a house and they think the trim is painted with oil but not sure. Is there any way to test it?
Answer
Here ...
Remove Paint Splashes From Wood Cabinet
Not rated yet
I splashed latex paint on an oak cabinet while trying to get into a deep corner of the wall. Is there any way to remove it without damaging the oak finish?...
Latex Paint Over Latex Paint Without Priming
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Can you paint latex paint over latex without priming first? I want to paint my living room over old latex paint and I'm not sure if it needs priming first....
Restaining Already Stained Wood
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I would like my kitchen cabinets a different color. I am looking into possibly painting or just restaining.
Answer
It is possible to change the ...
Painting Spindles, Fillets and Handrails Prior To Painting
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Is it good practice to paint spindles, fillets, and handrails prior to painting? A friend is replacing his stair handrails, spindles, fillets and guides....
How can old stain be removed from wood.
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The doors inside my home that were stained with a dark stain many years ago. I would like to bring them back as much as possible to their natural color ...
Can we texturize then paint over the layer of glue that is left after peeling off the wallpaper?
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We took down wallpaper that is 30 years old and the residual glue stayed on in a layer. While trying to get the glue off with water and a spatula, we ...
Flat Over Semi-gloss
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We have bought a new home and all the interior walls are painted in semi gloss paint. We were given some very good quality paint but it is in flat. What ...
Painting Trim
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I'm painting interior trim and don't want to get paint on the carpet. What do I do to protect the carpet?
Answer
The best way I have found to protect ...
Wood Staining
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Whenever I use an oil based wiping stain, I find it difficult to get the color to darken even with successive coats. Is there a good brand of wiping stain ...
Trim Painting Rules
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I am painting the wood trim in the interior of my house of a lighter color than the walls. What color are door frames painted? The color of the wood ...
How do we prep indentions in indoor wood trim for repainting?
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We have several small gouges on the painted indoor wood trim surfaces, window sills and floor molding. Would like to know the best way to prepare (before ...
Can I use exterior paint on the inside of my home?
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I was told to use exterior paint on the inside of my home.
Answer
Paints that are dedicated for exterior use have concentrated mildewcides and ...
What do I do if I can't get the remaining wallpaper glue off my wall?
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I have a 10 year old house and I removed the wallpaper and chair rail from my breakfast room, including an 8 inch strip of heavy trim-type wallpaper below ...
Ceilings are peeling.
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My house was built in 1949 and the ceilings have a white wash on them. When I scrape and wash the ceiling and then apply the new paint it rolls right off ...
Painting a Door, Which Color?
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We painted the kitchen. The master bedroom door faces into the kitchen. Should the side of the door that is in the kitchen be painted the same color as ...
Painting Over Latex Eggshell With a Flat Latex
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I'm looking to paint over a latex eggshell finish with a flat latex finish, should I prime first?
Answer
Priming isn’t necessary as long as the ...
What color family would work best with dark wood work?
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I live in a two hundred year old home. The wood work is a dark brown. I would like to paint the ceiling a cream color and the walls a light chocolate brown....
Can you paint over wallpaper?
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We currently live with my father in-law and everything is wallpaper. We took wallpaper down in our son's room however they used no primer on the drywall ...
Will a single broad stripe of light colored paint across the middle of all walls in a room make the room look smaller, bigger, or not affect it?
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We are painting a bedroom a color called Pewter and I am interested in painting a broad, light color stripe across the middle of the room, but I'm unsure ...
Staining and finishing 30 eight foot raised panel poplar doors.
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My father in-law, whom I work for, just took on a job for me and its 30 eight ft tall solid poplar raised panel doors to sand, condition if needed, stain ...
What kind of paint should I use for bathroom cabinets?
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I have light cherry cabinets in my kitchen. I would like to paint my cabinets in the bathrooms to compliment my kitchen to save money.
I don't like ...
Repainting The Ceiling Above My Landing
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I would like to repaint the ceiling above my landing, because it is full of brown spots and the paint is chipping, do I need to prime or chip the off paint ...
When is the best time to paint the interior of my home?
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I want to know if I should paint the interior of my home only in the spring or fall, or if it really doesn't matter what time of year.
Answer
A ...
Would putting a dark color on a wall that has a window make the room look darker?
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I'm painting my walls a dark brown and a light brown and wanted to know if I put the dark paint color on the wall with the window if it will make the room ...
What causes a latex paint to bubble after it is rolled onto the wall?
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I did some minor repairs to a room prior to painting, and after wiping the walls down with a damp cloth I rolled the paint on (latex satin finish) and ...
When do you remove the masking tape when painting?
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I always use painter's tape especially when painting with dark colors. I gently removed the tape and it tore off a bunch of the paint.
I have been ...
Painting Problem in Downstairs Bathroom
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I primed my new drywall and painted over it red, did not like it so reprimed and painted it purple, however weeks later the red is coming through in some ...
Painting Over Kilz Oil Base Primer
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Can I use a water based paint over an oil base primer?
Answer
Most definitely! Oil based Kilz primer can be painted over with any type of paint ...
How do I best prep previously painted textured wood paneling for new paint?
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My living room walls have a textured wood paneling that was painted a few years ago. Some of the paint is beginning to chip, which leads me to believe ...
Paint Chipping on Cabinets
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I have built in cabinets in my bedroom and recently we painted them. I have used at least two coats and yet I still get these spots after it dries like ...
Painting With Sand Paint
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When painting with sand paint is there any special way to do it to make sure the sand in the paint is evenly spread out? I’m having trouble getting the ...
What color should a door be painted when it is framed in wood?
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We live in a very old home where all of the original doors are solid wood. We recently put a new door in and had it framed in the same wood as what already ...
Paint "flashing" on walls higher than 9 ft.
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How do I prevent the paint from flashing (streaks) on the walls after its dried?
Answer
Paint can "flash" or leave streaks for several reasons,...
Prime only the patch or do I prime the entire ceiling?
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I have a small area on my ceiling where new dry wall was put, can I just put Kilz on the new dry wall area or do I have to do the whole ceiling?
Answer ...
When painting with flat paint, how come it dries like I have used multiple finishes?
Not rated yet
I am painting with a dark burnt copper color, flat, using very high quality paint. I am on the third coat because it dries and leaves the appearance that ...
Interior painting smell won't dissipate after one week!
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My landlord is renovating the suite next door and has painted the floor (plywood) with an exterior paint. He used this paint earlier on the floor ribbing ...
How do I stop stud and screw marks from bleeding through my paint?
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I have painted my kitchen walls and ceiling several times and after a couple of years I start to see the studs and sheetrock screws bleeding through the ...
Getting the Right Color Paint
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I'd like to ask your advice on choosing the right color paint for my home. To give you an idea, my home is mostly an open plan. It has a lot of windows ...
How do you paint emulsion paint over Dulux Satinwood paint?
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We have painted Dulux Satinwood paint on the kitchen and dining room wall by mistake, and would now like to paint over using emulsion paint. How can we ...
I want to paint brick that has already been painted. Are there any extra steps or shortcuts for a fresh, non-caked up, finish?
Not rated yet
Our fireplace and 1 wall of our master bedroom is brick and painted a dark reddish brown. I would like to lighten it up to make the room appear larger....
Painting Doors, What Color?
Not rated yet
Do the doors in a hallway get painted the same color as the trim or do they get the wall color?
Answer
Typically the doors are the same paint color ...
Will grout for ceramic stick if concrete is painted?
Not rated yet
I have a painted basement floor and want to put ceramic tile over top of it.
Answer
Although I’m not a tile installer, I think you will have some ...
How do I remove wood stain from doors and door surrounds?
Not rated yet
My doors and door surrounds, as well as the skirting boards, are a dark brown wood stain and I want to change the dark wood stain to a mahogany wood stain....
After removing wallpaper what is the next step?
Not rated yet
After removing wallpaper should one sand the area where wallpaper was to prepare it for painting? What are the steps involved before painting?
Answer ...
Primer and paint for new trim and doors?
Not rated yet
What kind of paint and primer does one use to paint trim and six-panel doors that are all new from one of the builder's warehouses? And what sheen should ...
What would be the best way to paint a wall so that my coat of paint will stick?
Not rated yet
I have a bathroom wall that has multiple layers of paint and is peeling at several places. My questions are; What would be the best way to paint this wall ...
Oil Base Paint on Baseboards! How can I repair?
Not rated yet
I have oil base paint on interior trim in the house. Can I apply oil base Kilz to the trim / baseboards? Will this allow the water base paint to adhere ...
Is there any trick to painting & re-taping on sand paint?
Not rated yet
I have a ceiling that is white sand paint. I need to spackle and paint. Is there any tricks to painting and re-taping over sand paint?
Answer
The ...
Getting dryed on old latex paint off of woodwork.
Not rated yet
I need to know, what is the best solution to get old paint off woodwork? I have tried everything!
Answer
Removing old dried latex paint can be ...
Do you paint moldings before or after the walls?
Not rated yet
I have ceiling and floor moldings. Does it matter if I paint them before or after painting the walls?
Answer
It doesn’t matter if the moldings ...
What is a weenie roller?
Not rated yet
In one of your answers, you said to use a weenie roller. What is that?
Answer
A weenie roller is a thin roller, typically 1 inch across that is ...
Color for closets?
Not rated yet
We're getting ready to paint a house we just purchased. I was wondering if the inside of closets should be painted the same color as the rest of the room ...
How do I fix bleeding spots on a ceiling?
Not rated yet
I am having problems with my upstairs bedroom ceiling. It is an old house and I recently had the ceiling stippled. There were brown spots that came through ...
Applying Wood Stain Then Finishing With Tung Oil
Not rated yet
Can I stain a piece of wood first to a color of choice and then finish with Tung oil? Also does Tung oil need a protective finish coat when the final coat ...
Painting a Popcorn Ceiling
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I'm thinking of painting a popcorn ceiling in my house. I want to know if I could use an airless spray gun to apply primer.
Answer
Of course you ...
Peeling Paint
Not rated yet
I was stripping wall paper that was put up near the ceiling as a border and the paint under it started peeling.
I started to peel away the ends that ...
How do I paint a brick fireplace?
Not rated yet
Answer
Brick is very paintable and looks good when finished. The steps are very simple.
1- Dust off and clean the brick. If you have any soot ...
Roller or Brush w/ Satin Paint
Not rated yet
Entire room of wainscoting has to be painted (I already primed). I always thought you had to use a brush w/ semi-gloss or satin paint to avoid getting ...
How do I smooth out badly applied paint?
Not rated yet
I live in a 40 year old house whose bathroom has been painted several times because of moisture damage. The painting was not done very well, so the ceiling ...
How do I fix wall patches that stand out
after painting?
I recently used spackling to fix some holes as well as some tears on a wall. I sanded the areas, I patched until smoothed. I wiped
the fixed wall and painted. I didn't use primer first and ended up putting a second coat on the wall. I have noticed all the areas
that I have fixed are really slick looking and do not blend in with the rest of the wall. How do I fix this?
How long should my interior primer
dry before I apply a coat of paint?
Must the latex paint be stripped
off before repainting?
A contractor applied latex over oil base paint on interior doors and trim. The latex did not adhere and can be stripped off easily
with a finger nail. He does not want to strip off the latex and repaint. He wants to sand and paint over with some other type of
paint. I believe that the bond will never be any stronger than the present one.
When painting inside the home do you
texture first or primer first?
What is the best and easiest way to paint over dark
colors?
How do I Paint Ceramic Tile?
Can you suggest a product and tell me how to paint ceramic tile?
How do I re-paint my walls with
latex over oil base paint?
I painted flat latex over oil base or semi-gloss paint. I want to paint the walls again with a latex satin finish in a different
color. But I need to know what to do before I repaint.
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