Painting 101: Is It Ok to Paint Over Dirty Walls?

If you have been a resident in Strathfield for a long time, you know by now how important it is to keep your home in pristine and pleasing condition. Strathfield has a rich residential and commercial environment, with some of Sydney’s business elites residing in this suburb. Because of this you would want your property to keep up with the posh and polished look of your neighborhood.

That being said, you want your property in Strathfield to always look its best. One way to do that is with bright and beautiful interior and exterior painting. How to achieve that? Start by knowing the basics and make sure to work with professional painting service providers in Strathfield, as well as know the general costs for painting services.

Is it possible to directly paint on dirty walls?

So, you decided to paint over your dirty walls. Not so fast! There is no doubt that a new paint can give your home a fresh look, but you want that beautiful paint to last, too. So, take the time to prepare your surfaces. Your professional painting services in Strathfield region-based will surely recommend applying paint only after prepping the walls for a quality result.

However, to answer whether it is possible to paint directly on flaky, chipping, and dirty walls: yes, you can, but you cannot expect the new paint to last. Fresh paint requires a clean surface for it to adhere correctly.

What will happen if you paint on dirty walls?

Painting directly on unprepared walls can still make the new paint stick, but you cannot expect it to stay on, not to mention the color’s unevenness when applied. Clean and well-prepared walls take your new paint to better heights. It brings out the paint’s vivid color and makes it last longer.

Even with unpainted walls, a painting services in Strathfield area-based company will do a power-washing to wash out dust and dirt debris on walls that have been left unpainted for a long time.

Wall damages can affect the new paint

Preparing the walls for painting also means fixing damages like cracks and holes. Painting over these damaged surfaces can impact the paint’s sticking ability, creating bubbles and gaps and eventually chipping sooner than expected.

On wood surfaces, rotting, splitting, and crumbling wood requires a non-negotiable solution before painting over them. You cannot get away with not fixing damaged walls. The damages would just be too apparent with wood surfaces, even with new paint on them. Prepare damaged wood surfaces first before applying fresh paint for a durable and lasting result.

Primers serve more than one purpose

Quality primers do more than just priming. Besides providing your new paint with a smooth surface to stick on, primers can seal any surface and even add to the material’s durability underneath.

Especially on bare wood, applying primer before the paint will eliminate discolored and uneven patches when using light-colored paint. Moreover, primers treat the surface’s imperfections that can lead to eventual paint darkening and discoloration.

Primers are also effective if you want dramatic changes in your home’s wall colors. Using tinted primer makes it easier for color transitions when painting walls with bold and saturated colors.

The bottom line is that you can certainly paint directly on dirty walls if you want. However, you cannot expect to get the desired results. Surface preparation is necessary before painting, whether the interior or exterior of your home. The process may demand more time and energy up front, but it will save you money on frequent repainting in the long run.