If you run into uneven or blotchy paint, the best thing to do is start over. The first crucial step in getting back on track is to prime the area you're painting. Once your primer is dry, begin painting—this time knowing that you've primed your surface and set your project up for success.
Painting over old, uneven walls
Painting over existing layers of paint is usually the easiest option. A paint that has high coverage and a thick texture, such as our Claypaint or Lifestyle emulsions, will even out any hairline cracks and slightly bumpy surfaces.
Use a small brush or roller for better control over the patched area. Feather the edges of the undercoat so it blends seamlessly with the rest of the wall, and once dry, apply your wall paint. Even when using the correct paint you can still have inconsistencies, so it might be best to paint the whole wall.
Touching up can really only be done when the paint is still tacky. Other than that you'll want to paint the whole wall. If it's not a well lit area or doesn't have sun or direct light on it, you can sometimes get away with ``touching up'' depending on the color and how old the paint was on the wall.
Try to maintain a wet edge. When using a roller keep the open side towards the area just painted. Try to complete one full surface at a time. Paint in an even grid pattern from top to bottom.
If the old paint is flaking, bubbling, or peeling off, it might not be a good idea to paint over it directly. This is because the new layer of paint might not adhere properly to the surface, leading to an unattractive and uneven finish. It might also cause the new paint to start peeling prematurely.
THE DECISION TO PAINT YOUR TEXTURED WALLS
If you have textured wall surfaces or wallpaper, you might hesitate about painting over them. However, while it can take a little more time and requires a little more effort compared to smooth walls, painting textured walls really isn't as difficult as you might imagine.
You can use a thinner to make the paint flow more smoothly. Use a liner brush and clean up the edges of your stroke. Also, you can use a dry brush or another type of brush with a smaller tip to blend in your strokes.
If your roller runs dry, you'll find yourself with uneven patches, leaving your walls looking inconsistent. Also resist the urge to rework wet paint and trust the process… it will look patchy whilst drying! Another common culprit in achieving a patchy effect is not maintaining a wet edge whist cutting in.
Not Fully Loading the Roller
The roller needs to be fully loaded with paint to the core, otherwise you'll get air bubbles on your wall, resulting in “paint acne.” To avoid this mistake, roll back and forth on the roller tray until all bubbles are gone and the roller feels heavy.
If you run into uneven or blotchy paint, the best thing to do is start over. The first crucial step in getting back on track is to prime the area you're painting. Once your primer is dry, begin painting—this time knowing that you've primed your surface and set your project up for success.
Wall condition: If your walls are in good condition, you may only need one or two coats of paint to achieve a smooth, even finish. However, if your walls are rough or damaged, you may need to apply additional coats to cover up imperfections.
As long as the underlying paint is sound, you can paint over it, but to achieve a professional result, you'll need to know the specific factors that will give you a high-quality paint job. Anyone who has painted a room knows that the end result depends on how carefully the walls were prepared before painting began.
If you want to paint an uneven wall, you'll have to use a special type of very thick paint designed to fill in hairline cracks and surface holes. As long as your wall only has superficial faults, a renovation paint will be able to give you a good result without you having to fill in and sand down the wall first.
Polycell Polyfilla SmoothOver for Damaged and Textured Walls. Gives a smooth surface that's ready to paint…. This product is not for online sale and can only be purchased from selected stores. Coverage 2.5 litres will cover up to 5m²(average layer thickness 0.5mm).
Load your brush or roller with just enough paint to cover the touch-up area. Start in the middle of the touch-up spot, and work your way out to the edges. Without reloading the applicator, feather the edges by making light strokes that extend slightly past the edge onto the surrounding wall.
Sanding and stripping off unwanted paint revives rooms and augments the authenticity of texture and appearance. Removing paint gives old surfaces a new look, making homes and objects feel fresh again.
Poor paint adhesion is one of the most common consequences of skipping the sanding step. Without sanding, the cabinet surface remains smooth and may have a glossy finish or residual substances that hinder the paint from properly adhering.
Can you put too many layers of paint on a wall? If you apply paint correctly, there's no limit on how many times you can paint a wall. But without proper prep work, you can tell whether a wall has accumulated too many layers of paint on it.