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Answers to your questions from our Paint Experts, p 13

Here's a taste of some of the Paint Expert questions and answers to help you with your own projects.

Always make sure you read the product label and data sheet prior to application. If in doubt about any aspect of your project, please ask our Paint Expert for help or come in and see our staff at your local Resene ColorShop or Reseller.

 
 
 
 

Q&A   p. 13


Q. We have just moved into a newly built home. The fence has been stained brown but we would like to cover it with a darker charcoal stain. Is there any preparation or treatments you recommend to help the new stain being effective and avoid the brown colour showing through as the fence weathers?

A. Resene exterior wood stains are semi-transparent so the underlying colour will always affect the recoat colour. The only way to avoid this is to paint with a solid paint finish.

November 2015

Q. I am painting the inside of a house that has new plasterboard and plaster. It was relined after a fire. I have been told to seal the whole area with pigmented sealer before applying undercoat and two topcoats of water based paint. What sealer do I need to use? What undercoat do I need to use? What topcoat do I need to use?

A. If using a waterborne topcoat then apply a coat of Resene Sureseal pigmented sealer. And undercoat is only required for wet areas such as bathrooms - use Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat. For the topcoat use Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen waterborne enamel, and you could choose to use Resene Room Velvet in bathrooms (solventborne). You could also use Resene Zylone Sheen in dry areas (not bathrooms/kitchens) for walls. Resene SpaceCote is a more washable finish than Resene Zylone Sheen.

November 2015

Q. I am looking for a wallpaper that can eventually be painted. It's going to stay wallpaper only for at least 5 years so I am wanting a coloured paper. Do you stock anything like that?

A. Most wallpapers can be painted with prior sealing.

November 2015

Q. I have been tidying my back shed. I took my old Resene paints to the Resene shop for recycling. However they were not prepared to accept the small Resene testpots. The advice was to let them dry out and then dispose in general rubbish. This will take several years and I would have thought that they were still inappropriate to dump in ordinary rubbish. I just wondered why this is the policy and is this advice realistic?

A. The testpots can't be recycled economically through the PaintWise programme because of the very small amount of paint they contain and the packaging for those is different to what we use for cans or pails. As most people don't bring back testpots, we have chosen a packaging type that can be recycled in your normal kerbside recycling - so if they are empty you could put them out with your normal recycling.

If you have a few part full and they are in good condition then donating them to a local school or art group is a good idea. Or if you don't want to do that then you could let them dry out then dispose in the rubbish. With the lid left off a testpot won't take that long to dry out. If you leave it on a sunny windowsill, e.g. in a garage or similar, they will often go dry in a month or two.

November 2015

Q. Could you please recommend a suitable paint for me to repaint kitchen cabinets myself as professional repainting is too expensive for me? The cabinets are already painted in the original finish they came with from new - this is a low sheen finish. I would still like a low sheen finish, just a different colour and also, something which would be easy to wipe down and clean and not show fingermarks.

A. I do understand the expense of getting cabinetry spraypainted but it is the only application method to achieve a high standard of paint finish. Based on the assumption that 'the skin' of the doors is a baked laminate such as Melteca or Formica I would recommend the following… using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, pay particular attention to hand contact areas. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. Then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen. Roll all coats using the recommended roller sleeve. The new paint system will take 5 days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional 3 weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

November 2015

Q. I have a large motor home with an EPDM rubber roof. Can any of your Engineered Coatings Systems products be used to put a protective white coat over this EPDM?

A. For EPDM protection from UV breakdown, scrub down with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label directions. Apply an adhesion coat of Resene Membrane Roofing Primer and then two coats of Resene Sonyx 101. We do not recommend using solventborne paints for EPDM.

November 2015

Q. I want to repaint a room where the paint is coming off in massive sheets and underneath I think is plaster as it is quite powdery. What do I do? Peel off all the existing paint? Prime the wall with something?

A. Remove all failing paint, wipe down with a sponge and water then apply a seal coat of Resene Sureseal. If this is a bathroom then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat before topcoating with two coats of a Resene solvent or waterborne enamel. If not a wet area then apply two coats of any Resene wall paint to the sealed surface.

November 2015

Q. How do you repaint Lockwood walls which have old clear finish on them? Does everything have to be sanded right back?

A. Prep all surfaces using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner then apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure for at least 48 hours before over coating with two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen. Adhesion will take at least a week to develop and it will reach final adhesion after three weeks curing. Note if there is changes in the dimensions of the boards there may be an appearance of a line of the original varnish.

November 2015

Q. I need information about painting cork tiles in a lounge. They have been down for 10 years and are in a bad shape. Can I do this and what is the best method? It’s currently polyurethaned.

A. Degrease then sand to provide a mechanical key for the new paint system. Apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and 2 coats of either Resene Lusta-Glo solventborne enamel or Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel. Resene Lusta Glo is harder therefore has better wear resistance.

November 2015

Q. We went into a hardware store to purchase paint for the ceiling in the kitchen and lounge which is open plan. The sales assistant recommended the flat finish but said that it can leave marks if we needed to wipe it or clean it, so he said that a low sheen would be better for it. So we purchased Resene Zylone Sheen. We painted it and we are happy with the low sheen, but we didn’t do a great job applying it and it's a bit patchy particularly when the sunlight comes through. Does this happen because we went with the low sheen? Or are there tips for applying this?

A. The lighting conditions you describe are defined as critical lighting and any paint like Resene Zylone Low Sheen will highlight surface defects under the lighting situation vs a flatter paint. Resene SpaceCote Flat can be used to paint ceilings that are regularly wiped. Most standard ceiling paints cannot be wiped without burnishing or removal of the ceiling paint.

November 2015

Q. We are painting a new build LINEA®weatherboard house and would like to use Resene New Denim Blue for the weatherboard colour. We live in Dunedin and know that some other LINEA®houses painted in this colour in the last 5 years have faded noticeably. What would you recommend we do to avoid this happening to our property? Would putting another coat of primer on pre primed LINEA® help?

A. A coat of Resene Concrete Primer and two coats of Resene Lumbersider (low sheen) or Resene Sonyx 101 (semi-gloss) CoolColour™ is recommended to prevent salt leaching from the substrate.

November 2015

Q. I have a Lockwood house and would like to paint the bathroom. Can you please tell me which undercoat to use?

A. Assuming we are dealing with varnished walls - the Resene system would be as follows - using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, pay particular attention to hand contact areas. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. Then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom or Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroom . Roll all coats using the recommended roller sleeve. The new paint system will take 5 days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional 3 weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion or moisture as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

If there is movement of the boards for any reason this may result in the appearance of uncoated original varnish. This is not a paint issue.

November 2015

Q. I have 6 window sills and a door entrance that have been extended by laminating another piece of wood to the initial sill, making it wider. I have been advised that the seal is not really necessarily sufficient to seal the wood. I'm looking into methods available that might seal them prior to painting a top coat of colour. I'm looking at a coat of Resene Dry Fix followed by a coat of Dry Flex to seal it. Is this what your product is designed to do and is it available in the amount required for this application?

A. Seal off using the Dry Seal system then prime.

November 2015

Q. I have a stenciled concrete pathway (not a driveway). The terracotta colour was achieved by sprinkling a powder. Can I use any exterior paint on it?

A. As long as the concrete is clean and sound, you can use Resene Walk-on. Suggest you prepare the area to be painted by waterblasting.

November 2015

Q. I have shelves with aluminium frames. What paint can I use to paint them?

A. Prime the aluminum with Resene Galvo-Prime then you can apply any Resene waterborne topcoats. The paint system will take 5-7 days to fully harden.

November 2015

Q. I have a black feature wall (the rest of the room is cream) in the bedroom and I want to repaint the whole room in Resene Half Truffle. Can you tell me what undercoat I should use?

A. Apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat white over the feature wall colour. Will not give total opacity but will be sufficient to get coverage with two topcoats applied at the correct spreading rates.

November 2015

Q. What is the shelf life for your Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer and Resene Lumbersider CoolColour™? I have two 10L unopened tins that were purchased around two years ago. I haven't opened either although the contents sound ok.

A. We don’t state a shelf life for the products; however if the pails were stored in a cool area they should be perfectly useable after 2 years.

November 2015

Q. Can I use an enamel paint over an acrylic undercoat?

A. Yes you can over Resene Quick Dry Waterborne Primer Undercoat and Resene Acrylic Undercoat.

November 2015

Q. I am painting walls and ceilings which are stopped plasterboard. I'd like to use Resene Alabaster white for everything - a flat for the ceiling and semi-gloss for the walls/trim. Do you have a paint which acts as a sealer and a primer/undercoat?

A. Resene Broadwall Surface Prep & Seal can be used for non-wet areas (excludes bathroom). You can then overcoat with Resene celling paints or waterborne enamel paints.

November 2015

Q. We are in the process of renovating but the flooring finish won't be decided until we finalise the last section of our renovation which could be 3-5 years away. Can you recommend the best concrete internal floor paint we could use in the interim?

A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring.

November 2015

Q. Can I use a waterbased primer and paint over Resene Vinyl Wallpaper Sealer?

A. Resene Vinyl Wallpaper Sealer is recommended to be topcoated with waterborne paints only.

November 2015

Q. If I want to paint a new colour over the old colour, what do I need to use?

A. If the new colour is similar to the old there should be no problem with opacity after application of two coats. If changing from a very dark colour to a paler colour apply a white base coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat then the two coats of topcoat colour.

November 2015

Q. I would like some advice on what to use to coat our concrete floors in a home we have almost finished building. The floor is concrete and we wanted a clear, UV resilient, hard wearing, smooth and matt/satin finish if possible. If you could please advise which of your products I would need to purchase to undertake such a job it would be most appreciated. The area to cover is approximately 160 square metres.

A. Resene Concrete Wax would be the easiest product to apply.

November 2015

Q. What can I use to stain over concrete pavers used for foot traffic only.

A. For staining use Resene Concrete Stain.

November 2015

Q. If once I paint on my primer/sealer then apply my magnetic coat can I paint a normal Resene colour over then a write on wall coat?

A. Resene Magnetic Magic can be overcoated with a Resene interior wall paint such as Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen and then Resene Write-On Wall Paint but the more paint build over the base magnetic layer the weaker the attraction of wall magnets.

November 2015

Q. I have a gloss black fibreglass ice box lid that I want to paint gloss white. What prep and paint product should I use?

A. Sand to de-gloss then apply a coat of Resene Armourcote 221 and two coats of Resene Uracryl 400 Series topcoat.

November 2015

Q. I am wanting to backpaint glass panels, and need a paint that will adhere properly.

A. We recommend using Resene Imperite for painting glass.

November 2015

Q. We are building our house and have a floor grate outside on a terrace. It will be galvanised or stainless steel. Do you have a black paint that I can use to coat it that can withstand exterior and walking on?

A. If the grate is stainless I would suggest leaving it uncoated as this metal is not designed to be painted. Galvanising can be painted by priming first with Resene Galvo One and then overcoating with Resene Walk-on. Resistance to foot traffic will be determined by frequency and type of foot traffic.

November 2015

Q. We want to paint our new pine deck with the Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path range. What undercoats / prep should we use? Can other colours be tinted into the Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path range?

A. Use Resene Wood Primer. Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path can be tinted to a large number of other colours not shown on the chart.

November 2015

Q. We have an old garage with fibro light sheet cladding and were going to give it a wash and a light sand, not necessarily in that order. Just need a cheap paint that is specified for fibro that washes up in water.

A. If the cladding was installed before the mid 70s it may contain asbestos and you cannot dry sand or waterblast as this may release asbestos fibres to the air and surrounding environment. If mould is present treat with Resene Moss & Mould Killer following the label directions. We then recommend application of Resene Sureseal to seal and bind up the surface prior to application of two coats of any Resene exterior acrylic

November 2015

Q. I am renovating a 1950s home which has high gloss oil based enamel on the ceilings. What are my options for repainting it? What preparation do I need to do and what paint should I use?

A. Given the age of the property there is likely to be contaminates on the ceilings that may discolour waterborne paints so apply a coat of Resene StainLock prior to topcoating.

For areas outside of bathrooms, laundries and kitchens you can use Resene Ceiling Paint or Resene SpaceCote Flat. For wet areas or areas prone to steam contact with the painted surface apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat over the coat of Resene StainLock then you can apply Resene SpaceCote Kitchen and Bathroom paint. Use two coats of topcoat paint.

November 2015

Q. I have an oil based ceiling to paint and I want to paint it with waterbased paint. What sealer can I use so the waterbased paint sticks to the sealer?

A. Resene StainLock will also lock in any stains that may bleed through when applying the waterborne topcoats.

November 2015

Q. I have a town house that has a lot of lichen on the corrugated iron roof. I want to paint it early next year. What is the best way to get rid of the lichen? Do I need to get someone other than a painter to take care of the problem? Can I waterblast the roof before or is it best done after the lichen has been treated?

A. Time is required to kill and allow lichen to detach. Given the delay until you will be painting I suggest that you find a professional company who will treat the roof to achieve lichen kill. The detachment after treatment with a lichen kill solution will take time and weathering with rainfall.

November 2015

Q. Could you use waterborne low sheen for a ceiling, or is it too glossy?

A. Yes but I would not use it for a ceiling that is exposed to critical light - that is light from a window that glances across the ceiling surface. Low sheen paints will also highlight any surface imperfections more so than a flat paint.

November 2015

Q. I'd appreciate some advice. We have through our own error used Resene Zylone Sheen on a new bathroom, over new walls with a coat of waterproofing paint - the finish was so lovely - and then three days after the last coat we used the shower before the extractor fan was in place and the walls became coated in what you call surfactant leaching, which I wiped down with a dampish cloth. I rang a Resene outlet and was told that we should never have used that paint on a bathroom but the person I spoke to recommended we get some Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom paint and do two coats of that over the other. We have been careful to not use the bathroom again; however, the new paint seemed to be going on nicely but instead of drying it seemed to be curdling on the wall, so we stopped the painting.

A. Resene Zylone Sheen is formulated on a conventional waterborne resin system and when exposed to steam or condensation the dry film is subject to an increased level of surfactant leaching. This results in partitioning of surfactants to the surface of the paint film. Recoating of a surfactant rich paint surface with another waterborne paint (such as a waterborne enamel) results in the surfactants on the surface re dissolving in the wet paint and causing the curdling effect. The following is required to recoat the Resene Zylone Sheen with a waterborne enamel. Wipe down the painted surfaces with a sponge and warm water, replace the water until the rinse water remains clear and there is no milkiness to the water. Then apply two coats of a waterborne enamel and leave the paint to cure for at least 48 hours while maintaining good ventilation and warm temperatures

November 2015

Q. I want to paint my plastic outdoor table. What paint do you recommend?

A. If it is PVC then any Resene exterior acrylic will adhere. If the plastic is not PVC then we don’t recommend you paint it.

November 2015

Q. We have just put a Wood Primer (oil based) over cedar. Do we need to sand before putting on water based undercoat?

A. Sand only to de-nib but care is required to avoid sanding through the primer which will require repriming. If the Resene Wood Primer is coated within a couple of weeks (the sooner the better) of priming there is no need to sand for topcoat adhesion.

November 2015

Q. I'm making wooden kauri flutes and looking for a glossy clear finish to the flute and mouth piece. Is there a non-toxic finish I can use on the mouth piece? Obviously a person’s lips and mouth are sucking and blowing on it.

A. I suggest you use Resene Polythane. After the coating is fully cured there will be no issues re toxicity.

November 2015

Q. We have garage doors with an aluminium cladding which we wish to paint. About 11 years old and never been painted. What procedure should we follow?

A. Clean down with Resene Roof and Metal Wash following label directions. Apply a coat of Resene Galvo One then two coats of any Resene exterior waterborne paint.

November 2015

Q. We've had to strip wallpaper from a room we're renovating. Nightmare! 3 layers of paper bonded to the plasterboard which wasn't sealed/skimmed. We've now got a very uneven wall, lots of tabs and tears now hanging off. Not sure if there is a Resene product which might help or do we need to get it replastered?

A. A skim coat of plaster is the best remedy to achieve a paint grade finish.

November 2015

Q. I was wondering if you could help me. I would like to buy some paint for my DIY project, and Resene is my preferred brand. However there is no way that I will need an entire litre of each colour that I plan on using. I have therefore decided to use the sample paint pots, as these come in smaller sizes. Could you please tell me whether the sample paint will still have the same great quality that I am used to in Resene products? Can it be used in the same ways as regular paint?

A. The waterborne paint in Resene testpots is the same quality as standard Resene paint lines. Most of the paint is Resene Lumbersider.

November 2015

Q. I am wallpapering a newly rendered wall for a client and wondered what system to paint onto the render? I have been advised to use Resene Sureseal under any paint on other walls which are newly rendered (4 weeks ago). Would this be suitable to go under the wallpaper too?

A. Wallpaper should be applied over a surface sealed with an oil based pigmented sealer such as Resene Sureseal.

November 2015

Q. Is Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat exterior/interior suitable as an undercoat for enamel paint?

A. Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat can be overcoated with waterborne and solventborne paints.

November 2015

Q. Can Resene Write-On Wall Paint be applied to Venetian plaster and does it matter if the plaster has been waxed or not? Also, is it possible to remove the paint without sanding and/or damaging the Venetian plaster finish beneath?

A. Resene Write-On Wall Paint is applied as a clear system over an existing acrylic base paint. The surface must be sound and sealed. Adhesion would be an issue if applied over a waxed surface. It would be very difficult to selectively remove paint without damaging an underlying plaster finish.

November 2015

Q. I have a 6 year old rendered house. The original paint job was of poor quality and was done with watered down acrylic paint. Recently I have started to get some rust spots appearing. There are also a few fine movement cracks. I am planning on removing the iron contaminants that are causing the rust spots and then painting the house with an acrylic waterproofing membrane. This will hopefully seal the hairline cracks and also hopefully reduce further rust spots. Would you recommend Resene X-200 for this job? I was also wondering what would be required in the long term when the house requires repainting. Is it possible to repaint over Resene X-200 or does it have to be stripped back?

A. Resene X-200 is our membrane to achieve a weathertight membrane and will bridge and fill cracks up to 1mm in width. In the future you can apply any waterborne paint over the Resene X-200 coating. As long as the existing paint is sound there should be no need to strip. You will need to apply a seal coat over the rust stains before application of Resene Sureseal. I suggest using Resene Galvo One for this.

November 2015

Q. We have a tudor style home which requires a black paint on the exterior joinery. Which paint is the best for this as it will get a lot of sun?

A. Two coats of Resene Enamacryl CoolColour™ Black, applied over a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat.

November 2015

Q. We are painting a drama room in the school. The teacher has asked for two of the four walls to be painted black for filming. What type of paint do you recommend and would it be matt or semi-gloss etc? Also do you have a shade of black recommended? As it is a classroom it will need to be a hardwearing paint.

A. We offer Resene Set Black for this application, which is a flat black waterborne paint finish.

November 2015

Q. If you have a blister underneath the topcoat layer, but above both a primer layer and an adhesion promoting layer all above the substrate and the blisters actually contain a liquid, what could be the root cause?

A. A couple of possibilities - paint caught with moisture before the top coat film had fully formed to the point of moisture sensitivity or low topcoat dry film thickness. A paint film can be touch dry and appear dry but still be undergoing film forming reactions and may not be far enough along the cure mechanism to be resistant to water. Curing is a function of time, temperature and humidity.

November 2015

Q. Can I use Resene Quick Dry as an undercoat on a bathroom door?

A. Yes, Resene Quick Dry can then be overcoated with waterborne or solventborne enamels.

November 2015

Q. Is there a product available to clean up Resene X-200 paint? I have some spilled on terracotta tiles, which has hardened. I'm looking for a solvent to clean it off before I seal the terracotta tiles.

A. Suggest you try Resene Brush Cleaner, wet out the areas with the product and brush in using a stiff nylon brush. Leave for 3-4 minutes then wash off with scrubbing.

November 2015

Q. I sanded and painted my exterior window frames 3 years ago and they are already starting to crack and peel back to bare timber. I painted two coats of the correct paint (water based). What could have gone wrong and what would be the easiest way to fix this up? Could I just sand back and repaint the faulty parts?

A. All coatings have a finite life and in some cases on an old house, be it 30–100 years old, the coatings build up, and although they can appear sound it is not until the surface is painted that the instability of the underlying coatings can become apparent.

Old enamel based paints including red lead primers become hard and brittle with ageing. Acrylic paints are more flexible than cross linking enamel paints and this means they can undergo extensions without film cracking. Standard acrylic paints are flexible but not elastic which means that at a certain level of extension the film will break. The extensibility is dependent upon resin features and gloss level. There are paints formulated using elastomeric acrylic resins that can undergo stretching and return to the non-extended state without film breakage.

As the thickness of paint builds up on a substrate there is a corresponding increase in tension on the underlying paint layers. Modern acrylic paints have excellent adhesion to clean, sound old prepared paints. When delamination occurs it is usually at the substrate primer interface. There are two distinct types of failure, adhesive (between layers pf paint) and cohesive (within a given layer of paint).

Upon inspection of these issues the new coatings have always adhered well to the old coatings but the coatings underneath have lost all their adhesion and flexibility properties, in turn causing them to pull away. When investigating a failure the best practice is to check what the failure type is and, if intercoat adhesion, which layers are involved. This can easily be seen by checking the back of a flake and comparing it to what remains where the flake delaminated from. If the failure is cohesive there is usually evidence of the same paint colour being present on the back of the flake and where the flake peeled from.

Even when adhesion tests are done on the old coatings, they still may appear sound but because there are so many layers (sometimes up to 300 + microns) they are brittle and their adhesion becomes limited. A common cause of delamination occurs with a change from a pale to a much darker topcoat colour. The extra heat associated with the colour change is the tipping point and delamination is common.

The issue can be avoided by identifying the age and build-up of existing coatings and fully removing them to a sound substrate suitable for painting. However, this does come at a much higher cost than simply painting over the old paint system.

If this is causing your issue you would be best to remove the old coating back to bare timber and then prime and paint. If the paint on your home is very old we recommend you test for lead as it has specific handling requirements.

November 2015

Q. I want to paint unpainted Styrofoam on the exterior of a building. Must be UV paint.

A. Any Resene exterior paint will achieve good adhesion to Styrofoam but we recommend using Resene X-200. It’s not common though to see Styrofoam exposed to weathering.

November 2015

Q. I have had a shed built with a concrete floor. What is the best coating for the floor as I will be putting cars in it so it will need to be oil and solvent proof?

A. Resene Aquapoxy for Flooring. The floor will need to be prepared by diamond grinding.

November 2015

Q. I am looking at painting some horse jumps and was told to get a white Resene exterior house paint. What would you recommend?

A. Resene Lumbersider.

November 2015

Q. How can I test old paint to know if its water based or oil based?

A. Conventional waterborne paints will soften or dissolve on contact with methylated spirits. To test clean down an area to ensure it is free of contaminates including any surface chalk. Wet a cloth with meths and immediately transfer to the painted surface and rub. Check if there is colour transfer to the cloth or whether the paint is sticky. If there is no colour transfer or softening then it is not a conventional acrylic paint.

November 2015

Q. I want to paint my bathroom. The doors and frames are coated in multiple layers of paint, the latest of which is acrylic (over enamel), which is old, sticky (binds sandpaper), resistant to scraping, and only comes off in spots with a heat gun (leaving the remaining paint harder than before). I'd rather not use a chemical stripper, as there are three doors, all with the same paint history.

A. The sandability of waterborne paints varies with the paint formulation but waterborne paints soften due to heat generated with sanding and this is what is clogging your sandpaper. A heat gun should be successful in removing the paint in combination with a tungsten carbide blade paint scraper.

November 2015

Q. We want to change the exterior colour of our house to a dark colour. It is currently a pale green. The house is timber clad, and 40 years old. Will this colour change stress and warp the wood?

A. There is a potential for the old paint to fail, and this will be seen as blistering. It’s difficult to say if there will be dimensional changes to the boards due to changing to a dark colour as it depends upon the timber and moisture content. Application ofResene CoolColours will reduce but not eliminate the risk of warping and cupping.

November 2015

Q. I’m a builder and purchased a new home 5.5 years ago with a long-run iron Diamond/Brownbuilt type profile weathered COLORSTEEL® roof. Sadly the expansion and contraction creaking is really bad, even after 3-4 coats of the Resene Grey Friars we purchased - it hasn't had much affect. We also drilled the holes bigger, and introduced longer screws. The noise is definitely coming from the roof and maybe a little from the metal gutters. I’m very concerned as I thought this paint would reduce the noise.

A. Acrylic roof paints are not designed to reduce expansion or contraction of claddings, which arise from heating and cooling.Resene CoolColours, which do reflect more heat, may assist in reducing the temperate extremes but not to zero difference.

November 2015

Q. We have a Skyline garage that requires painting. It has some rust and lots of surface damage. What is the best way to prepare the garage for painting and what is the best paint to use? Is it best to use a brush or spray paint or use a roller?

A. Scrub down using Resene Roof and Metal Wash following label instructions. Using a 3M Rust and Paint Removal Disc remove all surface rust (red and white corrosion) back to a sound base and immediately prime these areas with Resene GP Metal Primer. Apply a full coat of Resene Galvo One followed by two coats of any Resene exterior waterborne paint.

November 2015

Q. We require product specifications for our building consent application. What paint finish would you suggest for our bathroom? We are lining it with plywood and want to have a whitewash effect.

A. Apply Resene Colorwood Rock Salt and allow to cure for at least 48 hours then apply 4 coats of Resene Polythane. This will produce a light blonded effect but the whiteness is determined by the ply colour. We advise that a test area is done on the ply first to confirm the appearance.

November 2015

Q. I want to paint a bare galvanised steel car yard fence black. What product is best? We also want to paint a new aluminium sliding gate (chose not to powder coat) black. Can you recommend products to use?

A. There are two options for the aluminium gate: single pack: 1 coat of Resene Galvo One and two coats of any Resene exterior acrylic coating. For a two pack finish: Apply a coat of Resene Armourcote 221 and then 2 coats of any Resene Uracryl 400 Series finish. The two pack option will be harder wearing.

For the galvanised fence we recommend using Resene Galvo One for priming bare areas then two coats of any Resene exterior acrylic finish. Suggest using the Resene CoolColour™ black if the fence is fully exposed on a north or west elevation.

November 2015

Q. Can you paint slate floors? If so, what is the best product to paint with and what colours are available?

A. We would not recommend painting slate floors but they can be clear coated with Resene Concrete Wax.

November 2015

Q. Do Karen Walker paints cost more? I have had a house fire and all but one side is damaged. Would you recommend repainting all sides or just the fire damaged side?

A. The Karen Walker testpots are a little more expensive, but the paint colours are the normal price as other Resene colours. Whether you do one wall or four depends on the existing condition of the other three walls. If the new wall once painted will blend in with the other three, then you could just paint one wall. If the new wall will look markedly different colour wise, then we'd normally recommend you paint all walls to get a consistent look.

November 2015

Q. I recently painted my house Resene Titania and all trims etc Resene Ironsand. I now want to do my fence but notice that you don’t do a fence paint in Resene Ironsand. What colour do you recommend?

A. You can apply Resene Lumbersider as a fence paint and it is available in Resene Ironsand.

November 2015

Q. I have a dark brown armoire that I want to make black for my office. It has a couple of chips where you see light brown, but it is generally dark brown. I have never done this type of stuff before. I would prefer not to take the doors off. It has to look very professional and black. Is this doable? If so, how do I do it? It appears to have been stained and overcoated.

A. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure for at least 48 hours before overcoating. Then apply two coats of any Resene waterborne enamel paint and leave to cure for an additional 48 hours after the last coat of Resene Lustacryl before placing into use. For the best finish roller apply the finish coats using a Resene No.4 sleeve.

November 2015

Q. I have a pail of low sheen paint that has been sitting for about 6 months since I bought it and it now has a bad smell to it. Is this normal? Should I still use it?

A. The odour is consistent with the paint having a high level of bacterial contamination which would be unusual but not impossible for new paint. If there is bacterial contamination then I would not recommend application of the paint.

November 2015

Q. What can I use to paint a wheelie bin? I want to use black paint.

A. The plastic used to construct wheelie bins is difficult to paint using standard Resene acrylic decorative paints.

November 2015

Q. I am making a macrocarpa slab dining table which has some substantial cracking and crevices. I would like to fill them with a clear resin tinted with a fluorescent pigment. The table top will be finished with teak oil. I am having some problems finding a clear resin, as most dry to an amber colour.

A. Most 100% clear fillers are epoxy based and these are always yellow in colour.

November 2015

Q. We are painting cedar weatherboards that have been stained but are flaking in areas.

A. Given there are signs of flaking, which indicate a film forming stain was applied, the existing stain will have to be stripped before painting with a solid as painting over the stain may well result in continued loss of adhesion due to failure of the stain from the surface. Following stripping back to bare timber the paint system would be a coat of Resene Wood Primer and two coats of any Resene exterior acrylic. If using a dark coloured topcoat we strongly recommend applying the Resene CoolColour™ version of the finish colour. If removal of the stain reveals any grey areas then treat these with Resene TimberLock following the label directions before priming.

November 2015

Q. What paint do you recommend to cover exterior walls clad in Harditex® fibre cement sheeting? I have sealed the joins with Cemintel jointing compound and tape. I am supposed to use a complicated technical finish of rendering, but I don't want to. Can I just paint it using some kind of texture paint?

A. The texturing requirement will be to disguise the sheet joints. Low build fine texture paints will not achieve this. The system we can offer is Resene Resitex Medium or Coarse and these will need to be spray applied using a hopper gun.

November 2015

Q. I have old painted deck railings. It looks to me as if it will be impossible to get all the old paint off. Can I stain them if some of the old paint still adheres?

A. Stains are semi-transparent and if there are patches of residual paint these will show through the stain. Also stains will not achieve good adhesion to a solid paint.

November 2015

Q. I have an 18 square metre Kwila deck to build under an Archgola and would like to achieve a gloss or high gloss finish to the timber deck. What product/s could you recommend to achieve this desired result? After looking at the Resene product line yesterday I note that you have a Resene Kwila Timber Stain but the gloss level is none. Is there any way to add a ‘gloss’ to the stain to achieve what is desired? Or would the Resene Furniture and Decking Oil be more appropriate and then go over the top of these products with an exterior polyurethane of which there is probably no such product. Am I correct?

A. Gloss finishes are usually not recommended for decks due to wet slip resistance considerations. None of our exterior timber stains can be overcoated with a clear. All are designed to erode off with weathering. This makes recoating easy but does not allow for clear coating. I would recommend Resene Woodsman Wood Oil tinted to your desired colour but this will not give you the gloss you are seeking.

November 2015

Q. I am using Resene Zylone Sheen in Resene Black White. I need to go over a bright purple wall. Will the two coats I plan cover up the purple? If not, can I just use any basic white paint to do the cover up first? If I do not do this I am going to run out of Resene Zylone Sheen.

A. Suggest that you apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat first.

December 2015

Q. When using Resene Lumbersider over new Hardiflex® do I need to prime it first?

A. In theory no but application of Resene Concrete Primer as the seal coat will make application of the Resene Lumbersider much easier. If using direct thin the first coat with water (about 10%) as the substrate can soak up the paint very quickly.

December 2015

Q. I have a plaster house. I would like to know the best exterior paint to use.

A. We recommend Resene X-200 applied over a seal coat of Resene LimeLock.

December 2015

Q. I want to paint some terracotta clay pot saucers to be used as cat feeding plates. I am going to use 1 coat of Resene Terracotta Sealer, 2 coats of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and one or two coats of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel paint. My question is whether the finished product will be toxic or non-toxic to my cats?

A. We have not tested this or any paint system for pet safety. The primer and topcoat are both Environmental Choice approved paints so contain no heavy metals or formaldehyde. If you want to paint the saucers, suggest that after completion of painting leave to cure for at least two weeks then wipe down using a cloth and warm water before using for petfood.

December 2015

Q. Do skirting boards have to be painted the same colour as the door trims? Or if you have deep reveals on your windows and you have black aluminium windows and you want to paint these black to highlight and frame them, can you paint the architraves a different colour or should they be black too?

A. There are no hard and fast rules that apply; it’s all a matter of personal choice.

December 2015

Q. We are going to paint a dam as part of a community project. We will remove weeds and clean the area beforehand. The surface is concrete. What paint should we use for best adhesion?

A. If the interior face of the dam surface in contact with water is not waterproofed then painting the other side is likely to be unsuccessful as any water that gets through the dam face will cause the paint to blister.

December 2015

Q. I have an island bench painted with two pack. Can I paint over this with another paint and if so what type?

A. All painted surfaces should be repaintable with the correct prep and priming. Thoroughly sand the two pack then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat then you can topcoat with a waterborne or solventborne enamel.

December 2015

Q. My partner and I are thinking about painting our unpainted concrete exterior basement white. What prep has to be done before we paint and what paint do we use? It’s a 1970s house and the basement has never been painted before. It has red brick cladding.

A. Assuming all walls are above ground level apply Resene X-200 to exterior walls to render these weathertight.

December 2015

Q. I have a property which has been painted in Resene Flexicover E. There are no cracks in the property so do I need to keep painting the property in Resene Flexicover E or can I use something else?

A. There is no reason why you cannot apply standard waterborne paints to Resene X-300E (new version of Resene Flexicover) but this will result in the system losing some if not all of the elastomeric features of Resene X-300E.

December 2015

Q. I wish to repaint a bedroom which has already been painted over wallpaper. Unfortunately it is now peeling in patches. Should I remove the wallpaper first? Do I need to use a sealer?

A. A definite yes. See the Resene Broadwall Surface Prep & Seal data sheet for repaint recommendations.

December 2015

Q. When repainting my villa is waterblasting enough to prepare the weatherboards? The house was built in 1865. It was last painted 8 years ago. I am hiring a painter and he is saying a waterblast is all that is needed and that high pressure is what is needed but I have used a high pressure waterblaster on my house before and water comes inside through gaps in the window sashes. Plus there still remains grime in places. We live near the motorway and there seems to be an exhaust soot on all flat surfaces.

A. Apart from the potential to cause water ingress, waterblasting does have the potential to damage timber substrates and due to this we do not recommend this as a surface prep for timber claddings.

December 2015

Q. We need to repaint a 1940ish weatherboard house with timber windows. There is some flaking but not a lot. The paint on the windows is a dark green and very thick. Can you advise on the preparation required and best paints to use for the job?

A. Given the age of the property and the possible build-up of many layers of old paint including the possibly of the presence of old lead based paint the best surface preparation would be a complete strip for all surfaces.

December 2015

Q. I have picked a colour (Resene Half Ash) for my wood kitchen cabinets. I was wondering what finish would be best? Is a gloss finish available and is that what you would recommend for easy cleaning?

A. A gloss finish will always facilitate easier cleaning then a flat finish.

December 2015

Q. I am after an epoxy coating for an outdoor table top. Do you have a clear see through kind of epoxy based product that I could use to cover the macrocarpa slab table top? The table will be used outdoors in the sun. My main goal is to fill in the few tiny little cracks in the slab than coat the whole thing with some sort of a darker varnish. If not epoxy, would you recommend some sort of a different approach?

A. Sorry we have no epoxy clear for this application. Epoxies chalk when exposed to direct weathering and a clear will be no different from a pigmented epoxy paint. Irrespective of paint type the clear layer will have to have a high level of added ultra violet blocking as the passage of UV through the clear to the timber/clear interface will result in peeling of the clear as the timber will undergo the standard timber surface breakdown albeit at a slower rate. This is the reason Resene does not sell water white clears for application to timber that is subject to direct weathering.

You could fill the cracks using a wood filler to match the timber colour then apply multiple coats of a marine varnish such as Altex Timbercote. However this will change the colour that you see to a darker orange brown and regular maintenance will be required on an ongoing basis.

December 2015

Q. I want to paint the interior of my Lockwood house and wonder if there is a primer/sealer that I can use to paint straight over top of the stain without having to sand all of the stain off first?

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, pay particular attention to hand contact areas. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. Then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen. Roll all coats using the recommended roller sleeve.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

The walls of a Lockwood do move and when and if this occurs it may result in the appearance of a line of the original varnish. The likelihood of this occurring cannot be predicted but if this does occur then repeat the above.

December 2015

Q. Have purchased some resin type ornamental roses for display about the size of an apple. I painted them with waterborne enamel which has peeled. I tried sanding the surface, but it’s very hard and smooth. What would be a suitable paint? (exterior situation)

A. Only possible adhesion primer would be Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer.

December 2015

Q. I have half a 20L of acrylic some years old that seems to have thinned considerably. Is it past its useful life? Painted on to the original surface as a touch up it’s much lighter than the original.

A. Difficult to definitely say if the paint is still usable. On storage waterborne paints can settle and develop bacterial contamination. Before using stir thoroughly to re incorporate settled solids. If the paint has an odour reminiscent of unwashed sports socks then this is due to bacterial contamination and the paint cannot be used.

December 2015

Q. Can I patch paint a powder painted internal wall? I would like to paint over the scuff marks on the stairs in my home and would like to know if I can patch paint this.

A. Yes powder coated substrates can be painted but if touching up or patch painted the repair area is likely to be a different texture and gloss level compared to the original powder coating. It’s generally best to paint a full wall area to a natural break in the wall so the old and new finish aren’t side by side.

December 2015

Q. What is the best way to strip a wall which has been wallpapered and then painted over? The house is 1930s so the paint is probably oil based.

A. Scour the paper (Tiger) to allow the steam to penetrate then use a wallpaper steamer.

December 2015

Q. Our 10-15 year old front door is made of plastic but has a wood look texture finish. The paint finish has pulled off in places. How do I refurbish?

A. Remove failing paint and clean down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash. Apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer and finish with two coats of a Resene waterborne enamel Resene CoolColour™™ version of the colour if available.

December 2015

Q. Just wondering would it be safe to lightly waterblast roughcast on a house that is 50+ years old. We are worried the water might lift the plaster. Alternatively we are going to use a house wash. We have sprayed for moss and will scrub it off soon.

A. Waterblasting of old cementitious substrates is an accepted practice for the removal of loose or flaking paint. The key to avoiding any damage is the waterblasting pressure which is usually around 3000 psi. The loose substrate does need to be removed and repaired as this can cause water ingress or loss of paint adhesion down the track after a repaint.

December 2015

Q. I have just completed coating a fibrous plaster ceiling with Resene Resitex textured coating after sealing surface first with Resene Sureseal. I now want to overcoat with a waterborne flat ceiling paint. Do I need any further application before applying a ceiling flat paint?

A. Should be fine to apply a flat Resene Ceiling Paint over the Resene Resitex ceiling (assume this is not in a bathroom area).

December 2015

Q. We have a steel framed house. Recently the ceilings are showing shadowing of the framework. Does this indicate that the ceilings need a paint? The paint on the ceilings is quite a deep cream and I don't know when they were last painted as we have only been here for two years. Would a white shade be a better choice?

A. The shadowing is usually due to a temperature difference between the boards in contact with the framing and often this is a line where condensation can form. There is also often a different gloss level along the framing lines due to the drying conditions when the paint was first applied. Different gloss levels of the same paint colour can also produce the effect you describe but if this was the situation you should have seen it earlier. Without identifying the exact reason it would be difficult to advise if painting the ceiling white would remove the framing line appearance.

December 2015

Q. Does Resene Lumbersider require a primer if I'm painting over other paint that is flaking off? I painted my fence just a year ago with cheap paint I bought at a hardware store. There are already bare spots showing all over the fence where the cheap paint was painted.

A. There are no paints that I would have any confidence in being applied over a substrate with existing flaking paint. Our standard recommendation it to remove all loose and flaking paint back to feathered sound edge, then spot prime bare substrate with the recommended primer before topcoating.

December 2015

Q. I have a 10 litre pot of Resene ceiling white that I used 18 months ago (used approx. 1 litre). I opened the pot yesterday and mixed it together. However the issue I have is the smell is terrible. It smelled rancid. The odour was overpowering and is similar to sour milk. I did have a small ceiling area to paint and the paint seems to cover ok but the smell was so bad I had to open all the windows. Is this usual? Is there anything I can do to change the smell?

A. The odour is more than likely due to bacterial contamination. This is common with acrylic paint that has been opened and not all used and then resealed. Contamination can be from the application tools used, the brushes, exposure to bacteria ridden air and storage conditions. In any event the paint should not be used as the bacterial contamination breaks down the resin component of the paint. While we add additives as in-can preservatives this only applies to unopened cans.

December 2015

Q. I want to paint some horse jumps made out of new treated timber. The jumps will get knocked by the hooves of horses and will sit outside in a sand arena, exposed to all the elements. I therefore need a tough paint. I will also stack them, and have so far found that the two surfaces of paint stick to one another. The first experimental jumps I made were painted with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and then topcoated with waterborne low sheen. I was considering placing a metal plate on one of the surfaces, where two painted surfaces touch. Are you able to advise me on the best system of paints for these jumps?

A. The sticking you have encountered is because the paint used has no block resistance and will stick if the painted surfaces come into contact particularly under pressure. The only way to resolve both issues is to either use a traditional solventborne enamel system or a two component paint system. The traditional enamel system will chalk relatively quickly and as it ages will become brittle but you need to balance this against the cost and use of two pack paints.

December 2015

Q. Can Resene Timber and Deck Wash be used on a deck of oiled Kwila before re oiling? If no, what is the best product for this job?

A. See no reason why not. If the tannins from the Kwlia are still present then the cleaner may remove them which may change the timber colour.

December 2015

Q. Can you get an exterior paint that is an easy wash? We get a lot of pine pollen on our house and when we repaint I would like an easy cleaning solution. We are probably looking at a grey colour as we also live on a gravel road.

A. The higher the gloss level the easier it will be to remove any surface deposit. We have gloss and semi-gloss exterior acrylic paints. Most customer prefer the semi-gloss as it is a subdued gloss compared to the gloss.

December 2015

Q. I am repainting LINEA® weatherboards and also galvanised COLORSTEEL® iron with Resene Sonyx 101 semi-gloss applied by spraying. The existing paint is still very well attached but faded and slightly chalky. The old colour used, and 10 years old, is similar to the new colour Resene Armadillo - in other words reasonably dark. The surface has been moss and mould treated and waterblasted lightly. Two questions:
1. Does the old paint surface need to be lightly sanded to key the Resene Sonyx 101 to it? Is that standard practice or best practice?
2. What would be the paint life guarantee on the above whether sanded before painting or not. I understand that most commercial painters do not sand existing paint before applying new.

A. As long as the existing Resene Sonyx 101 paint is sound and chalk free there is no need to sand before reapplying the same product. We would now recommend using the CoolColour™ version of dark colours as this increases heat reflection from the painted surface compared to the same colour made using non CoolColour technology. Due to the fact that sanding is not required your question re guarantee should now be not applicable. Resene exterior acrylics are adhesion promoted and this delivers excellent adhesion to appropriately prepared and primed substrates. The practice of sanding old paint coatings now only applies to old oil based paints.

December 2015

Q. External exposed structural steel imbedded in concrete footing - is the specification 22e 2.2 ELT appropriate for this situation?

A. Yes but this system requires blast cleaning to near white metal for priming with the zinc rich primer. Often the steel is hot dipped galvanised then the epoxy topcoats applied.

December 2015

Page 13

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