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Answers to your questions from our Paint Experts, p 08

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. 08


Q. In the house that I rent out, the painted wallpaper has been ripped on one wall. What's the best/easiest way to deal with this? Do I remove the whole wall of wallpaper, re-wallpaper with a similar texture (there may be spare in the garage) and repaint?

A. Easiest would be to replace the damaged wallpaper and repaint.

April 2015

Q. I want to paint over new powdercoated gates (to change the colour). It looks as though your Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer will do the job - can you confirm?

A. Prime the new powdercoating with a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for 48 hours then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel. The system will take at least a week to harden and develop adhesion.

April 2015

Q. We are renovating a house which has some rooms painted in a suede-like finish. How do we remove the suede effect paint to repaint the walls? We would prefer a smooth finish.

A. Removal is very difficult so assuming it is an acrylic suede finish, suggest that you roll on two coats of Resene Broadwall Surface Prep and Seal which will reduce the surface texture.

April 2015

Q. Can Resene Colorwood stain be used over fairly recently applied Resene Aquaclear successfully?

A. Resene Colorwood stain can only be applied to bare timber and not to a clear coat. You can add Resene Colorwood Enhance colour concentrate to Resene Aquaclear and use this to give a coloured clear but the colour range is limited and the increase in colour subtle.

April 2015

Q. We are painting our 1960s house. For the weatherboards we are using Resene Sonyx 101, but need some help with the concrete base of the house and basement garage. It's currently painted a very dark green and we'd like to paint it white. Do we need to cover the green with an undercoat first - and what would we use for undercoat and painted topcoat in order to cover the dark green and be compatible with semi-gloss weatherboards and the concrete surface?

A. It always is beneficial to apply a white basecoat over very dark colours when changing to a very pale colour. You can use Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat as the undercoat over the existing dark paint colour. The Resene Quick Dry will not completely obliterate the dark green but will then make coverage of the Resene Sonyx 101 White easier to achieve in two coats of Resene Sonyx 101.

April 2015

Q. I'm looking for a product to use on a bare concrete wall exterior to weatherproof it. It is in a basement level room.

A. We recommend Resene X-200 weathertight membrane – use three coats.

April 2015

Q. I have a Rimu benchtop to coat. We would like to use a polyurethane. What product do you recommend for this?

A. Use four coats of Resene Polythane.

April 2015

Q. I have a small internal area to paint and want to achieve a satin (or semi-gloss) finish. I have an excess of high gloss oil based paint in the desired colour. Can I flatten the gloss by adding oil based undercoat, and if so in what proportion?

A. While the two products can be mixed and there will be a gloss reduction the film that results will not have the same properties as a custom designed semi-gloss paint.

April 2015

Q. We have approx 250 sq mt rimu flooring. What would you recommend to finish it as a clear finish? We expect heavy use of the floor – wear and tear and pets.

A. Resene Polythane would be the best hardwearing clear finish for the situation you describe, available as a gloss.

April 2015

Q. Is the Resene paint called Resene Sonyx 101 suitable for interior walls? Is it easy to use?

A. Resene Sonyx 101 is a semi-gloss waterborne exterior paint used to paint all primed surfaces with the exception of windows and joinery. Resene Sonyx 101 is not normally used for painting interior walls as lower gloss finishes are preferred. For interior walls we recommend either Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene Zylone Low Sheen. All products are easy to apply.

April 2015

Q. Please can you advise which paint system I need and how it needs to be applied to make a masonry block wall weathertight?

A. The product to use is Resene X-200 applied in three coats to achieve a minimum dry film thickness of 180 microns. Pointing and flashings need to be sound and correctly functioning.

April 2015

Q. What undercoat should I use for exterior windows? What paint should I use? I like the waterborne enamel. What is better - the Resene Lustacryl or waterborne enamel?

A. Resene Lustacryl is a semi-gloss waterborne enamel and can be used for painting exterior windows. Bare timber will need to be primed with a primer that is recommended for the timber type then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry before applying the two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

April 2015

Q. I want to paint a large front doorstep that is concrete with a smooth finish. It has not been sealed and I would like to use Resene New Denim Blue as the colour. What do you suggest - should it be sealed and then painted? The doorstep is covered but outside. I think it should have a sheen/high sheen finish.

A. Has the concrete had a curing membrane applied? You can check this by splashing water onto the concrete. If it is not immediately absorbed with darkening of the concrete then a curing membrane is present. If a curing membrane is the base the concrete will need to be diamond ground as the surface prep. As you increase the gloss level you also reduce wet slip resistance which is an important consideration when painting a trafficable surface.

If there is no curing membrane prime with Resene Sureseal then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on CoolColour™.

April 2015

Q. I have new weatherboards with new galvanised corner flashings commonly fitted to all weatherboard cladding. I'm painting the weatherboards with Resene Lumbersider. Can Resene Quick Dry primer be used on the galvanised flashings? I find it hard to believe that professional painters go round spot priming all the galvanised flashing with specialised galvanised steel primer. If I do have to prime them, does it matter if I get that primer on the boards?

A. You will need to prime the corner flashings with Resene Galvo-Prime before topcoating with Resene Lumbersider.

The LINEA® arrives preprimed so any overlap of the Resene Galvo-Prime onto the boards will not be an issue and yes you can overcoat the primer with any Resene exterior acrylic topcoat.

April 2015

Q. We have tried various products on our Cedar weatherboards but the UV light breaks the coating down rather quickly. We are trying to keep some of the natural cedar effect without it silvering.

A. A stained finish is by nature semi-transparent which will then require a higher frequency of maintenance coats to maintain the stain finish. Under the same exposure conditions (more severe exposure on north and western elevations) a solid paint finish will require maintenance on average from year 8 onwards. On contrast stain finishes may require a maintenance coat every third summer.

Resene Woodsman stains are designed to erode from the surface upon weathering which avoids film delamination and makes recoating easier as the stain only needs to be clean and free of surface breakdown products.

Silvering occurs when the cedar is exposed to direct UV without any intervening layer of UV protection. If an applied stain is allowed to fully erode from the timber then silvering will occur.

Resene Woodsman Wood Oil Stain or Resene Waterborne Woodsman would give a natural look on Cedar and protect it from silvering. You will need to test colour/s on a piece of the Cedar to check it achieves the look you are after. We normally recommend choosing a colour as close as possible to the Cedar colour if you want a natural Cedar look.

April 2015

Q. We are getting an old villa repainted. The paint is in very poor condition on windows. Is an oil based paint any better than Resene Enamacryl paint?

A. Given the likely age of the property I would recommend that prior to repainting, the existing paint be stripped from windows and the porch. With the build-up of paint over time the application of another coat of paint can cause an underlying layer to lose adhesion and flaking/blistering is seen. This is exacerbated if there is a colour change to a darker colour.

If the timber is Totara or Matai then you must use a waterborne primer such as Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat; for all other timbers use a solventborne primer such as Resene Wood Primer. Oil based topcoats undergo very quick onset of chalking, whereas waterborne enamels have a longer time before chalking occurs.

April 2015

Q. How do I remove paint from pavers, concrete and tiles? Or can I use textured paint or other paint to paint over existing paint on these surfaces?

A. Depends upon the paint type but if the paint has been on the areas for some time then painting over it may be the easiest option.

April 2015

Q. I'm looking to use a black finish on a weatherboard house. What is the most UV resistant finish in black?

A. Assume you are referring to the time to the onset of chalking; this decreases as the gloss level decreases. To achieve the best outcome apply two coats of Resene Hi-Glo CoolColour Black over a white primer then apply a coat of Resene Clearcoat UVS. The issue with the colour black is heat developed on the surface and the possibility of dimensional changes to the cladding.

April 2015

Q. A 1920s bungalow has been repainted. Initially it was stripped back and then the paint was applied by a professional painter. About 12 to 18 months later there has been movement that's affected the paintwork. The painter used a gap filler. A builder wonders whether the old nails might not be holding the boards adequately. Any thoughts on repairing this without the same problem reappearing down the track?

A. The shrinkage is due to board movement when the boards dry out over an extended time of low moisture/humidity.
I personally do not recommend application of a sealant to seal the board junctions as this does not allow movement to occur beyond the extensibility of the sealant. Also an open joint does allow the moisture content on the face and behind the brads to become equilibrated which reduce dimensional changes. This can happen even with new weatherboards if the boards are not enveloped sealed prior to installation so I would be surprised if the issue is individual board fixing. Not aware of any way of avoiding the issue in the future apart from preparing the exposed joint line (removal of the sealant) and repaint now where the joint line has receded.

April 2015

Q. I have just glossed after dry weather of two days and then sanded then applied two undercoats which were left for adequate time between coats etc. And 48 hours later rain hit and the exterior gloss has bubbled - why?

A. Paint will blister if caught with moisture before film formation has occurred. The drying of a paint film is not simply a function of temperature it is also influenced by humidity.

April 2015

Q. What is your best interior low sheen option for a home that will be easy to clean?

A. Our premium internal wall paint is Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen. This is based on a cross linking waterborne enamel resin and cures to a very tough film.

April 2015

Q. I recently purchased oil-based paint (Resene Sureseal pigmented, interior/exterior paint). It was recommended that I use it, as I need to cover a dark red wall. My question, which I forgot to ask when I purchased the paint, is will I be able to cover it with a latex-paint afterwards?

A. Yes you can overcoat Resene Sureseal with Resene waterborne paints as well as solventborne enamels.

April 2015

Q. What do I prepare previously painted wallpaper (dark finish) with in order to repaint in a much lighter colour? It's in a kitchen and is a textured wallpaper.

A. Apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat to the painted wallpaper.

April 2015

Q. I had some flaking paint in my room, so I painted over the flaky paint with a tester pot in the same colour. It seems to have dried a lot lighter than the darker pink next to it. They are both the same colour. Is there any way I can make them the same colour without having to repaint the whole wall?

A. Touch up is always tricky even if the original paint is used. It is possible that the difference is due to a difference in the gloss level of the wall paint and the testpot paint. The colour can be the same but the human eye sees them as different (the lower sheen is muddier/darker and the higher sheen brighter/cleaner). The best option is to repaint the wall for an even finish.

April 2015

Q. I have a house built in the 80s and it has aluminium interior door frames. What do I use to paint these?

The house also has exposed stained timber exposed beams which we wish to paint again. What do I need to use?

A. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer to the degreased aluminium and allow to cure for 48 hours then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel.

April 2015

Q. I have applied a coat of Resene Sureseal to my newly plastered walls. Do I need to sand the Resene Sureseal before I apply my topcoats?

A. The only sanding required may be a light sand using 220 grit sandpaper to de nib. If you vigorously sand you may cut through the film.

April 2015

Q. I have cedar weatherboards stained with waterborne stain. I want to change to oil based stain. Is it possible to put the oil based stain on top of the waterborne stain (5 years old now) and what preparation would this require?

A. Scrub the surface down with Resene Timber and Deck Wash following the label instructions. Then you can apply the two coats of Resene Woodsman wood oil stain.

April 2015

Q. I am making a cake stand out of timber and wish to paint it white. What finish can I put on top of the paint to make it waterproof and food safe?

A. Apply a primer coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and then two coats of standard Resene Lustacryl. Allow to cure for two weeks then wipe down with a cloth and warm water before using. This will not give a dishwasher safe coating system. Best to wipe down to clean.

April 2015

Q. I have been told that it is best to use an oil based sealer primer undercoat on preprimed architraves prior to two topcoats of acrylic gloss. Is this correct?

A. The architraves should be sanded and reprimed. The choice of primer should be based on what the architrave supplier recommends as we do not know what the factory applied primer is. Yes you can apply two coats of an acrylic topcoat over Resene Wood Primer (oil based) or Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat (waterborne).

April 2015

Q. I have stained my deck over an existing colour but it doesn't really look like the colour I have chosen.

A. Deck stains are semi-transparent so when overcoating the final colour is influenced but the underlying colour. This is most pronounced when applying a paler stain over a darker stain. Additional coats will eventually give better coverage of the old stain but build-up of stain is not a good idea.

April 2015

Q. I am working on the skirtings, trimmings, windows and doors. I have sanded them thinking I would use oil based paint. After sanding I have used a pigmented sealer. However, the family now want them to be varnished so we can see the wood grain effect on them. How do I go about this?

A. You would have to strip the pigmented sealer off using a paint stripper or thoroughly sand.

April 2015

Q. We are repainting the interior of our house and have started on one bedroom. The room had vinyl wallpaper which we have removed by stripping the top layer and then wet removing the backing paper. Underneath is what appears to be drywall/plasterboard covered in a skim coat of a plaster substance. The plaster coating left behind is now bumpy (even after sanding) with some of it coming off down to the drywall in places. We are wanting to know what we are best to do next to ensure we are prepping/protecting the wall properly before we paint?

A. It would be best to skim coat the walls as I do not believe that painting will necessarily produce a smooth even finish.

April 2015

Q. Could you please let me know what is the best product to protect our pine deck? It has been down for around 8 years without any treatment on it and is weathered silver (even after cleaning). My main focus is on protecting the deck's timber and preserving its life and I don't want to stain it a different colour.

A. We only have pigmented decking stains. My only suggestion would be to apply Resene Deep Clean following the label instructions at the beginning of autumn and spring. This will ensue that there is no mould/algal growth but will not preserve the timber.

April 2015

Q. I notice that the label for Resene Summit Metallic roof paint says to seek advice from the Resene ColorShop on how to apply the product.

A. The advice to contact Resene was more when the product was sprayed. If painted the surface needs to be sound. If not then it needs to be prepared and primed with an appropriate priming system (Resene Galvo Prime if the roof is new or Resene Galvo One if weathered beyond six months). Then apply two coats by brush. Brush applications will initially not give a uniform appearance but this will develop upon weathering. Ensure the tinted paint is well stirred prior to use each day.

April 2015

Q. I have a monolithic clad house which was built in 1995 and is in very good condition and which we are repainting. Do I need to paint with a colour that has an LRV of 40% or more which I have read? This seems quite restrictive. We were wanting to paint with Resene Quarter Gravel but this has an LRV of 24% and are worried about this choice.

A. LRV restrictions are placed on the cladding by the cladding supplier and we cannot override this. Yes it does lead to a restriction in colour choice but this is to avoid any issues associated with the heating of the cladding surface which happens more with darker colours.

Resene CoolColour™ technology can be used to overcome LRV restrictions. However the LRV of a non and cool version of a given colour is the same, what changes is TSR (total solar reflectance). TSR is a measure of the heat reflectance for a colour.

When dealing with an LRV cut off of 40% the TSR must exceed 36%. In the case of Resene Quarter Gravel the TSR of the non-cool version is 21.2 with the TSR of the cool version being 40.1. Hence you can use the CoolColour version of the colour. For the maximum heat reflection we recommend applying two coats of the CoolColour topcoat over a white basecoat such as Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat.

April 2015

Q. Resene X-200 - I believe this is a weatherproof paint but not an elastomeric paint. Can this paint be used on clad houses or not and under what conditions? I have read that you should only use elastomeric paints but have also seen several reputable companies using Resene X-200 and am not clear on the differences?

A. Elastomeric paints are only specified where there are propagating cracks in a cementitious substrate, that is cracks that change dimension. If there is extension of the underlying crack the elastomeric paint accommodates a degree of expansion without rupture to the paint film. On the other hand Resene X-200 has crack bridging properties but is not based on an elastomeric resin. Many projects that have used elastomeric coatings don't necessarily need one.

The CCANZ CP 014 document clearly states that to achieve a weathertight finish to exterior masonry that a high build conventional acrylic (e.g. Resene X-200) or an elastomeric high build acrylic (e.g. Resene Flexicover E/Resene X-300E) applied to a minimum dry film thickness of 180 microns can be used. Resene Construction Systems Ltd (formerly Resene Rockcote) use Resene X-200 as the finish system to their plaster renders.

April 2015

Q. We have anodised aluminium window frames and I wish to paint them.

A. Prime clean frames with Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer. Then apply two coats of a Resene waterborne enamel such as Resene Enamacryl or Resene Lustacryl.

April 2015

Q. I have just repainted my roof with Resene. I collect drinking water off the roof. How much rain (in mls) do you need before the downpipes can be reconnected to collect water again?

A. Disconnect roof downpipes until after the first shower of rain in order to flush away surplus non-toxic wetting agents before the surface is used for the collection of drinking water.

We have not attempted to relate the amount of rainfall to the time required for disconnection. The wetting agents are considered nontoxic but depending upon the concentration present in the water tank result in the water being foamy or tainted when consumed.

The newly painted roof would need to be washed to the point of a reasonable runoff, preferably over a sustained time rather than a short showier of rain for the best result.

You can place a large clean bucket or water container at the run off collection point to the tank and check the water for taste or foaming and then make a decision on reconnection.

April 2015

Q. Can I paint with an oil based semi-gloss (e.g. Resene Lusta-Glo) over existing Resene Lustacryl used on skirtings and door frames?

A. Yes as long as the Resene Lustacryl is well cured and after a sand to provide a key for the new paint.

April 2015

Q. Can Resene X-200 once dry and cured be waterblasted in future to keep it clean?

A. All depends upon the waterblasting pressure and how far from the surface the tip is held. Low pressure washing (<3000 psi) with the tip held away from the surface should not be detrimental to the coating adhesion. For cleaning a scrub down with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash and a water wash down is all that should be required.

April 2015

Q. Can Resene Broadwall Surface Prep and Seal go over non vinyl wallpaper or do you have to use Resene Sureseal?

A. I would always seal off old wallpaper before application of a waterborne coating. If the old paper has a metallic flake in it then the answer is a definite yes. Resene Sureseal also will block any staining that may arise from the old paper. Lastly sealing does prevent the lifting of the paper when wetted out with the paint - often the bubbles don't always disappear which then requires injection of a glue into the blister to reattach.

April 2015

Q. We have a gap appear on our boards - it looks like the colour has shrunk a little. What causes this?

A. If you changed from a light to a dark colour then the colour change will cause the surface to heat up more and this can produce the effect you describe.

This isn't an issue with all homes as many people do paint dark over light without having any problems. It depends on the age of the timber, how much moisture is in it etc. It's a substrate issue.

Timber is a natural building material that has an affinity with water. When it is first cut it is absolutely saturated and must be dried out to be useful. Normally it is dried to about 17% moisture content. As the moisture dries out the timber also shrinks. If the timber dries out further it will shrink more and if it absorbs water it will swell.

In some ways it is similar to a sponge cloth that also shrinks when it is dry and visibly swells when it is wetted.

If a weatherboard is made and fixed during the cooler months of the year it is liable to contain water at the top end of the range. If that weatherboard has been painted with a paint, the colour of which absorbs heat, as the warmer months come some drying out of the board can occur with the inevitable further shrinkage. That is when a tell-tale line of primer can become visible at the bottom of each weatherboard.

This problem is more likely to occur with dark colours and on exposed northern aspects. The only remedy is touching up with the original paint to give a uniform finish.

April 2015

Q. Are solventborne paints, like Resene Sureseal safe to use? We have used some solventborne paint and it seems to have a lingering odour.

A. Resene has a long standing commitment to the replacement of paints with reduced VOC (volatile organic content) paints, however the replacement product must give the customer the same performance as the product being replaced.

We provide label, data sheet, and Safety Data Sheet information for all Resene products and direct users to where this information can be found.

All paints irrespective of type (water or solventborne) must be applied and allowed to cure with good ventilation with VOC's being exhausted to the exterior atmosphere. The human nose is very sensitive to a new odour and can detect very low levels which may be well below any identified health impact. It is also accepted that a one off exposure does not contribute to any health issues.

Resene has introduced lower odour versions of many solventborne paints, including Resene Sureseal. The lower odour paints are formulated using a solvent with a very low level of solvent known as aromatic hydrocarbons. This change significantly increases the safety profile of the paints. We also have a lower odour thinner (Resene Thinner No.2) to maintain the lower odour of thinned paint. If mineral turps was used for thinning and clean up then this would negate the benefits of the lower odour formulation.

I suggest that you try to open all areas to increase air flow to remove any VOC retained in furnishings etc.

April 2015

Q. How do you get the best effect with Resene Magnetic Magic?

A. Apply as per the label instructions and test the magnetic attraction of the wall before you topcoat and if the attraction is weak apply another coat of Resene Magnetic Magic. To attach a large item (e.g. a poster) there will be a need to use multiple magnets.

April 2015

Q. I have an office benchtop along an interior wall, which is constructed out of MDF and was wondering if Resene has a 2-pack paint system that could be used on the MDF benchtop to brighten it up. The MDF has only been coated in an enamel-oil based white paint that has yellowed and dulled over time.

A. Sand the enamel to provide a mechanical key for the new paint then apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat. Allow the undercoat to cure for 48 hours then apply two coats of Resene Uracryl 802.

April 2015

Q. I am painting an ornate plaster ceiling where the surface paint has flaked. Underneath is probably a glossy enamel. So after removing the flakes I'm thinking it would need a sealer/binder before topcoating and am wondering if Resene Sureseal would do that job?

A. If the surface is smooth it may be the original fibrous plaster then use Resene Sureseal; if it is a glossy enamel then use Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer. Apart from colour it is not that easy to distinguish between the two.

April 2015

Q. What is the best low sheen wall paint for a kitchen area?

A. Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom.

April 2015

Q. I would like to paint a board and batten house. The house is in a seaside location and is about 12 years old. The B&B just looks scruffy and is silvered and also has mould patches here and there. What paint system would you recommend?

A. For the board and batten cladding apply Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and applied to label directions, then scrub down with Resene Timber and Deck Wash to label. When dry apply a saturation coat of Resene TimberLock (ensure excess is wiped from the surface and leave to dry to 48 hours or until hard dry to touch). Then apply a coat of Resene Wood Primer followed by two coats of any Resene exterior acrylic finish (Resene Sonyx 101 or Resene Lumbersider). If you are choosing to use a dark coloured topcoat colour then use the Resene CoolColour™ formulation of the colour.

April 2015

Q. Is it possible to paint over a Formica surface (in a bathroom)? It's not in the shower/water contact area.

A. Yes. Ensure the area to be painted is free of all contaminants including soap residues. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow the paint to dry for 48 hours without steam/water contact. Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl (semi-gloss) or Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen waterborne enamel. Leave the paint system to cure for at least 48 hours with good ventilation and warmth before exposure to steam/moisture.

April 2015

Q. Someone told me to put talcum powder into a black testpot to make a blackboard paint. Would that work?

A. Talc can be used to flatten paint finished (normally in production) but can also make it more prone to burnishing (looking shiny when rubbed). It is often used in ceiling paints because they don't need to be wiped. If they are wiped people tend to find they end up with a patchy look with flat areas and then shiny areas where they have rubbed it.

April 2015

Q. What clear (brushed on) product, if any, would you use to give some extra protection to a slightly textured wallpaper printed with HP latex? Just need it to more cleanable/wipeable etc.

A. Based on the info I would suggest that you use Resene Concrete Clear as the printing is with a latex.

April 2015

Q. I have painted with acrylic paint on plywood for a sign and want to know if it's ok to use clear enamel spray paint to spray over it for protection from rain?

A. Depends upon the acrylic but usually I would advise no.

April 2015

Q. We are required to provide UV protection for multi-layer polyethylene natural gas piping. Can you please recommend a suitable Resene paint? I understand that solventborne paints are not permitted in this application.

A. Paint adhesion of polyethylene is difficult to achieve; the only way we have developed is to heat the plastic to near melt using a gas flame then topcoating, clearly not appropriate for large areas of onsite piping which contain a flammable material. Suggest you may need to look at a UV resistant pipe wrapping to give the required level of UV protection.

April 2015

Q. Can your Resene Woodsman stain colour (e.g. Resene Iroko) also be mixed as a colour for your regular exterior paints?

A. We cannot match exactly a stain to a solid colour or vice versa. If you bring in a piece of timber with the Resene Iroko on it as a sample of what you want to achieve our Resene ColorShop staff can suggest similar Resene colours.

April 2015

Q. Our fibre cement house is painted pale green and we want to repaint a 'stone' shade. Do we need to prime the whole house/paint white first in order to achieve a true colour? Or can we use a 'two in one primer and paint'?

A. When changing from a pale to a dark colour there is always the possibility of blistering due to the heat attracted by the dark new colour causing an older paint layer to fail adhesively. If the existing paint is sound then you can use two coats of any Resene exterior acrylic to repaint. While Resene CoolColour™ technology will reduce the possibility of blistering it cannot completely remove this as a possibility.

April 2015

Q. I have a driveway gate made from rebar which has some rust. I love it and I want it to last forever. How do I do that?

A. The metallic composition of rebar steel does make it more prone to atmospheric rusting if not embedded in concrete. Only suggestion is to wash down and remove all loose rust using a power wire brush then apply two coats of Resene Rust Arrest and then topcoat with two coats of Resene Summit Roof.

April 2015

Q. We are moving to a new home in South Canterbury with an entranceway sided by cedar sidings. We would prefer to keep the cedar's honey brown colouring - is there a suitable stain/oil to maintain this colouring/protection of?

A. Suggest that you choose as close a colour match from the Resene Woodsman Wood Oil colours.

April 2015

Q. Is there a test to see whether a painter has in fact given two coats of paint to the exterior of a house? Can painting on native wood cause the paint to blister due to the oils of the timber?

A. It's difficult to measure the dry film thickness of an applied paint system to a non-metallic substrate, made more difficult with a repaint.

When dealing with blistering we advise that the blister is cut and the colour on the reverse side of the blister checked to see if it is the same as the topcoat colour. Also check what is revealed underneath where the blister was. This can indicate the cause of the blistering. If there has been a colour change from a pale to a darker colour this can cause blistering on the most exposed elevations as the heat attracted by the darker colour can cause an old paint layer to lose adhesion. This applies to older style homes that have had a build up of paint applied over many years.

In general native timbers are not classed as oily. If there was any oil migration this would be seen as a surface stain or there would be oil in the blister or on the surface where the blister formed.

April 2015

Q. Do you have a durable hot pink or pink paint suitable to paint a small kid's retro one seater couch and small toy box? I think its PVC. All the top plastic coat is peeling off.

A. Sorry but paint cannot act as a resurfacer for the PVC.

April 2015

Q. Which paint is best for exterior plasterboard that has been painted previously?

A. If there is no sign of blistering or flaking, clean down with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash following label directions then apply the two coats of Resene Lumbersider. If changing from a light to a dark colour use the Resene CoolColour™ formulation for the topcoat colour to reduce the risk of blistering arising with the failure of an old paint coating. The Resene CoolColour version will reflect more heat than the non-cool version of the colour and reduce surface heating.

If there is blistering or flaking, wash down as before and scrape back these areas to a sound edge and prime bare areas with Resene Sureseal before topcoating.

April 2015

Q. How should I paint an old concrete tile roof? I have removed all the moss and need to know what prep coats and topcoats are recommended.

A. Treat the cleaned roof with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and applied to label directions. Leave for 48 hours then wash down with copious amounts of freshwater and allow to dry. Then apply a saturation coat of Resene Sureseal and finish with two coats of Resene Summit Roof tinted to your selected colour; if using dark colours then have the Resene Summit Roof tinted to the Resene CoolColour™ formulation.

April 2015

Q. Can I get a white metallic?

A. The white material used to make a paint white unfortunately also obliterates the metallic effect; that's why there are no true white metallics on our chart. You could try using Resene Pearl Shimmer over your white paint – this will add a light shimmer effect to the paint finish. We do also have some older 'white' metallics though they have less of a metallic effect than metallic colours with less tinter.

April 2015

Q. Can I use Resene Uracryl 403 as a topcoat on an epoxy sealed kitchen bench top?

A. Resene Uracryl 403 can be self-coated without sanding, as long as the Resene Uracryl surface to be recoated is clean and free from contaminants. In your case a light sand to de-nib between coats should be the only sanding required. The applied film will take up to 5 days to achieve reasonable cure and hardness so any polishing should be delayed until this time has elapsed.

Post note: The coating was successfully sanded down to 2000 grit wet and dry, then buffed with a cutting compound.

April 2015

Q. I want to paint the heating radiators in my apartment. What paints are recommended? A gloss surface would be preferred choice if possible. They look like they are old cast iron.

A. Strip the paint then remove rust from any corroded areas using a sanding disc such as as 3M Rust and Paint Removal Disc, then apply a coat of Resene Rust Arrest and finish with two coats of Resene Super Gloss or Resene Lusta-Glo.

April 2015

Q. What do you recommend for a clear natural finish on exterior ply?

A. For a natural look outside on ply most people would use a wood stain, like Resene Waterborne Woodsman. It's available in a range of colours including a Natural colour. We don't recommend completely clear finishes outside as they don't provide enough protection to the substrate.

April 2015

Q. How do you clean wood stain off a deck?

A. Resene Timber and Deck Wash can clean off many stains, ready for re-staining.

April 2015

Q. Can you use Resene Limelock on concrete floors?

A. In theory you could technically but it's not really designed for that and is probably too soft for trafficability. It's intended use is really wall areas.

April 2015

Q. If I have non-vinyl wallpaper that I want to paint what should I use?

A. Use Resene Vinyl Wallpaper Sealer over vinyl wallpaper and Resene Sureseal over anything else. Using Resene Sureseal is the safest approach as it can lock in stains etc before you use waterborne topcoats. Then you can use Resene Broadwall Surface Prep & Seal if needed to smooth the surface a bit.

April 2015

Q. Can you paint your whiteboard paint on dark walls, black, and then use a white pen or does it only really work on lighter colours?

A. Yes you can use it, Resene Write-On Wall Paint over dark colours and then use a liquid chalk style pen on top of it. The only colours that don't work so well are where you can't get a good dark or light pen to contrast with the background colour.

April 2015

Q. I am wondering if you have a solution for me to paint an old kitchen counter top. It is currently apricot and want to make it a silver or grey.

A. If it is a Melteca type laminate then ensure the surface is degreased and apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for 48 hours (ensure the surface remains dry) then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroomand leave for an additional 48 hours before using. Note: this is a decorative paint system and the painted surface will not have the properties of the original laminate.

April 2015

Q. I have 20 year old chipboard floors which are water stained in some areas, especially around external doors. Can I cover these stains by applying a dark stain over all the floor area? The chipboard is unstained but is polyurethaned. Would preparation be difficult and expensive? Would I be better to use a Resene floor paint, rather than try to hide the marked areas with a dark stain?

A. The staining is probably underneath the varnish layer and unless the varnish layer is completely removed you cannot apply a stain. However if you sanded the varnish (no need to remove, just to dull off) then you could apply 2-3 coats of Resene Aquaclear with added Resene Colorwood Enhance and you may be able to produce a uniform colour over the floor. Suggest that you visit your nearest Resene ColorShop to discuss the Resene Colorwood Enhance option.

April 2015

Q. We are repainting the lounge and dining room of our 1926 home. Above the picture rail is solid plaster and we have had a lot of trouble in the past with the paint cracking and peeling almost immediately, even after sealing it. Do you have any suggestions for dealing with this?

A. I would say that the cracking is as a result of many years build up of paint thickness and an underlying original coat has lost adhesion. To rectify: scrape back flaked areas to a sound edge then apply a coat of Resene Sureseal to the bare areas. Sand the sound coating. Dust off and then apply two coats of any Resene interior wall paint.

April 2015

Q. Does Resene have a product to paint modern rubber butynol roofing?

A. Yes if the butynol has a fall then apply two coats of Resene Lumbersider (low sheen) or Resene Sonyx 101 (semi-gloss) in a Resene CoolColour™ formulation. If there is no fall then apply a coat of Resene Membrane Roofing Primer before topcoating as above. If the butynol has started to chalk then scrub down with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash then apply the Resene Membrane Roofing Primer and then topcoat as for new.

April 2015

Q. My board and batten house, which has mouldy patches on it, now requires attention. What would be best for its ongoing protection - paint or stain?

A. Treat mould and algae using Resene Deep Clean. If the cladding has never been painted then staining is easier to do but the stained surfaces will need a maintenance coat of stain on average every third summer. A painted finish would be more work upfront but will last much longer. A complete pigmented paint system would comprise the following: Resene TimberLock, Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and Resene Sonyx 101 or Resene Lumbersider (two coats).

The prep is the key to a successful painting outcome. Treat with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and applied following label directions then scrub down with Resene Timber and Deck Wash diluted and applied following label directions then proceed with the above paint system. On average you will need to reapply a refresher topcoat from year seven onwards but this is determined by exposure conditions and topcoat gloss level. If using dark colours we recommend using the Resene CoolColour™ version of the colour if available.

April 2015

Q. I wonder if you have a clear/translucent paint that can go on corrugated polycarbonate panels to provide extra UV protection?

A. We recommend Resene Clearcoat UVS.

April 2015

Q. Can we use a clear coat over a ceiling paint to make it more durable?

A. Ceiling paints are formulated for areas that are rarely if ever subjected to wear and tear. They by nature are not a robust coating and clear coating will not necessarily change this.

April 2015

Q. My house is wallpapered with vinyl wallpaper and I want to paint over the paper. What paint type is recommended and what type of brushes/rollers?

A. The paper is a vinyl paper and so you need to seal with a coat of Resene Vinyl Wallpaper Sealer and then finish with two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen.

April 2015

Q. My roof painter wants to use our chosen topcoat colour only on the last coat and use similar leftover paint but of a different colour on the first topcoat. I presume this is cost saving but I am uneasy about this and would have thought two coats of the same colour would be far better and wear much longer.

A. We always recommend using the correct colour for the topcoats, which may be 2 or 3 topcoats depending on colour, surface etc. It would also pay to check that the brand of paint being used is the brand you have chosen. Some painters will colour match in cheaper products and you won't end up with the quality of paint and colour you were expecting. If you are paying for a professional painter, then the cost of the paint is only a very small part of the project cost (generally only 15% or so of the painting project cost). It's best to use a quality paint tinted correctly.

April 2015

Q. Which type of Resene flat paint would be best suited to painting on canvas (as the backing colour of a wall painting).

A. We recommend Resene Lumbersider. The paint may crack if the canvas is rolled up. Avoid allowing two painted areas touching as the paint will fuse.

April 2015

Q. We have purchased a brick house 28 years old with golden colour bricks (they appear to be glazed). We are keen to paint over them as I don't like them. What product/s would you recommend? How do we go about priming?

A. If you splash water on the bricks and the water is not immediately absorbed then chances are the bricks will be glazed. Check for pointing defects and fix if they are found (the pointing is the plaster that holds the bricks together). Assuming the bricks are glazed then apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for 48 hours then apply two coats of any Resene exterior acrylic paint. The paint system will not render the painted surface weathertight unless you use Resene X-200 as the acrylic topcoats.

April 2015

Q. We are painting the space where a new freestanding cooker is to be installed. The cupboards will be close to the oven part. The installation manual does not actually give any heat requirements for this situation - but it would be the heat of the oven. I understand that the ovens nowadays are insulated. One cooker we looked at said 100 degrees Celsius.

A. We have no standard Resene paints that we could confidently say would have heat resistance to 100 degrees Celsius; it would be best to tile.

April 2015

Q. I painted a house in Ohakune about 6 years ago and the paint, mostly on the sun exposed northern side, has badly flaked and peeled. Any advice on paints to withstand this? Is it caused by temperature extremes? It's a very old wooden house and the flaking is back to the exposed wood.

A. If there was a buildup of many years of paint over time then at some time an underlying layer may lose adhesion and cause the whole paint system to fail adhesively, flake or peel.

It's more likely to occur on the northern elevation as this is the elevation that is most exposed. Also if there was a colour change from a pale to a dark colour this can also result in peeling/flaking as the heat associated with the dark colour can stress the old paint.

I suggest that the affected side is completely stripped back to bare wood but there may be a chance of lead based paint so care is required. Resene ColorShops can do a test of the paint to see if it is lead based or you can buy a lead based paint test.

The type of timber will determine the right primer to use.

April 2015

Q. I am wanting to paint the outside of our caravan bright orange (not fluoro). Can you please advise which paint would be best? The paint is in good condition, no flaking etc, we just don't like the mustard colour. The white sections are really good so it's just the band around the middle. We would prefer to sand it rather than strip back to bare metal.

A. I would recommend a 2 pack polyurethane such as our Resene Uracryl 403 for the best durability and to clear coat the colour with Resene Clearcoat UVS as your colour choice may be prone to colour fade. Sand down the existing paintwork (assume that it was probably a two pack originally), dust off and apply a primer coat of Resene Armourcote 221 epoxy primer before applying the two coats of Resene Uracryl colour and then the clear.

April 2015

Page 08

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.

 

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