Preparation is vital to a
good quality, enduring paint finish. It is worth noting that a paint
manufacturers warranty only applies if you have prepared the surface
properly, to their specifications.
The walls must be cleaned thoroughly to remove all
grease, dirt, dust and mould. Use a good quality sugar soap (or bleach for
the mould at 1 part bleach to 3 parts water) and wash well with a
sponge/old rag/scouring pad or even a scrubbing brush. Rinse the walls
thoroughly with clean water, as soap residue can also inhibit the paint
finish. An excellent alternative to sugar soap is a product called
Tricleanium … it has excellent cleaning properties and rinsing off is
not as critical as it is with sugar soap. Highway Hardware stocks
Tricleanium and will be happy to give you further information.
If your paint is peeling or flaking, or the adhesion
is loose on the walls, you will need to strip, or scrape back any loose
paint, and sand to achieve a smooth finish.
Patch up any cracks and similarly sand to a smooth
finish. Any areas that have been sanded or stripped, or where you have
plastered in gaps, will require a primer/sealer.
