Posted by TomC (Md) on January 09, 2002 at 08:13:02:
Paint it again!
But don’t overlook the details. What probably led you to notice the layers of paint were the electrical outlets and switches. I hate it when they are covered with paint!
Remove the covers and throw them away. To get them off “cleanly”, use a sharp razor and score around the edges of the covers so no extra paint gets pulled up. Replace the switches and outlets with brand new ones before you paint, and cover them with masking tape.
Paint the trim bright gloss white, and the walls off white. When you put new covers on the outlets and switches, get the “midway” sized ones. They are 1/4" higher and wider than the standard plates, which will cover the outlines left from the old covers. Do all this, and the room will look fine.
What do you do in a rehab if the walls in the house have drywall in nice shape but with years of old paint jobs?
Should you just sand it or should you replace the drywall?
Re: Rehab (What to do with walls) - Posted by Woody (MI)
Posted by Woody (MI) on January 10, 2002 at 05:22:47:
Hi Brian,
The number of layers of paint on drywall is not really a concern in most cases. You really DON’T want to try to sand off years of paint. That might work on wood but not drywall. As TomC (MD) said, replace the outlet covers and switch covers if they are panted but don’t put them on until after you paint. That way you don’t have to tape them off.
Posted by Anne-ND on January 09, 2002 at 16:11:29:
I don’t know how long drywall has been around, but if there is pre-1978 paint in your house, it could be lead-based. Sanding is the worst thing you could do to spread the lead-based paint around. Both of the other posters had good info for you.
Re: Rehab (What to do with walls) - Posted by Mark (WV)
Posted by Mark (WV) on January 09, 2002 at 08:40:19:
Brian,
Another way is to do as Tom says but to add 1/3 a sheet of paneling to the bottom of the wall and chair rail trim to the to p of it , it will really change the way the room looks and as a added feature ,protect the bottom third of the wall from kicks and dings from your rentors.