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. We have purchased a house and everything has been painted in standard wall paint, doors, frames, windowsills, bathrooms and even the kitchen cupboards! I am wondering if it is possible to paint over the areas that need a more durable paint with just a simple sand as preparation. Or do I need to fully remove the original paint? The paint work is in extremely good condition as has only been completed recently. A. After ensuring the surfaces to be painted are degreased recommend a sand to profile, then application of a full coat of Resene Quick Dry before applying two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen. There is a kitchen and bathroom version for bathrooms/kitchens/wet areas. January 2020 |
Q. I'm looking to oil/stain macrocarpa sleepers. Which products would you recommend for this? A. We recommend two coats of Resene Woodsman wood oil stain. January 2020 |
Q. I have some Resene Alabaster low sheen kitchen and bathroom paint here which was used in the kitchen. I'm thinking of using it for the walls and or ceiling in a bedroom. Is it okay for this use (I'm assuming the kitchen and bathroom designation means it is okay for use in those harsher environments, but will be fine in a bedroom)? A. Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom can be used in any room of the house. The extra benefits are anti-bacterial silver and extra mould protection. January 2020 |
Q. At our school we have a few whiteboards that are metal and quite scratched. Can you recommend a paint to use to redo them? Scratches can be sanded out. A. We have Resene Write-on Wall Paint, but this cannot be considered a match to a commercial white board especially if the white board is subject to regular repeated use. Suggest that you should undertake application of the Resene Write-on system to a representative commercial white board to assess suitability for your purposes. Wipe down the existing whiteboard surface using meths to remove all traces of eraser residues. Wet sand using 220 grit wet and dry to degloss the surface then wipe clean taking care not to unduly scratch the surface or cut through the white layer. Assuming you achieve a uniformly white surface then apply two coats of Resene Write-on Wall Paint clear. January 2020 |
Q. I have a building consent application for a new house and Resene Aquapel has been specified to protect the block walls (above ground). Can you confirm if Aquapel is suitable for the area intended? Your website talks about the product repelling water, but it is not clear if it is suitable for ensuring the block remains weathertight. A. Resene Aquapel will only deliver water repellence, in the event of wind driven rain there is a high probability of water break through. We have two systems to render masonry weathertight – Resene X-200 and Resene XC-700. January 2020 |
Q. We have pulled up old carpet and sanded the wooden floors beneath. I now need to seal the floor but I want to avoid darkening them. The sanded wood has a beautiful light honey tone that I'd like to keep if possible. A. Application of a clear will result in some colour change, gloss solventborne clears will see the largest colour change. Suggest that you look to use Resene Qristal ClearFloor 1K. The lower gloss and being waterborne will give the least amount of colour change. January 2020 |
Q. I've just bought a house painted in very bold colours, and plan to repaint the interior in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Half Bianca. In the rooms with darker colours, do I need to prime the walls, or simply sand them lightly and apply three or so coats of paint? A. Recommend application of a full coat of Resene Quick Dry prior to application of the lighter topcoat colour. January 2020 |
Q. Which is the best primer and top coat for painting an aluminium garage door? Will get existing paint off first. Any other specific prep needed? A. After stripping wash down using Resene Roof and Metal Wash diluted and used to label instructions. Apply a full coat of Resene Galvo-Prime and finish with two coats of Resene Summit Roof. As long as two painted surfaces do not come into contact the system will be suitable. January 2020 |
Q. I want to paint the handrail on my balcony and am looking for advice on how to go about this. It is a polished stainless handrail. It has been installed for around 20 years now. A. Wash down using Resene Roof and Metal Wash diluted and used to label instructions. Then apply two coats of Resene Armourcote 221 epoxy primer and finish with two coats of Uracryl 402 tinted to your required topcoat colour. January 2020 |
Q. What is the best way to get rid of black mould on cedar weatherboards prior to staining? A. Treat with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label instructions. January 2020 |
Q. I have some quite old alkyd undercoat which has thickened slightly. Can I dilute this slightly and with what – turpentine? A. The thickening is due to in can part curing of the paint, common with alkyds and there is often a skin develop on the top of the paint. Stir to achieve a uniform mix and then judiciously thin with turps to achieve a brushable consistency. Take care not to over-thin as this will reduce the paint thickness and may also see runs and sags appear. January 2020 |
Q. I am sealing minor cracks in our plaster finish house with you paintable crack filler. Excellent product by the way. How long do we need to leave it before overcoating with Resene X-200? A. It can be overcoated with Resene X-200 after 48 hours drying. January 2020 |
Q. We are proposing to repaint our 1950 house exterior walls which are paint over plaster over brick. We are keen on Resene AquaShield for durability and matt 'Mediterranean' look but our painter advises against this. His view is Resene AquaShield is only suitable for porous surfaces and would in any case need an overcoat. He recommends Resene Lumbersider. Is he correct and can Resene Lumbersider come is a matt finish? A. Resene AquaShield can be applied to any appropriately prepared/primed substrate – it does not require surface porosity. Overcoating will in fact remove the natural weathering that is required for the paint finish. Resene AquaShield is the only flat exterior finish we market, Resene Lumbersider is low sheen. January 2020 |
Q. I want to repaint my aluminium gate which has been powder coated. I have access to an airless sprayer. The substrate is sound with no chalking. Can you please advise what preparation and products I should use? I've never used an airless sprayer before and guess I have a preference for a single pot paint if possible. A. We would normally recommend a two pack primer and topcoat for this project. However after scrubbing down with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label instructions, you could apply a full coat of Resene GP Metal Primer and overcoat with Resene Lustacryl tinted to your topcoat colour. Neither of these products are formulated for airless spray application, for small jobs a pressure pot spray set up would be more suitable. January 2020 |
Q. Can I apply Resene Waterborne Woodsman CoolColour stain to a house using a sprayer? A. In principle yes but care is required to avoid runs. The other advantage of brush application is that the force of brushing assists in penetration of the first coat of stain. Spray application on the other hand gently deposits the wet stain on the surface. January 2020 |
Q. I have a concrete stucco wall where the paint blisters in patches. When I remove the blistered paint it is full of water. This just occurs in the odd patch, the rest of the wall is fine. Obviously water is coming through the block work in these patches so before I repaint these patches what should I seal the concrete wall with before I repaint to prevent it happening again? A. Efflorescence is caused by water getting into concrete often via cracks or faulty flashings, cappings etc. in an exterior wall. The source of the water causing the efflorescence needs to be found and eliminated before repainting. Affected areas should also be allowed to dry out thoroughly before repainting. Wire brush areas showing efflorescence (white crystalline deposits) to remove loose material from the surface. The water source leading to the blistering needs to be corrected and then the concrete allowed to dry out before applying Resene Sureseal. January 2020 |
Q. I'm repainting my weatherboard villa and have fitted some lead flashings over the window canopy shingles. My question is what paint/primer to use on the lead. The paint on the weatherboard and shingles is Resene Sonyx 101. A. When priming lead flashing it would be best to use Resene Vinyl Etch. You can overcoat this with Resene Sonyx 101. January 2020 |
Q. How do I paint an unsealed indoor concrete floor in a lounge area? We intend to put a very large rug over the area with 500mms of concrete showing around the edges of the room. A. Most simple system given much of the floor won't be walked on is: Thoroughly clean floor down prior to painting. If oil and grease are present use Resene Paint Prep and Housewash or for stubborn grease and grim use Resene Heavy Duty Paint Prep & Oil Remover. Follow pack instructions. Then apply one coat of Resene ConcreteSeal 3 in 1 and two coats of Resene Lustacryl. Allow Resene Lustacryl to dry for 5-7 days prior to normal foot traffic etc so that coating cures well. January 2020 |
Q. We have a small butynol-covered balcony off our living room. The butynol is still in good condition but the grey is just pretty ugly. If I wanted to stencil a pattern on the butynol to make it look nicer would I still need to use Resene Membrane Primer before painting in Resene Lumbersider? A. Yes, you would need to use Resene Membrane Primer to ensure you have best chance of adhesion to the butynol, then overcoat with Resene Lumbersider. January 2020 |
Q. Could you please send me more info on your cleaning products? I am wanting to clean my roof as it has lichen and moss on it. It is a COLORSTEEL® roof. I also want to do the fence. It is like a plastic type material? And deck and paths. Can you also use one of the cleaning products to wash houses with synthetic type weatherboards? Are the products toxic to the environment? Are they safe if you have pets? Are they safe with gardens and plants? A. We have a range of products available: Resene Deep Clean, slow acting treatment for bio growth. Resene Moss & Mould Killer used to treat mould growth and moss growth. Resene Paint Prep and Housewash, general purpose cleaner for painted surfaces. Resene Roof and Metal Wash for roofs prior to re painting. Resene Timber and Deck Wash cleaner for timber and timber decking prior to painting/staining. Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner for cleaning interior painted surfaces prior to painting. The products when diluted are not considered hazardous if discharged onto soil. As far as potential damage to plants we always recommend these be washed down well if cleaning liquids do come into contact. The Resene Moss & Mould solution is alkaline and should not be in contact with soli or plants that are sensitive to alkali such as rhododendrons, camellias and the like. January 2020 |
Q. Comparing Resene Summit Roof and Resene Hi-Glo for painting steel roofs, is the Resene Hi-Glo more resilient but more slippery to walk on? Can I apply Resene Galvo One and these paints at 95% humidity? A. I doubt if there will be a great difference between the wet slip resistance of Resene Summit Roof and Resene Hi-Glo despite the gloss difference. Roof pitch will also be a key determinant of slip potential. Resene Galvo One is our recommended primer for older roofs. Waterborne paints cannot be applied when relative humidities exceed 85% during application or for at least the first 24 hours post application. This is to ensure the environmental conditions to facilitate correct film formation. January 2020 |
Q. What is the recommended ratio for thinning your waterbased paint for spraying? A. The standard recommendation is to thin only to achieve good atomisation, the amount of thinning will vary with the spray equipment being used. We have an Applications Consultant who can provide more advice – email us at advice@resene.co.nz and we can pass on contact details. January 2020 |
Q. We are looking for an appropriate sealer to go over a mix of previously painted wallpaper and new GIB® stopping (where cracks etc have been repaired). We have tested paint on the wallpaper and no tackiness has occurred. We were recommended Resene Quick Dry in-store, but looking at the data sheet Broadwall Waterborne Sealer may be a better option. Could you confirm the best way to proceed? A. If the wall paper has been painted and there is no sign of a surface tack then you can use Resene Quick Dry as the primer. For new stopping and bare plasterboard use Resene Broadwall Waterborne Wallboard Sealer (except wet areas such as bathrooms). Application of a waterborne paint system direct to vinyl wall paper can see migration of the plasticiser used in the wall paper into the paint, this causes the paint to become sticky and permanently soft. Resene Vinyl Wallpaper Sealer is the product to apply first to bare wall vinyl wall papers prior to painting with a waterborne topcoat paint system. January 2020 |
Q. I am looking at painting or covering a laminate kitchen? Is there a way to do this that looks nice? A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying 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. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better. Then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene Lustacryl. 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. Note that painting will not reproduce the original features of the laminate and will give a decorative effect only. January 2020 |
Q. We want to paint stair and landing exposed steel stringers (covering glazed balustrades) to match the wall colour Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Eighth Rice Cake. Which paint do you recommend? A. Our recommended system would be to abrasive blast to near white metal then apply Resene Armourcote 220 to achieve a DFT of 75 microns then topcoat with a Resene Uracryl 400 Series topcoat system. January 2020 |
Q. What do you have available for coatings and sealants for ply interior linings in bathrooms? We need a clear finish. A. For steam/water resistance the best clear is Resene Polythane. However it is only available in a full gloss finish. January 2020 |
Q. For internal paint, how long can it be stored and used for touch ups before new paint should be purchased? A. There is no real storage limitation for a solventborne paint although part cans of alkyd enamels can develop a surface skin. Waterborne paints however are a different issue, Waterborne paints can develop bacterial contamination (recognisable by paint odour) during storage, the potential for bacterial contamination is dependent upon storage conditions with cool well ventilated storage being the ideal. We add some biocide to paint to control growth of microorganisms, however once this has been consumed then bio growth can develop. When opened cans are then sealed and stored there is an increased chance of bio degradation occurring as the paint is open to atmosphere and possible contamination from application tools. January 2020 |
Q. I have a slab of timber: macrocarpa which I am using to make a kitchen benchtop. Can you use Resene Aquaclear to seal/protect the wood from moisture/water? Would you recommend another product? A. I would recommend using Resene Polythane, at least three coats for this application. January 2020 |
Q. I have some stair balusters and rails that I want to paint white. They currently have old worn varnish but I don’t really want to spend the time stripping them. Is there a product I can use to paint directly on to them? A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying 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 over coating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better. Then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene Lustacryl. 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. If the clear coat has worn away to leave essentially bare timber sections an alternative system may be required. Sand to profile for recoating (do not need to sand to remove the clear coat) then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat and again finish with Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene Lustacryl. Resene Lustacryl will give a harder wearing finish due to its higher gloss level. January 2020 |
Q. When painting paintable wallpaper, do you use just one coat or do some of them require more than one? A. Two coats of the topcoat colour are required to achieve a uniform colour. January 2020 |
Q. I have a large blue glazed vase in the garden that I would like to repaint as the glaze has faded over the years. Is it possible to paint over glaze? A. Yes, clean the pot down to remove dirt dust etc. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity – the thinner the coat the better. You can then apply any Resene exterior waterborne topcoat in two coats of the colour you select. January 2020 |
Q. I have a clinker brick home and want to modernise it. A. After knocking off the protrusions we recommend application of a coat of plaster to produce a flush finish then proceed with application of an appropriate paint system. January 2020 |
Q. What is the best process to paint over a wooden ceiling painted with polyurethane (I think)? Built in 1996. A. Clean down using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner. Apply a full coat of Resene StainLock and finish with two coats of white topcoat paint. January 2020 |
Q. We have a property which has cedar cladding over approx 200m2 of external area. We are advised the cedar was given two coats on all surfaces (front and back) at time of construction in 2003 and repainted in 2015 with Resene Laurel. The current coating is in very good condition though we wish to change the colour to a grey. The colour we like is Resene Half Baltic Sea. Our main concern is heat absorption by darker colours and potential negative effects on the cedar. A. A change to a much darker colour can result in failure of one of the existing layers of paint due to increased surface temperatures. As far as the cedar cladding is concerned this can increase the potential for cupping/warping of the timber. Application of a Resene CoolColour system will reduce but not eliminate the potential for failure on either situation. Application of a Resene CoolColour will reflect more heat than the same colour made using non-cool pigmentation and reduce heat related stress on the substrate; it will not make the painted surface cool to touch. January 2020 |
Q. I want to help a retired lady paint her roof. It is brownbuilt iron that has likely been painted over several times. It still seems to be attached to each layer though, but chalky. It has a good growth of lichen in places on it and some localised rusting patches that I will address with rust converter and epoxy resin. Would you suggest I give the roof a good water blast and is a primer necessary or will a good roof paint suffice? A. Lichen kill and removal is the first step. While waterblasting may remove the lichen growth it will leave spores that will re grow over time. The most effective way to achieve this is to apply Resene Deep Clean following label instructions and leave for a month then waterblast. Heavy lichen growth can result in the lichen break through and weaken the adhesion of the existing paint system. Then follow these prep steps: Scrub down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash and used to label instructions. Rinse clean or hose down with fresh water ensuring all salts are also removed. All paint that is flaking or unsound must be removed by using mechanical methods, (3M Rust and Paint Removal Disc), chemical stripper or high pressure waterblasting taking care not to damage either the substrate or the surrounding areas. Remove all areas of white corrosion material and as much red rust as is practicable and all paint that is flaking or unsound must be removed by using mechanical methods e.g. 3M Rust and Paint Removal Disc, taking care not to damage either the substrate or the surrounding areas. Where under-film corrosion is taking place the existing paint must first be removed as above and remove under film corrosion products taking care not to damage sound zinc coated areas. All paint edges must be feathered to a smooth finish. Note: The performance of the subsequent paint systems will be largely dependent on the thoroughness of this surface preparation stage. Ensure all edges of damaged paint are sound and immediately spot prime all areas of corrosion and any other bare metal with a full coat of the specified primer. Spot prime prepared areas of corrosion and bare metal with two coats of Resene GP Metal Primer and finish with two coats of Resene Summit Roof. Paint adhesion will always be compromised on this roof cladding in areas where prolonged water ponding occurs. January 2020 |
Q. I am about to start re-varnishing window frames, skirting etc. I have an issue with water stain/blonding. I had thought of painting the sills and staining the remainder. A. Water staining like this is usually under the clear film, so complete removal of the clear layers is required to access the source of the staining. Removal of the stains to achieve the original timber appearance for revarnishing is also a challenge so my recommendation is to consider the application of a solid paint system to these areas. For these areas sand to profile the existing clear coat and then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl. January 2020 |
Q. How can I tell the type of paint in a container, which has no label? A. It’s not easy but you can differentiate between a waterborne and a solventborne coating by taking a portion of the paint and adding a small quantity of water and mixing it. If the water separates then it is a solventborne paint. January 2020 |
Q. Are you able to advise which of your products would be best to paint and polyurethane new cork flooring tiles for use in a kitchen? A. Stain with Resene Colorwood stain and then overcoat with three coats of Resene Aquaclear (satin or semi-gloss). Suggest you try staining a separate piece of the cork flooring to see what the colour will be before undertaking staining the full floor. Cork can uptake a good quantity of stain which may result in a darker stain colour. That’s why it is best you check this before doing the whole floor as once the stain is on it cannot easily be removed. January 2020 |
Q. Could you please advise what paint system we need to paint over exterior roughcast painted plaster from the 1960s? There’s a chance there may be a paint from the 80s over it but we aren’t too sure. Does the roughcast need to be thoroughly washed or waterblasted? A. Scrub down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label instructions, then while the wash is still wet waterblast. Spot prime any bare concrete areas with Resene Sureseal, prime areas of Resene Sureseal with a coat of Resene X-200 then apply two full coats of Resene X-200. January 2020 |
Q. Do you have a specific paint for PVC downpipes? We want to match the roofing and spouting which is COLORSTEEL® Karaka. A. There is no need for a specific paint for PVC guttering/downpipes. Any Resene exterior acrylic topcoat paint will develop very good adhesion to clean PVC. We do recommend using the CoolColour version of the colour if selecting dark colours. Application of a Resene CoolColour will reflect more heat than the same colour made using non-cool pigmentation and reduce heat related stress on the substrate; it will not make the painted surface cool to touch. January 2020 |
Q. We wish to paint PVC weatherboards with Resene CoolColour Raven. Which paint type should we use? A. Resene Sonyx 101 will give a longer time to the onset of chalking compared to Resene Lumbersider. Both are available as CoolColour options. January 2020 |
Q. I have a two year old galvanised external staircase for residential use. It has tread pattern but is still slippery in the wet. I am using Resene Roof and Metal Wash followed by Resene GP Metal Primer and then Resene Enamacryl on top. I have yet to paint the treads and have been advised to use Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path. I was told the metal substrate is fine even though it’s not on the data sheet. A. Resene Non Skid Deck & Path can be applied to any appropriately prepared and primed substrate including galvanised metal. January 2020 |
Q. I am planning to repaint some exterior, old concrete stairs and landing. I have waterblasted 95% of the paint off and will use an acid based etching compound to clean. Can you recommend a good long lasting paint to finish it? A. If the areas are only subject to foot traffic, spot prime bare profiled concrete with Resene Sureseal then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on or Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path, the Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path is a higher texture finish but with better wet slip resistance than Resene Walk-on. January 2020 |
Q. Do I need a particular type of Resene paint to paint an Econo heat panel heater? A. We usually suggest using a low sheen or flat Resene waterborne enamel for best heat resistance. Customers have used a couple of Resene testpots for this application as the quantity of paint required is small. January 2020 |
Q. What should I use to paint and protect a new garage floor approx 2 months old? A. We recommend Resene Aquapoxy for flooring for painting an indoor concrete floor subject to vehicular traffic. Check using the water splash test for the presence of a curing membrane, water splashed onto the concrete should immediately darken the concrete and be absorbed. If the water is not immediately absorbed and the wet concrete does not darkens then this indicates the presence of a curing membrane If the water splash test indicates the presence of a curing membrane then diamond grind to remove the existing curing membrane and to achieve a uniform surface profile similar to 180 grit sand paper. Ensure all grinding dust is removed, this may require wet mopping. January 2020 |
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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.