What Paint Should I Use To Paint Over Kids Drawing On The Wall

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Old pictures bleed through unless you apply a sealer coat. — Former pictures bleed through unless you apply a sealer glaze.

How to Paint Over Drawings on Walls

There's a saying that if you tin can pee you can pigment. Although that might be true, it's only half the story. Inquiry and training are where the success or failure in painting lies. Knowing how to choose the right paint is perhaps the well-nigh important aspect!

Getting this pick incorrect can end in disaster, so choose your materials carefully!

Water-based paints are what well-nigh everyone uses, and it is a full general rule (this article is nearly the exception!) that if the "old" coat was a flat or depression-sheen h2o-based coat, information technology tin can be painted over without as well much trouble. Two coats applied thickly are usually considered plenty.

I say "thickly" in loving memory of "erstwhile merv," a professional who taught me (a carpenter, actually) to pigment and would say "You didn't pay for it, did you? Well, apply plenty then!"

But try painting over the child's drawings—no matter how thick, they still bleed through!

The Almost Important Material: Instructions on the Can!

E'er read the can and follow the manufacturer's instructions earlier you paint to brand certain the pigment is suitable for your particular weather condition.

Here are some general (Australian) rules:

Walls previously done with flat or depression-sheen water-based can be painted over without too much risk. The exception—aye you guessed—when the kids have scribbled over it!
Oil-based or glossy "old" paint must be sanded and primed before water-based pigment can be applied on top.
To cheque whether a prepainted wall is water or oil-based use methylated spirits in an inconspicuous area. The water-based paint volition rub off.
On timber follow the grain, non cross it with the brush for best results.
As a dominion, all brush or roller strokes should be in one direction, "cutting in" is the exception.
"Cutting in" is done first and is where you lot must run the castor advisedly between the surfaces that meet, for case between a cornice and wall or betwixt an architrave and wall or in the corner because a roller can't get the corner! In one case "cutting in" is done the rolling can be done.

Basically, when it comes to Australian interior (as opposed to exterior) weather, h2o-based paints are used, just for doors traditionally an enamel is used applied with a broad brush; enamel is oil-based.

Walls

Hardly anyone uses oil-based paint on walls, just when it comes to kid'southward drawings, yous tin can't beat the oil-based paint which prevents the marks from "haemorrhage" through. But oil-based paints take forever to dry out, and clean-up requires turpentine. This prolongs the chore and makes it more difficult and more expensive. Yous tin't beat the oil-based paint for "blocking" so does this mean you must utilise it in this state of affairs. Non necessarily! Read on.

Gear up

Before yous can use annihilation, you must prepare your surface which is to say scrap off any peeling paint (or chip the lot!) and sand it back to a smoother finish particularly if the old paint is gloss.

Sometimes sanding dorsum the scribbled areas can be a great help and overall low-cal sand, in my experience, will not injure

Don't go mad with the abrasive paper—100-120 grit lightly. If you use highly abrasive paper, y'all tin can practice more damage than good.

Some of the scribbles may scrub off with methylated spirits.

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Finally, the Kid's Scribble!

When the kids have left text (marker), crayon, and pen drawings on the wall and you want to utilize water-based you lot will want not just an undercoat or primer coat, but a special "blocking" paint equally your showtime glaze over all the scribbles- if non over the entire wall.

Why?

Because, unless you've institute a sealer that will practice this, no matter how many coats of water-based pigment you apply to their lovely stick figures and other people with arms coming out of their heads, etc., the drawings in crayon and marking pen will continue to "bleed" through.

If you do not "block" these child'due south drawings first with a special sealer that prevents the bleeding you volition always exist able to see information technology, perhaps faintly (see in a higher place picture show), simply you'll see it nevertheless!

Employ the Special Sealer That Prevents Bleeding

And then there y'all have it, don't just apply coats over the top of each other equally you would normally practise because you lot will exist there forever. Instead, when y'all go to buy your paint from the hardware, exist sure to tell the assistant you are painting over the child'due south drawings, and hopefully, he'll pull out a can of the special sealer paint that you will need to prepare the wall.

This may be water or oil-based and will terminate the bleeding through in subsequent coats you lot apply. Moreover, the i or two coats of paint yous apply over this special sealer volition "take" to information technology without a problem—as it is designed for that to happen.

After all, is said and done, it is pitiful to see these early pictures get, so be sure to accept a photograph of one or two of the all-time pieces earlier they disappear forever!

Good luck with your painting project.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge. Content is for advisory or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business organisation, financial, legal, or technical matters.

Atiya on May 14, 2020:

Very useful and informative! Thank you

psychicdog.net (writer) on September 10, 2009:

thanks crayon brains! That's an awesome gesture. I'll check it out. Skillful luck with the funky designs!

crayonbrains from The World Is Mine ! on September 10, 2009:

Love this hub,gives me myriad of ideas to paint my walls in some funky designs.I have posted a hub on incense making moments agone,you would want to cheque information technology out as i posted information technology especially for yous!