DECORATIVE PAINT TRAINING

SESSION 4
Surface Preparation
The quality of surface preparation significantly affects the performance,
durability and quality of the job. Coating integrity and service life will be
reduced because of improperly prepared surfaces. As high as 80% of all
coating failures can be directly attributed to inadequate surface preparation
that affects coating adhesion. Even the most expensive and good quality
coating system will fail if the surface preparation is incorrect or incomplete.

The first step should always be a thorough examination of the surface to be

painted; checking for peeling and faded paint, dirt, chalking, grease, dust,
cracking, knots, bare areas, mildew, algae, spider webs, rust, nail stains and
structural problems. All surfaces, whether painted or unpainted, must be
dry, clean and free from shine prior to finishing.

Good surface preparation is important to successful painting for reasons:

1. Paint adhesion: Surfaces that are in good repair, sanded and clean
provide a durable foundation for the bonding of applied paint.

2. Durability: Well-prepared surfaces help to extend the life of the paint.

3. Aesthetics: Well-prepared surfaces look better than poorly-prepared
surfaces. Poorly done repairs, gaps and other surface imperfections all
detract from the painting job.
4. Saves time: Get the job done right- the first time! Having to redo surface
preparation and paint application wastes time, money and causes
unnecessary delays and loss of goodwill.

Problems associated with various substrates

Plaster – Contains moisture which if painted over, especially with oil based
paints will cause premature peeling off and at times discoloration. It also
contains alkaline salts (caused by efflorescence) which attack oil based
paints, causing discoloration and peeling off (saponification). The third
problem with plaster is that it is porous, thus consuming more paint than
usual and making estimation of quantities required difficult. Most plasters
also have an uneven surface and this uneven profile will be more highlighted
if painted with high sheen or high gloss coatings.
Metals – Producers of metals coat them with a thin oil film to prevent
rusting during storage and for easy handling. If this oil film is not removed,
it will prevent paint from adhering firmly. Metals also have a smooth surface
which is difficult for paint to stick. Rust may also form on metal surfaces
during storage and if painted over, it will reduce adhesion and discolour
some paints.

Wood – Wood is porous and thus takes excessive paint, requiring extra
coats to give a good finish. Woods also contain knots from which resin will
bleed, discolouring the paint. If not properly dried, the moisture will prevent
paint from adhering correctly. Wood is also liable to attack by fungus or
insects.

Plastic/ Fibreglass – have smooth surfaces which are difficult for paint to
adhere on. There is also a problem with an oily surface which is difficult for
paint to stick. Some plastics may also be attacked by solvents and thus
cannot be painted with oil based paints.

General Surface Preparation

Dirt, Grease, Oil, chalk, grime: Remove these deposits by washing with a
detergent using a sponge or brush, rinse thoroughly with clean water and
allow to dry.

Mildew, fungus and bacteria: Spotty patches that look like dirt, but do not
come off when scrubbed with soapy water, are probably mildew. These can
occur on any side of the house, but is more likely to grow in shaded areas or
behind shrubbery. Can easily be identified from other forms of discoloration
by applying a few drops of bleach (Jik or HTH). If present, the black, gray or
brown color will bleach out and disappear within one or two minutes. These
must be killed and removed before repainting. If not completely removed, the
active spores will continue to grow and may almost immediately begin to
reappear on a recently repainted surface. Where these are present, apply a
solution of one part household bleach and three parts water, or Crown
Fungicidal Wash.

Porous substrates: Seal with suitable sealer; Crown Alkali Resisting Wall
Primer, Crown Plus 3 Masonary Primer or Penetrating Primer for plaster or
Crown Acrylic Primer Sealer Undercoat for boards and Sanding Sealer for
wood. Plaster can also be primed with good quality matt water based paint if
it is to be finished in water based paint.

Powdery/ chalky walls: Seal with Crown Penetrating Primer.

Rust: Remove with rust remover, sandpaper, wire-brushing or steel wool.

Cracks, splits, dents & open joints: These must be filled with suitable
filler like Crown Polyfilla, Gyplast, Wallcare or Sandtex Exterior Filler,
allowed to dry and then sanded to a smooth surface before painting.

Glossy surfaces: Always dull surfaces with sandpaper or wire brush.

Loose or peeling paint: Remove as much loose and peeling paint by

scraping or wire brush. Sand rough edges with fine sandpaper until they
blend with bare surface and apply a sealer or primer before painting.

Nails: Punch in all nail heads. Replace loose nails with slightly larger,
galvanized nails. Prime with a corrosion resistant oil based primer.

Knots: Treat with knot sealer before painting

Previously coated surfaces: Maintenance painting will frequently not

permit complete removal of all old coatings prior to repainting a particular
surface. Any surface preparation short of removal of all old coatings may
compromise the service life of the new coating system. Check compatibility
of previously painted surfaces using a test patch with the coating if there is
any doubt on re-coatability.

SPECIFIC SURFACES

New Aluminium & Galvanised Surfaces: Solvent clean (with White Spirit)
or degreaser to remove any oily residue until ‘water-break free’ surface.
Prime with an etch primer and then Zinc Phosphate/ Chromate primer

Aged Aluminium: (Exposed to the weather for at least 6 months.) Wipe

clean from dirt & prime with Zinc Phosphate/ Chromate primer.

Copper: Clean free of dirt, oxides and foreign matter. Acid etch with
hydrochloric acid to remove oxidation. Prime with Zinc Phosphate/
Chromate primer

Brass & Bronze: Remove only loose tarnish, but not all tarnish needs to be
removed. Then wash with detergent to get rid of dirt and grease. Rinse well
and allow to dry. Prime with etch primer.

Chrome: Roughen up the surface with fine sandpaper or emery cloth. Wash
with soapy water, then rinse and allow to dry. Prime with Zinc Phosphate/
Chromate primer
New iron, steel & ferrous metal: Wipe clean with mineral spirits to
eliminate any oil or grease. Remove all rust and mill scale. Prime with Zinc
Phosphate/ Chromate primer

Previously painted iron, steel & ferrous metal: If the old film is in good
sound condition, de-gloss the old surface with light sanding and clean with
solvent. If the old film is in poor condition, it should be removed with paint
remover. If metal has rusted, that too must be removed with Crown Rust
Remover. Prime all bare spots with Zinc Phosphate/ Chromate primer

Stainless/ Mild Steel: Wash to remove grease with a degreaser. Sand

lightly to etch the surface. Prime with Zinc Phosphate/ Chromate primer

New unpainted concrete floors: Check for any dampness by placing a

rubber mat down and leaving overnight. Upon inspection, if dampness
occurs on the underside of the mat, or concrete surface has been darkened
by moisture - Do Not Paint. New concrete should be allowed to cure for 30
days prior to painting.

Etch with a solution of one part hydrochloric acid to two parts water before
painting. Allow solution to bubble, then rinse with clean water. Brush while
rinsing to remove all loose concrete. Allow to dry completely. Additional
vacuuming may be required to remove powdery residue left from etching.
Concrete can also be prepared for painting by lightly sandblasting.

The first coat of paint should be a 10 -15% thinned-down version of the

finish. The topcoat should be used straight out of the can.

Painted concrete or wood flooring: Ensure surface is free from dirt, dust,
etc. by sweeping or vacuum cleaning. Remove grease, oil, floor compound
and wax by chemical cleaning. Scrape carefully to remove deteriorated
coatings. If remaining coating is glossy or very hard, sand it lightly for good
adhesion of subsequent coatings. The surface must be thoroughly dry
before coating.

Masonary (Block & Concrete): Allow to dry 30 days under normal drying
conditions prior to painting. If efflorescence or cement dust is present on
masonry and concrete, it should be removed by etching with a 10%
solution of muriatic acid. Flush off surface with clean water after etching
and allow to dry. If etching is not possible to neutralize efflorescence; sand,
scrape and wire brush; then coat with +3 Masonary Primer before painting.
Surfaces should also be free of all dust, dirt and loose or excess mortar.
Porous surfaces should be filled with appropriate filler before painting. No
special primer is required if water based finishes are used. For oil based
finishes, apply an alkali resistant primer.

Unpainted stucco, brick and stone: This needs no special preparation.

However, stucco should be allowed to sit and dry thoroughly before it is
painted. If surface is soft or slightly powdery, first apply one coat of
Penetrating Primer then apply two coats of exterior water based paint.

Ceramic tile and glazed brick: Wash with detergent, then roughen surface
with sandpaper. Paint with a 2-pack epoxy paint.

Unpainted exterior wood surfaces: Should be clean and dry. No painting

should be done immediately after rains or during foggy weather, or when
the temperature is below 10°C. Knots and pitch streaks shall be sanded
and spot primed before receiving a full coat of primer. All nail holes or small
openings should be filled after the priming. Prime with Crown Wood or
Aluminium Wood Primer.

Cedar or Redwood: The main problem with painting these is that they
discolor. This is known as tannin bleed. To control bleed, prime with Crown
Wood or Aluminium Wood Primer which will afford better stain blocking
characteristics. In wood containing an extremely high amount of tannin,
two coats of primer may be necessary.

Hardboard: Before finish is applied to the panels, they must be cleaned.

Apply Crown Wood Primer or Crown Aluminium Wood Primer, even if
hardboard is pre-primed, then finish with desired topcoat.

Asbestos: If glazed, allow at least two years before painting. If shingles are
porous, treat with Penetrating Primer. If shingles are weathered, remove all
dirt and dust.

Plaster: Allow to dry thoroughly for at least 30 days before painting. Bare
plaster should be dry, cured and hard. Fill any holes and cracks and sand
smooth. Paint with water based paint. If previously coated with a cement-
based coating or lime wash, treat first with Penetrating Primer.

Drywall, sheetrock, gypsum board: Prime with Acrylic Primer Sealer

Undercoat. Do not use a solvent based primer since it will raise the fiber of
the wallboard.

Acoustical Tile: Clean thoroughly and finish with matt PVA to retain
acoustics. Spraying is the best way to paint these surfaces, but brush and
roll-on methods may also be used.

Wood paneling: Sand lightly and clean with mineral spirits to remove any
wax. Prime with Sanding Sealer for 1K Varnishes or White Wood Primer for
painting.

Interior Woodwork: Sand smooth, with the grain -not across it. Surface
blemishes shall be corrected. If painting use Crown Wood Primer as primer
and Sanding Sealer for 1K Varnish.

Wallpaper: Remove loose paper. Test for bleed by applying water based
paint to a small area to make sure wallpaper is water-fast. If bleed occurs,
seal paper with one coat of white shellac reduced with an equal volume of
alcohol. Avoid skips when applying shellac. Allow to dry one hour before top
coating.

Fibreglass: Solvent clean and lightly sand. Apply etch primer. Light surface
area may only require an alkyd topcoat.

Glass: Wash and allow to air dry. Apply either an epoxy or alkyd enamel.

Plastic: If flexible, Do not paint. If stiff, wash with detergent and roughen
with sandpaper or steel wool. Prime with etch primer.

Preparatory Products
These are products used to prepare the surfaces prior to painting to
eliminate or reduce problems encountered in painting.

Crown Metal Putty & Okay Metal Putty: For glazing /bedding glass into
metal or primed wooden frames which will subsequently be painted.

Bondcrete: For use with sand cement renderings as a bonding agent for
direct application to the substrate to increase the waterproofing, tensile
strength and dustproof properties of internal and external concrete floors
and plaster, repairing damaged concrete and for filling cracks in wall
surfaces.

Crown Silicone Waterproofing Solution: A transparent solution

used as waterproof barrier to prevent moisture ingress on exterior
porous masonry surfaces.

Crown Mordant Solution: A light blue acidic wash which, when

applied to new galvanized surfaces, produces a reaction which aids
adhesion of subsequent paint coatings. The surfaces will blacken if
the wash is functioning correctly - contaminated areas will not show
any change in colour, so indicating a further application is required.

Crown Fungicidal Wash: An aqueous solution of biocide, designed to

destroy and sterilize mould and algae on surfaces.

Crown Polyfilla: A powder mixed with water 1:3 to form a thick paste for
filling interior minor dents and cracks on plaster or wood. Can be
mixed with 10% gloss paint to make ‘Swedish Putty’ for exterior use.

Crown Gyplast: A gypsum based powder, mixed with water 1:3 to provide a
white, smooth and matt finish on internal brick, block and concrete.

Crown Wallcare Putty: A water based, ready mixed thick material for
smoothening/ skimming interior and exterior uneven plasterwork, block
boards and timber surfaces before paint application.

Crown Paint & Varnish Remover – a corrosive, colourless dense liquid

applied by brush or spatula for removing paint from metal and wood.

Crown Rust Remover – an acidic colourless liquid for removing rust from
metal surfaces before painting.

Crown Thinners – other than thinning paint, White Spirit cam also be used
to wipe off oils and greases from metal and plastic surfaces before priming.