Intricate yellowy cornice emulsion not covering well

[silver50]

I am making reasonable progress decorating a circa 1890 house i'm renovating, and have already struggled with a cornice in a bedroom not covering well with my branded matt emulsion. 3 coats and it still needs another!

The livingroom cornice i'm on just now has a bigger and more intricate cornice. Beautiful and in good condition but I simply cannot tolerate the poor way in which the emulsion is covering! The house has been smoked in and not painted for years so it is a bit yellowy, but OMG it is just not covering well.

Is oil based eggshell my answer? Should it really be emulsioned over? Any brush advice for intricate work?

Many Thx

 

[TheDec]

What brand of paint are you tying to apply, and what paint was on the cornice before you started to repaint it.

Dec.

 

[silver50]

It is white crown matt emulsion.

I can't be sure what sort of paint i'm painting over really. I can only guess it is old nicotine stained white emulsion.

 

[TheDec]

Well i'm not a lover of Crown, yet it does have the opacity to do the job, I would tend to think that your problem is not only the nicotine but also trying to cover a paint such as gloss or perhaps silk emulsion.

Therefore I would apply a coat of oil based undercoat to all your cornices before you apply your emulsion.

When emulsion paints are applied to such surfaces it has a tenancy to drag and the reality is you can tend to take more off than you put on.

Dec.

 

[silver50]

Thanks, I'll get some oil based undercoat.

Would you say two coats should do it? (one of the oil undercoat/one matt emulsion)

The thought of the time involved in more than two coats brings tears to my eyes!!

 

[TheDec]

I would say yes that should work out well, any problems then please post back.

Good luck

Dec.

 

[Robbie uk]

Crown emulsion is not the best covering paint at the moment. If the surface is nicotine stained then oil based undercoat is the way to go as the Dec says.

 

[silver50]

Just before I go the oil undercoat route, what do you think about spraying? A friend who does a lot of decorating reckoned a recent £35.00 homebase spray set worked not too bad and gave good results? I've one other cornice in the house that is also pretty intricate and do wonder if spraying might be the way to go?

Thanks

 

[mickthebrush]

Just before I go the oil undercoat route, what do you think about spraying? A friend who does a lot of decorating reckoned a recent £35.00 homebase spray set worked not too bad and gave good results? I've one other cornice in the house that is also pretty intricate and do wonder if spraying might be the way to go?

Thanks

quick answer for you ,if you want to spray your fence then give it a go but the spray i use was £ 1800

 

[Nige F]

I think Mick`s must be an airless kit - now IF you`d posted exactly a month ago - I was @ an auction where just that and other dec`s kit was being knocked down - could`ve got it for you Be quick for any orders - I`m off up there again @ 9.30 this morning Seriously tho`. go with the undercoat and maybe a stippling brush - you want to be stippling paint into that cornice rather than stroking over it . Good Luck - Would like to see pic`s of finished room - I`m into old buildings like yourself .

 

[silver50]

Nige F I'm afraid it'll be some months until i'm ready for any photographing, but i'm sure i'll be back here during those months so i'll try to remember. I'm looking forward to some good shots when it's completed.

Success with the oil undercoat. I bought Dulux yesterday and did a little this morning. Not got a stippling brush as yet but I think i'll try one. The parallel lines on the cornice is covering well and smoothly but the more intricate bits are leaving brush marks and covering very slightly less well.

Man, it is a seriously time consuming business. Decorators must have to charge plenty extra for doing big cornices!