Little Greene Acrylic Eggshell over Gloss

[Gruffalobill]

I am decorating the hallway and have a rather substantial 1930's wooden staircase with a pannelled bannister to paint, as well as doors and picture rails. All these were previously painted in gloss.

I would like to use Little Greene's Acrylic Eggshell over their primer - mainly to speed up drying time in a high traffic area.

My question is, how far do you have to sand down the previously glossed woodwork? and would I get a pretty good finish with Little Greene's acrylic eggshell? I have heard positive things about it.

Thanks!

 

[emilybronte]

If you are going to use a LG primer/undercoat before the eggshell, I think you will just need to sand down sufficiently to provide a decent key for the new system. In other words, you do not need to remove all the gloss back to the bare wood - just the surface of it and any flaking patches.

I like LG paints and there's no reason why you wouldn't get a good finish as long as you apply the paint carefully (not too thick, which leads to drips/runs) and lay it off skilfully using the ends of the brush filaments.

Try to keep from touching it once dry,until it has had time to cure properly. It'll be touch dry quite soon after painting, but give it at least two weeks before you let animals or children loose on it.

 

[dcdec]

LG paints are really nice. I havn't used the eggshell on trim but i've also heard good things about it. Used some paint and paper library eggshell on walls a few weeks ago and it was lovely paint but again i havn't used it on trim. A lot of painters are raving about mythic's primer

http://www.mythicpaint.co.uk/products/primer

Trouble is its expensive.

I have used the high gloss and it was rubbish because it looked like a satin but i have a feeling it may have been exposed to low temps during transit.

I know that we've all had to get our thinking caps on a bit with all the new WB/hybrid paints but might be worth checking if it needs a primer as OB eggshell was always two coats after suitable prep. My feeling (and could be wrong) is that the system would need a bridging coat between old and new.

Alternatives could be zinsser coverstain or 123

 

[emilybronte]

I know that we've all had to get our thinking caps on a bit with all the new WB/hybrid paints but might be worth checking if it needs a primer as OB eggshell was always two coats after suitable prep. My feeling (and could be wrong) is that the system would need a bridging coat between old and new.

OP does say he plans to use a LG primer before the eggshell and I think that's probably a good precaution. I experimented with w/b satinwood when it first came out (putting it straight onto previously o/b surface) and it wasn't great (uneven, drippy etc). Much better with a primer/undercoat. I always seem to come back to Berger' own (w/b) primer/undercoat (green and white tin (£15.95 for 2.5 l). It's wonderful stuff ad seems to provide a key for just about anything.

Having said that someone told me the other day that Dulux Diamond Satinwood is self-undercoating, even onto o/b gloss. LG is a very different animal, though!