If its emulsion you could lightly sand the existing, and always apply a third coat if the first coat showed through.
Its probably more a question of how long the paint can / should be kept in the tin, personally i wouldn't leave it more than a few weeks in a tightly sealed container but the pro's on here will be able to advise more definitively.
As per Sparkwright's post. I you leave it for a couple of weeks I would recommend giving it a light sand with 180 grit silicon carbide paper to provide a key to aid adhesion.
Sorry thespecialone, I omitted to add that if the paint is still quite soft, drop down to 240 or 320 grit- you don't want to rip the surface.
Oil based finishes take months to fully cure, where as waterbased paints takes weeks to cure.
When painting exterior wood work I routinely apply two coats of gloss without sanding in between but I try to make sure that the second coat is applied within a week of the first gloss.
Please note that I recommended silicone carbide paper, it is very different to aluminium oxide paper. SC paper is typically thinner/more flexible than AO paper and is normally stearate coated which helps to reduce clogging. 180 or 240 AO paper will be more likely to rip a two week old surface.
Hi opps thanks for your response the paint is oil based,and it will be almost two week by the time i get the next coat on. The finish is satin will i still need to use 240 grit?
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