Beginner advice needed....painting on wood...

[Dory07949]

Hi all

Please excuse my naivety, I am painting a ladder to a mezzanine level...it is a wooden ladder and was hoping to use chalk paint for ease, but high traffic area so I have looked and been advised to use Dulux diamond eggshell...very pricey though... Any suggestions?

Also, I have bought some crates, from Ikea to use as shelves in this room, they are pine...what can I use to paint them...I have some paint left from my sons bedroom and I was really wanting to use this to tie the rooms together...but its emulsion...can I prime it so the emulsion will work?

Thanks all!

 

[blightymam]

You've been advised correctly with your ladders, you need a much harder wearing paint than chalk. Are the ladders bare wood? If so you need primer, undercoat and a couple of coats of your final top coat choice. There's no easy, quick way to paint if you want it to last. You could always varnish tho, that's quicker and will show less wear and tear over time.

Ideally emulsion is for walls only.. you can use emulsion on your shelves, only if you don't want it to last! Not so much of a problem if you are just going to place a couple of items on them for display purposes and not move things around/use the shelves much. Personally speaking I would use the same paint method as your stairs, or perhaps those ones would be ok with your chalk paint & wax finish if you want to be quicker.

 

[Dory07949]

Thanks Blightyman, I have since been advised to use 'floor paint' on the ladder...what are your thoughts?

 

[blightymam]

Never used it, so not many thoughts! Sorry. You could look up reviews? Someone here may help too, far more knowledgeable than myself