Can I repaint my Home Office?

[Lofty1969]

Hi there,

First time user, so please be gentle.

I'm a good old fashioned office wally who knows only the basics of diy.

Essentially, I had a new home office built (block & and a render finish) last year.

At the end of May I bought some Dulux Weathershield Smooth Masonry paint and painted it with 2 coats, allowing sufficient time for it to dry (after applying their primer as the render was chalky when I rubbed my hands on it).

The problem I have now, is that I'm not sure about the colour, it certainly isn't what the tin or internet said it would be.

Is it possible to just buy some new paint & paint over the top of what I have done, or do I need to strip it all the way back to the render & start all over again?

Many thanks,

Lofty

 

[Pigeon85]

You can paint straight over if you like, if you have used a water based paint then use the same again. Same goes for oil based to.

If you put an oil based on top of water based or vice versa then that's when problems begin as they have different flex abilities.

 

[emilybronte]

I should think it would be well nigh impossible to strip masonry paint off a rendered wall in any case.

Just paint over it in water-based paint as Pigeon says.

Out of interest, what colour is it now and what colour would you prefer?

 

[Lofty1969]

Thanks for all the help.

Its currently Green Ivy, which, when I originally looked online & then purchased, looked a light olive green colour.

The reality is that it looks like the cheap mint ice cream you used to get in the 70's, nothing at all like I thought.

Looks like I'm off to B&Q again whilst the weather's nice.

Many for your help thanks once again.

 

[Bosswhite]

I have found some people do not understand Paint Charts, They think the colour on the chart will be exactly the colour of the paint,

Its not going to be, there are too many factors, application of paint, what light is available, is the painted surface verticle or horizontal, if the colour is mixed up, is it to the exact calibrations, different times of mixing (in the Factory) can change the shade. the list is endless,

Then one has to realise the paint chart/tin colour is printed onto paper, i.e. label/paint chart and is ink not paint.

Colour charts only give a very limited idea of colour, paint pot testers are really not a lot better,

 

[Lofty1969]

"I have found some people do not understand Paint Charts, They think the colour on the chart will be exactly the colour of the paint"

This is in no way meant as facetious, but isn't that exactly the point of a colour chart? The idea being you get some sort of idea about what you could realistically expect to end up with?

I can fully understand all of your comments about how different varying factors may give a different finish, but surely a paint chart is there to tell you what you CAN expect to get?

Out of interest, why would paint pot testers not be much better? Surely if you put them onto the wall (as opposed to labels/screen images) then that is what you will most likely get from the finished product isn't it? Or am I being stupid?

 

[Bosswhite]

Painting a small area with a tester pot will only give you a basic idea of what it looks like,
do you put one coat on or two? is it covering a dark surface or light surface, Will the Tester pot be identical to the main product, different brands with the same colour name of paint come in slightly different shades

most Tester pots only come in a Matt Emulsion Finish. Which limits the choice if one is very particular.

Most Colour charts have the small print,
"Colours illustrated as accurately as print process allows.
Final colours depend on surface conditions."

There is nothing worse than when a job is completed the customer says "I dont like the colour" and tries to blame the Decorator and have the job redone at the Decorators cost.

 

[Lofty1969]

Thanks Bosswhite,

All of those are valid points that I'd never considered before.

I can't blame the painters as I chose it & I painted it.

Personally, I don't see how anyone can complain about the final colour & expect it to be done again for free unless the decorator forced the paint upon them, but then I suppose I'm just glad someone's doing a professional job for me as opposed to me just lashing it up....

 

[Bosswhite]

There are numerous programmes on TV about Rogue Traders and their attempts to rip customers off,

Maybe one day they may have a programme how the Customers try and rip the Tradesmen off,