Redecorating- how to tackle dark painted skirting and picture rails?

[JoannaRose91]

My partner and I have not long moved into a lovely 1930s semi. The previous owners have painted the molded skirting and picture rails in three of the largest rooms a very dark navy. We would like to paint them white!

This is looking like a mammoth task, and just looking for advice to best tackle it…
At the moment I’ve chosen part of a door frame to try out the old paint stripper and sanding method…. This patch alone has taken a long time and I am concerned how to tackle the skirting without having to pull up and potentially ruin the carpet. Given the dark colour it will need a lot of sanding right down to the bottom so not sure how to tackle that?
Would a light sanding suffice and 2 coats of white paint too?

Am I right in assuming the fact these are moulded make it a little more tricky? Maybe even best to just buy new? (Shame though, I’m fairly sure they are original!)

If you haven’t guessed, I am an absolute novice- any advice would be amazing. I hear a lot about heat guns but a bit reluctant to use these…but if that is the best way I suppose I can give it a go!

TIA

 

[ktuludays]

Light sand, a coat of primer or undercoat then top coat

 

[michealangelo]

For white gloss or satin finish ?

That's a big colour change so it's going to take a few coats but excessive sanding unless it's rough or using a heat gun isn't necessary ....and very time consuming

I would give them a cleaning with a foam yellow and green kitchen pad your mum uses ....one of them , fairy liquid and water .....aim is to get a bit of froth and the scuffy green side of the pad to clean and key the surface

Then clean off with fresh rags and water


you then need to put on 1 or probably 2 coats of one of the modern adhesion primers ...Crown PX4 , Zinser Bullseye 123

These will grip to the old paint

Then I would put 2 coats of good quality undercoat on .....either oil or water based .....leyland if oil , johnstones if water based

Then your top coat

If it looks patchy after second undercoat then do another before top coat

No easy way when changing colour but a powerful primer and two coats of undercoat is normally ok

 

[slawit]

Wash down with sugar soap, sand as much as you want to (the more you sand the better the end result) then go to your local independent decorators merchant and ask their advice regarding the best quality obliterating primer and topcoat.