How to paint a wall white? Changing the wall color from intense to white is a popular renovation project. It can significantly refresh the interior and give it new brightness. There are several ways to achieve this effect, including the use of high-coverage paints, primers, tinted primers and two-in-one paints that combine the features of a primer and topcoat. Let’s take a look at when and which of these methods is most appropriate.
Let’s take a look at when and which of these methods is most appropriate.
If we decide to repaint an intense color with white, it is worth choosing paints with high covering power and efficiency (over 12 m²/l). Even if the price per liter of such paint is higher, painting costs can be minimized because a larger area can be painted with a smaller amount of high-quality paint. It is also important that the paint is resistant to washing and wet scrubbing. This resistance is assessed on a five-point scale, where class 1 means the highest degree of resistance and class 5 – the lowest.
What paint to paint white?
Paints in various shades of white are available on the market. We can distinguish natural white, cold white (with blue and gray shades) and warm white (with yellow and red shades). There are many other shades of white, due to the composition of the paints. The most valuable paints contain titanium white, which, in addition to the high whiteness index of the coating, ensures excellent coverage and minimal or even no color loss. Not all white paints contain white pigments. Those with a low whiteness index but a high white yellowing index are due to white fillers. Such paints often give the impression of warm or cool white. However, they are cheaper and usually lose their whiteness, becoming gray or yellow.
Before purchasing a large quantity of paint, it is worth purchasing a small container and testing it in your interior. When choosing white paint, you should also pay attention to the gloss of the coating. Matte paints are usually recommended for painting ceilings, uneven surfaces and large walls (over 4 m long), because they hide surface defects and do not leave roller streaks. Satin and semi-matt paints are suitable for walls that require high resistance to washing. There are also modern matte paints available on the market, which offer higher resistance to washing than many satin and semi-matte paints. It is worth paying attention to paints with the addition of e.g. ceramics, which create coatings with hydrophobic properties.
Paint compatibility test
Before applying new paint, check whether it is compatible with the old substrate to avoid possible problems. This can be done by performing a test painting on an inconspicuous part. If both layers of paint delaminate or peel off, it means that the paints are not compatible with each other. If painting goes smoothly, after 24 hours it is worth checking the adhesion of the new paint to the surface. For this purpose, you can stick painter’s tape in various places and tear it off vigorously. If there are visible pieces of paint peeling off, it means that the coating is not adhesive enough and should be repaired before painting.
