Getting a uniform finish with emulsion paint?

[Nigel Watts]

I am painting my hall with good quality modern emulsion paint in a fairly dark tone. The hall is tall and narrow, with light entering only through the fanlight above the front door and from the landing window. As the light falls very obliquely onto the painted wall, any difference in surface texture shows up prominently.

I have read that is best to apply the emulsion in roughly one metre squares, laying off vertically, and working quickly to keep the edges fresh. I tried this this afternoon and the paint has now dried. The texture inside the squares insn't bad, but where they join the surface of the paint is much shinier and the effect, in the natural oblique light, is most unpleasant.

How do I overcome this? A larger brush might help I guess. Can I overpaint the shiny bits later? Ideas appreciated.

 

[worms]

with light entering only through the fanlight above the front door... Ideas appreciated.

Clearly, the answer is a new uPVC, double-glazed front door! :wink:

 

[middi]

Emulsion paints come in gloss, silk and matt.
Matt emulsion is the least reflective therefore more suitable as it does not reflect " abnormalities" in the background.
Gloss emulsion is the least suitable and silk is somewhere between the two.
Maybe you made the incorrect choise of paint in your situation

( a pair of black curtains will solve the problem )

Middi

 

[jocelyn plummer]

It is hard to work quickly enough so you do not get 'blocks' my Painter always seems to get it absolutely right! You need to use quite a 'floppy brush', but what I have done on a really bad bit of wall, is run a small roller over to feather out the 'blocks'. Also I find that emulsion takes about 3 days to really dry back, so you may find it less noticeable in a day or two.

 

[still_adrianth]

I had a similar experience when I was convinced that painting with a brush is the way to do it "properly." But emulsion dries very quickly so I think it needs the speed of a pro to get good results. Rollers are so much easier: quicker (so edges can stay wet), plus you can use an extendable pole and easily whiz up to the high parts. The rollers leave a slight texture, but very uniform so one doesn't notice (you still "lay off" with an upwards stroke). Cheap rollers are much worse than the more expensive ones. Of course, you still need to do the edges with a brush, which leaves a texture mismatch. This looks unsatisfying while one's face is still only a foot away, but one never notices again. I've rarely got away with only one coat, but I could never satisfactorily emulsion with a brush no matter how many coats I did!

 

[Penners]

I agree with Adrian. Despite their lack of traditional credentials, I reckon rollers do a much better job with emulsion than any brush. They enable you to work quickly, thus keeping the wet edge going, and they give a more even finish than brushes.

Well, they do in my hands, anyway!

 

[JoceAndChris]

I absolutely agree about the use of the roller. If it's FnB (and maybe even Fired Earth) it will need 3 coats to look good, and I sometimes use 4 if the colour underneath is very strong.

Also the FnB needs lots of watering down and stirring, the pigmentation can be uneven.

But how exciting Nigel! Pics!

 

[Feltwell]

Another vote for a roller - unless it's a mist coat over new gypsum plaster (I know, I know....not much of a choice if you have to use insulated plasterboard on a ceiling though) in which case using a brush seems to get the diluted emulsion to adhere better. Subsequent coats I always do with a roller.

I did try paint pads one time - not at all impressed.

 

[Nigel Watts]

Thanks for all the good advice, but having inflamed a tendon in my left arm following an over energetic bout of woodwork preparation it may be a little while before I pick up my brush or roller to complete the job.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Very bad luck. Get well soon.

 

[Penners]

Sorry to hear that, Nigel. You're absolutely right to give the arm time to recover, rather than "soldiering on".

 

[Penners]

Also the FnB needs lots of watering down and stirring, the pigmentation can be uneven.

So why use it?

 

[JoceAndChris]

Oh - lots of reasons- it's convenient, chiefly, the FnB shop is next to my supermarket. It matches the FnB wallpaper, and they tell you which colours and finishes to use for each situation and period.

I know you can have colours matched by Dulux to the FnB chart but I really don't see the point. I used Dulux Heritage on one occasion and thought the depth of colour lacking, as well as the range of colours offered.

I think for whites and creams and greys it probably doesn't matter all that much but if you're using yellows and reds and strong period colours it's important that it isn't cheap paint - I once used a cheap terracotta colour -a big mistake.

People often say they don't like strong dark colours in interior schemes and I do sometimes wonder if that's because you often see them with cheap paint - so a nasty shade and finish, and then coupled with the wrong white.

 

[middi]

Thanks for all the good advice, but having inflamed a tendon in my left arm following an over energetic bout of woodwork preparation it may be a little while before I pick up my brush or roller to complete the job.

" WIMP". Nothing wrong with your right arm

Middi

 

[Moo]

Gosh, Middi - you are a heartless toughie, aren't you? Poor Nigel, enduring all that pain and you call him a wimp. Shame on you!!

 

[Nigel Watts]

Just tried a new technique which gave much better results:

1. Do all the fiddly bits first (going round light switches, doing the edges etc) and allow to dry off for an hour or so
2. Using a 6 inch wide brush and paint kettle of 7 inch diameter, paint in vertical strips some 12 inches wide, laying off vertically, working fast and focusing on not allowing the wet paint edge time to dry before applying the next strip.

The sheen is still not completely even but is much better than previous efforts.

 

[c r]

Hi Nigel

I'd suggest trying this paint additive, its not a miracle product, but helps in my experience

http://www.promain.co.uk/product/Clear_Floetrol_Paint_Additive_id3829_clid521

you add just a bit to the paint, it doesn't thin it, but does give you more working time, so good for blending edges etc. When I used it, I found it does slightly help reduce brush marks, but not for example as much as some oil based paints do.



btw you can get it at the big independent decorator centre up the Holloway Road towards Archway, wont mention their name but its v near Whittington Park...I think it costs under £15 for a little bottle, but it does last as you only need to add a small amount at a time

 

[Nigel Watts]

Thanks - great suggestion.

Even my new technique is still not quite good enough. The problem is on a staircase wall leading to a landing with a large window resulting in light that is very oblique to the surface, showing up all differences in texture.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Tarsome. Could you remove the clear glass and have stained or coloured glass panels made up and puttied in? That would cast a very pretty light on things, and think of the fun you'd have designing the glass pieces!

I'm ditching modern emulsion. Casein distemper, applied with a brush, on top of lightly sanded modern emulsion, gives a nice uneven period look. I don't think you really get the very rich colours of Little Green, Fired Earth, etc though.

I'm painting my little bathroom currently and R of J's greens, though nice, don't match the lovely deep Folly Green by FnB that I wanted to use. Nevertheless the texture is so interesting I'm prepared to compromise on colour.

We need some work in progress pics Nigel!

 

[mardinor]

I've had this problem in the past with F&B dark reds. Always a b*$£er to get uniform - something to do with pigment density.

What worked for me was to get a helping hand. With one person working at the top on a stepladder and the other down below (slightly offset) you can keep a wet edge longer, which is the trick. Agree with doing fiddly bits first. I've also tried the additive and it works very well.

I must say, I'm going to be contrarian on the roller question. They belong with Barratt houses and garish Dulux vinyl matt in my opinion! Perhaps I used the wrong roller type but I would always get that slightly speckled finish which showed through even after a brushed topcoat. The equivalent of artex in my book. You can see the grain of a nice brush finish very easily and it's a thing of beauty. Just as important as the right paint IMHO

Good luck!