Prep decides how long a paint job lasts. In Miami that means dealing with humidity, mildew, chalk and salt before any finish coat goes on. Our quotes include patching, sanding, caulking and priming.
Do I need to prime before painting?
You need to prime bare surfaces, stains, patches, glossy surfaces and big color changes. You do not always need primer over sound, clean paint of a similar color.
- New drywall, bare wood, bare stucco and bare metal: always.
- Water, smoke and tannin stains: a stain-blocking primer.
- Chalky exterior walls: a masonry sealer or conditioner.
- Glossy or oil-based paint: a bonding primer.
Do I need primer if the old paint is in good shape, and can you paint over old paint?
Yes, you can paint over old paint that is clean, dull and firmly stuck, and often no primer is needed. Two finish coats go straight on.
The old paint has to pass a few checks first. It must not be peeling, chalky, glossy or greasy. Outside in Miami, most old paint is chalky on the sunny sides, so it gets washed and sealed before the new coats.
Do I need to sand the walls before painting?
Walls need a light sanding where they are glossy, rough or patched, but not always all over. Sanding dulls a shiny surface so the new paint grips, and it knocks down drips and bumps left by the last painter.
Flat wall paint in good shape may only need cleaning. Trim, doors and cabinets almost always need sanding because they carry glossier paint.
Do painters fix nail holes, cracks and dents first?
Yes. Filling nail holes, small cracks and dents is normal prep and is part of our quotes. Each repair is filled, sanded flat and spot primed.
Bigger damage is a separate line: holes larger than a fist, water-damaged drywall or long cracks that keep opening. A quote should say where normal prep ends and repair work begins.
How do I paint over a water stain so it does not bleed through?
Seal a water stain with a stain-blocking primer before painting, or it will bleed through the new paint again. Ordinary wall paint does not stop it.
Find the leak first. In Miami homes the usual sources are the roof, a window, an upstairs bathroom or the air conditioner drain line. Once the leak is fixed and the area is dry, the stain is primed and the whole ceiling or wall is painted so the sheen is even.
Can you paint over smoke stains or pet smells?
Yes, with the right primer. Smoke residue and odors go through normal paint. The surface is washed first, then sealed with a stain and odor blocking primer, then painted.
Heavy smoke from years of cigarettes or from a fire needs every surface sealed, ceilings and closets included. Pet odor in drywall or subfloor may need the source cleaned or removed, because paint cannot seal a smell that sits in the floor.
There is mold on my bathroom ceiling. Can it just be painted over?
No. Mold or mildew must be killed and cleaned off before painting, or it grows back through the new paint. Then the ceiling is primed with a stain-blocking primer and painted with a paint made for baths.
Mildew on bathroom ceilings is very common in South Florida. The cure that lasts is moving the damp air out: a working exhaust fan run during and after showers. A large area of mold, or mold that returns quickly, points to a leak and may need a mold specialist. HomeGuide lists mold remediation for a small area at $500 to $1,500.
My paint is peeling to bare wood on an old house. What prep does it need?
Paint peeling to bare wood needs scraping to a firm edge, sanding, a primer on every bare spot, filling and then two finish coats. Skipping the primer on bare wood is the usual reason such jobs fail again.
If the house was built before 1978, stop before scraping. The old layers may contain lead, and federal lead-safe work rules apply to paid work. See our page on lead paint rules in Florida.
Why is my paint peeling?
When paint is peeling, the cause is almost always moisture or a dirty surface under it. Paint lets go when water gets behind it or when it was put on over chalk, dust, grease or gloss.
- Outside: cracks in stucco, failed caulk, sprinklers hitting the wall, or paint over chalk.
- Inside: steam in bathrooms and kitchens, or a leak.
- Anywhere: no primer on a bare or patched surface.
Why is paint bubbling or peeling in my kitchen or bathroom?
Paint bubbles and peels in kitchens and bathrooms because of moisture and residue. Steam gets behind a weak paint film and lifts it into blisters. Grease and soap film stop new paint from bonding.
The fix is to scrape and sand the failed areas, wash the walls, prime and use a paint made for damp rooms. Better airflow keeps it from coming back.
How do I know if old paint is oil or latex, and can latex go over oil?
Rub the paint with a rag wet with rubbing alcohol. Latex softens and comes off on the rag. Oil-based paint does not.
Latex can go over oil-based paint only after the surface is sanded dull and coated with a bonding primer. Straight latex over glossy oil peels off in sheets. Old doors, trim and cabinets are where oil-based paint is usually found.
Do bare drywall patches need primer?
Yes. Every drywall patch needs primer before paint. Bare joint compound soaks up paint differently from the wall around it, so an unprimed patch shows as a dull spot.
After priming, the whole wall is often painted corner to corner so the patch disappears.
What prep does stucco need before exterior paint?
Stucco needs washing, crack repair, caulking and often a sealer before paint. The wash takes off salt, dirt, mildew and chalk. Cracks are filled with a flexible patching product. Gaps around windows and doors are caulked.
New stucco patches have to cure before they are painted. Paint makers commonly ask for about 30 days, or a primer made for fresh masonry. Read the label of the product being used.
A free estimate with a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your job. Call or text (786) 745-7109.