Sealer primer first step in painting project

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/10/2004 (7686 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DEAR Debbie — I am not adventurous in decorating but have decided to take the plunge and paint a room for our grandson, who is three years old. We are just cleaning off the wallpaper. Underneath is a mixture of old painted surfaces — flat latex paint, high gloss oil-based paint and some very black printer’s ink. I’m planning to paint the walls a soft rusty brown, the cupboard, orange, and also maybe paint some small murals on the ceiling and walls. I don’t know how to prepare all these surfaces for paint.

–Deborah C.

DEAR Deborah — This sounds like an exciting project and I’m glad you wrote before starting to paint. You’ll save hours of time and frustration by following sound preparation steps. Your biggest challenge is going to be covering the black ink. Buy a good quality, shellac-based sealer primer for the walls. Apply one coat, let it dry and then repeat over the stains. Now you can proceed with water-based (latex or acrylic) paint. Choose a satin sheen for the wall paint and semi-gloss for the woodwork. Ceiling paint is less expensive but not as durable as regular paint. If you are going to be applying a paint finish or a mural to the ceiling, use the wall paint.

DEAR Debbie — The tub, toilet and sink in our bathroom are avocado green, and the counter is pale pink. The linoleum was so water-damaged that we took it up and replaced the subfloor. My husband would like to take this opportunity to learn how to tile, and would also remove the old, poorly installed tub surround and re-tile that area. What colour tile would you suggest for the floor and new surround?

–E. Penny

DEAR E. Penny — You have already done the important prep work by laying a new subfloor. It’s never a good idea to simply cover up water damage as it will always seep through. Find the source of the leak and repair that first. Laying tile on the floor and extending it up onto the tub surround will give you a seamless, cohesive look that is very popular right now. There are so many beautiful tile options from ceramic to slate as well as the new colourways in linoleum and cork. Rather than one solid colour, I would choose a tile with multi-fleck, natural stone colours to complement the green and pink that is in the bathroom now.

DEAR Debbie — I bought some yard sale bookshelves this weekend and I’d like to faux finish them as mahogany to match my living room furniture. Can you please tell me what colours of paint or stain to use?

–W. R.

DEAR W.R. — There are many techniques for painting faux mahogany; here is an easy one that looks great. It is always helpful to have a picture or a real mahogany board as a reference. Clean, sand and prime the old bookshelves. Paint two coats of a rust red base coat and let them dry. Brush a dark walnut stain over the paint with a wide bristle brush and rub it back so that the red shines through. Repeat this step until you have the effect you want. Then apply two coats of semi-gloss varnish to accentuate the shading and complete the authentic-looking finish.

Debbie Travis’ House to Home column is produced by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. Please e-mail your questions to

house2home@debbietravis.com.