Question about house paint?

Question

I want to paint just the trim (baseboards, etc.) in my kitchen. What kind of paint do I get? A clerk told me to use "Kilz" - but there's a bazillion different ones! The result I want is shiny and I only want to have to use one coat, so it should be thick. What do I ask for?

Also, should I "roughen up" the surface with sandpaper? (I'm painting over the same color) - do I have to do anything else first, during, or after?

What is TSP?

Answer 1

Clean well with TSP, two tablespoons per gallon. Rinse well with water and dry thoroughly. Clean a small area first, if the result is glossy then sand with a fine grit paper before cleaning.

Unless the existing paint is an older oil base, I would use a latex semi-gloss trim paint. Avoid really cheap paint, I would expect to pay $20 - $25 per gallon for a good paint. Not all paints in this range are good, but the ones that are much less expensive are usually not so good. Since you are covering a similar color, one coat should not be a problem with any good paint.

If you really want a high gloss, you could use a high gloss acrylic, same directions. It may require two coats as a good gloss acrylic is usually thinner, even in the best paint.

Contrary to popular belief, priming in this case is not a good thing. Primer is formulated to grip onto and seal porous surfaces such as bare wood. A surface that has already been painted is already sealed and does not provide a proper surface for use of a primer. The result can be peeling or bubbling paint (not always). If the surface to be painted is stained with a bleeding stain such as water or smoke damage, a stain block is fine, not a standard primer. Stain block may also be helpful if you are covering a contrasting color.

Oops, forgot, sorry. TSP is Tri-Sodium Phosphate, a heavy duty detergent. Available most places that sell paint, usually in a 1 pound box.

Answer 2

Go with Toxicat113: the answer is simple, follow that, no need for heavy duty answers. Get Kilz in a satin or high gloss enamel and make sure your work area is clean, whether tsp Sodium tripolyphasphate or not, clean it good, no need to roughen it.

Answer 3

All you need to do is use a good quality Semi-Gloss "white" (standard) or "ultra white" (bright white). Priming is almost always recommended, and definitely wouldn't hurt in your case. Kilz will work just fine, try the Premium Kilz in the gold can- it has a mildew resistant coating- and while it's not the best primer on the market, it'll do the job for basic trim work. You don't need to sand.

Answer 4

Rub down the boards with sandpaper to key the surface and make sure it is all clean.
You need gloss paint but the one coat stuff is horrible, use proper paint but use an undercoat first.