Hey everyone! I live in a really nice 1925 building and just had my kitchen and bathroom painted for the first time in a decade. Unfortunately, the job turned out to be one of the worst I've ever seen. I think they used a sprayer incorrectly, and the paint is all over the place—some spots are too thin while others are too thick. I suspect they used matte latex over semi-gloss oil-based paint without even scraping or priming! This has caused my cabinet doors to jam and the paint to peel. Now I'm trying to fix this myself, but it's a lot to handle. I want to repaint with semigloss, but should I just go oil-based? Do I really need to sand everything down? I'm hoping to avoid a complete teardown. Any tips on how to make everything look cohesive would be super helpful!
2 Answers
It’s tricky, but you can paint latex over oil—just make sure to use a bonding primer first. With the thin application they used, you might be able to strip the latex off with denatured alcohol. Just apply it with a brush and wipe it off. Remember to ventilate and keep it away from heat sources! Alternatively, a heat gun is a great tool for peeling off latex. After that, clean everything with TSP and apply the bonding primer before going in with the latex.
Honestly, I think you should reach out to your landlord about this. It’s their responsibility to fix these kinds of issues, especially if they hired a bad crew. They might need to remove the old oil paint and start fresh with the latex or do the opposite. Given the state of things, you might end up needing to sand it down to the wood before starting over—it’s a huge hassle. Unless you’re getting some form of compensation, I wouldn’t recommend repainting cabinets for your landlord at all. Bring in a new crew if you have to!
I understand that, but the thought of the landlord messing it up even more is daunting! I just want it done right, and I doubt they’d hire someone decent this time.
Thanks for the great advice! I’m curious though, how do bonding primer and latex paint compare to using oil-based paint on the edges? Some edges have chipping and I want it to look seamless. Should I just repaint everything to keep it consistent?