Ask The Crusader!

Michael King...THE HOME IMPROVEMENT CRUSADER!

Painting

QUESTION
I have an outdoor banister that will not keep paint. Would a vinyl banister be acceptable?

ANSWER
There is a continuing, rabid controversy over substituting wood with vinyl. It all started with vinyl siding, which was born as a cover for houses with a hopeless case of peeling paint.

On one side are the vinyl enthusiasts who think it is the be-all and end-all of materials. On the other the traditionalists, even diehards, and those who just don’t like vinyl. So go ahead and buy a solid vinyl banister, it just comes down to what the individual likes, wood/vinyl?

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QUESTION
The bathroom ceiling in my slab ranch peeled 10 years ago. I put up with this mess for a number of years until I had a painter peel off all loose stuff and repaint; it peeled after two years. I installed an exhaust fan and plan to repaint. One man said to put in a new ceiling because the old one got wet repeatedly and will not hold paint. Now what shall I do?

ANSWER
The ceiling may have gotten wet and dry over the years and having done that, it may not hold paint any more. Before you panic, check to see if the plaster of paint is powdery. Just rub your hand over it. If it is powdery, paint it with clear shellac or B-I-N, a pigmented shellac. Then apply one thin coat of latex ceiling paint.

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QUESTION
The tile goes down to my tub, leaving a small gap. I filled it with grout, but it gets very grimy looking. Can I paint it? Also, are those ceiling paints that go on pink or blue, then turn white when they dry, any good?

ANSWER
I don’t usually suggest painting grout, because it is not the best idea, but if it is a real nuisance, paint it with appliance touch-up paint. It is oil-based and should last a while. There are also paints specifically for grout lines.

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Question
Some years ago I took the advice of a "paint expert" and painted the base of the shower stall with epoxy paint. It now is degraded looking. I tried using paint remover without success. What can I do?

Answer
If the base is concrete, a good epoxy paint should work quite well, but I stress the "good" part. You will have to get an epoxy solvent to remove it. Solvents are available at abatron.com and westsystem.com. If you can get an epoxy off, you can apply one coat of a semitransparent house stain or semitransparent deck stain to the concrete. If the base is plastic, you may have a problem because anything that dissolves epoxy also might do a job on the plastic. You could try scraping, but it will be miserably difficult.

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Question
I recently bought a Craftman-style house. The previous owners replaced all the windows with white vinyl windows. They function well, but they don't reflect the style of the house. Someday I will restore the windows but in the meantime, is it possible to paint vinyl?

Answer
It is possible to paint vinyl by sanding heavy and applying a latex house paint, but I wouldn't suggest it. Live with the mismatch until you're ready to replace them. It's too bad the vinyl windows are out of style, but vinyl windows are not ideal for painting because they have narrow flat surfaces and many corners and edges that may not take the paint very well. If you paint them a contrasting color and the paint peels, the windows are going to look a darned sight worse than if they were not painted at all.

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Question
We had our upstairs bathroom painted, and after a day or two, a little blossom of moisture appeared about 2 feet from the floor, near the tub enclosure, which is a plastic surround the sliding doors. The painter is concerned that the water is getting in behind the drywall, and noted that not all the spaces where the metal meets the plastic is caulked. It would be too difficult to caulk those areas. Is preparation required, or is it as simple as buying a tube, buying a gun for it, snipping the top and squeezing in the right direction?

Answer
Yes, it is simple, but not quite that simple. Buy the caulking gun and also buy a cartridge of Phenoseal, an adhesive caulk. There is a technique in applying caulk: cut the nozzle at an angel and push the caulking in the joint or seam, rather than pulling it. This will give a bead of caulk that fills the joint attractively. As for the blossom, which is a bubble, I think it is an aberration. You can ignore it, but since it is probably full of water I suggest you slit it, drain the water, and glue back in place. Or cut it out and spackle over it, sand smooth, and patch with the wall paint.

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Question
I plan to paint my dark kitchen cabinets with a lighter color, as I need more light in the kitchen. I saw on a TV show what was claimed to be reflective paint. What is it, and where can I get it?

Answer
Reflective paint? That's a first for me! It beats the heck out of the handyman, who probably is still in the 18th century. All white and pastel colors are the most reflective colors. A slight sheen such as an eggshell finish would make them even more reflective, and semi and high gloss will produce a virtual glare. If the reflective paints cost more, forget, them.

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Question
Someone painted my trim without using a primer, and it peeled to the bare wood. What can I do so it won't peel?

Answer
Sand heavily to remove as much of the paint as possible, wash with a strong detergent, apply an exterior primer, then one or two coats of a latex house paint or a solid color of latex stain. Thin coats (not thinned-down paint) spell success.

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Question
On a home designer show, I saw a glaze paint that can be put over ceramic wall tiles.
What is it?

Answer
It might be an epoxy paint, similar to the finish that reglazers put on old bathtubs and sometimes ceramic tiles. You could check with the paint store (NOT a hardware store) to see what it could offer. But you can do well with less esoteric materials. Sand the tiles with a power sander to reduce the gloss and roughen the finish, apply a latex enamel undercoat, and finish with one or two coats of a latex satin or gloss enamel or oil-based enamel. Do this on wall tile, not tub surrounds, shower stalls, or floors.

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Question
The painters painted all the hinges in my new house. I did not want them painted. How can I remove the paint?

Answer
You should get the morons who painted metal hinges to take the paint off, especially if they are solid brass or brass plated. But you can use Citristrip, a citrus-based paint remover. It is milder than the standard removers like Stipeeze or 5F5, but should work well on metal. After the paint softens and wrinkles, scrape, and then rub off with steel wool. Although Citristrip is relatively mild, use lots of ventilation while working with it.

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Question
Some one painted my trim without using a primer, and it peeled off to the bare wood. What can I do so it won't peel?

Answer
Sand heavily to remove as much of the paint as possible, wash with a strong detergent, apply an exterior primer, then one or two coats of a latex house paint or a solid latex stain. Thin coats (not thin downed paint) spell success.

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