Is It Ok To Paint Over Dirty Walls?

Is It Ok To Paint Over Dirty Walls? So, you want to paint your home interior or exterior on your own. You are a bit excited. You want to complete this job fast and get perfection as well. However, you want to paint over dirty walls.

You do not want to spend your time, effort, and money on cleaning, washing, and repairing. There is no doubt that fresh paint can give a new look to your old walls. It will change the look and feel of your home. But do you want a lasting solution?

If yes, you will have to spend time on preparation. If you want a quality result, you will have to apply paints after preparing your walls. Let’s know why you should prepare your walls before repainting. First, we will know the answer.

Is it ok to paint over dirty walls? Yes, you can. You can paint over a chipping, dirty, flaking, and glossy surface. However, you cannot expect a lasting result. New paint will need a clean and well-prepared surface to ensure proper sticking.

If you apply paint over dirty walls, the sticking ability of the paint will be less. For a better outcome, you will have to use a few coats of primer. When your existing paint is pilling, flaking, or chipping, then you cannot ignore scraping.

Therefore, you will have to prepare your walls before painting. Otherwise, the new paint will not stick for long. Also, it will look a bit rough. You cannot get the desired look.

What Will Happen If You Paint Over Dirty Walls?

First of all, new paint will not stick well to the dirty walls. Clean walls take new paints in a better way than dirtier ones. It is important to clean your walls before painting to get the best outcome. It is a must for exterior painting.

Even if your walls are not looking dirty, you will have to consider power washing to clean all the possible dirt and dust deposits.

Also, you will have to consider hand scraping. If you prepare your wall before painting, you can expect a lasting result. In addition to a lasting result, the paint will look clean and more appealing when done on clean walls.

Damages Can Impact the Sticking Ability of the Paint

If you will not clean your walls before painting, you cannot fix the damages such as cracks and holes. When holes are more all over the wall, they might impact the sticking ability of the paint. Therefore, you will have to create a ready-to-paint and smooth surface for painting.

You can avoid some minor repairs. However, split, rotting, or even crumbling wood need to be addressed first. After these repairs, you can clean your wall, and then you can consider applying new paint.

With a smooth painting surface, you can expect a durable result and an eye-catching look.

Primers Can Serve More Than One Purpose

If you use quality primers, you can expect more than one benefit. Many believe that primers can only help a new paint to stick properly. However, quality primers can seal a surface. They can be great for bare wood.

Bare wood causes some discolored paint patches when you use light colors. Also, primers can treat other imperfections that lead to eventual discoloration and darkening. You will have to use primers for raw, bare, and stucco woods to protect the material and the paint.

Primers can also be effective if you want to make some dramatic changes in your wall colors. Some primers that include tinted primer will make easier for color transitions. You can paint your walls with some saturated and bold colors.

Is It Ok To Paint Over Dirty Walls? – Wrapping Up

You can paint over dirty walls if you want. However, you will not achieve the desired benefits. Surface preparation is a must before painting your home’s interior and exterior walls. The process might demand your time and effort.

However, if you prepare walls for painting, you can expect a better look. The paint will stick to the wall for a long time. As a result, you will not have to spend on repainting. Also, you can repair the holes and cracks during the prep.

The early repair will fix the issue fast, and it will save you a lot. If you paint over dirty walls, you might complete your work quickly. However, the result is not worth your effort.