Bit of a scre3w up, in our haste we accidentally bought Silk Vinyl emusion rather than standard Matt vinyl emulsion and only noticed it was the wrong paint half way through.

So, for the pro DIY’ers and decorators out there, how much sanding do we need to do to get rid of the vinyl sheen? Rough, medium or fine sandpaper?

Cheers.

I found the matt paint in my old house marked very easily and looked crap really quickly you may be better leaving it with a bit of sheen…

mustard+1

or finish the silk coat and then put a matt one over the top.

sanding a silk down to a matt finish sounds like a recipe for an uneven finish.

Yeah just paint over it – much quicker and easier than all that sanding.

I would go for silk every time anyway.

hmmm…its in a bedroom and the sheen off the silk finish is…. different. Maybe we’ve just got the wrong colour. It doesn’t look right either way. ****.

Oh, everywhere I’ve read says you can’t just paint over it as it will crack the horribly later on.

No, you wont be able to sand it.
As said, repaint with a good quality trade vinyl matt (dulux) for a reasonably durable finish.
Cheap matt is not very durable.
Its important though that you buy trade paint, not retail, such as what you get from b&q etc

If it’s the right colour then you’ll be able to cover it in one coat of trade dulux (probably).

I’d echo the above about buying decent paint. My whole house has been done with dulux trade diamond matt. It’s great stuff. Only tested in properly in the kitchen but you can take a green scourer to the wall to remove marks and the paint is fine. Flippin expensive though. Worth it in my eyes as it will mean we have to paint less. Not interested in having the latest colours but I would like my house not to look dishevelled in a year or two.

I work for the parent company, other paints are available, all views my own etc.

+1 on trade vs retail… makes a heap of diffrence IMO, not just on looks but also on applicability.

Where do we buy this magical trade paint?

In a trade shop.

Google ‘Dulux trade centre’ in your local area. Johnstone’s / Leyland trade paints are also meant to be very good.

pah! you haven’t lived until you’ve started with oil based paint and then suffered the horror of painting the same room 5 times to get a good finish. That said it does wipe clean very easily!

We will probably go for Leyland paints. Watch this space….

how does Farrow & Ball paint stack up against others, including trade paint?
we’re moving soon which will mean decorating and I know that’s what the missus will want, but I’m a bit cynical about it.

Farrow & Ball paint gives a really good and pleasing finish, their colours seem to reflect light much better than your common or garden paints, just watch out for the oil based ones, thats what did a number on me.

Always use Farrow & Ball now. A bit pricey but it covers well in just a couple of coats and looks a lot better.

When we’ve used Dulux and crown in the past the difference is completely noticeable. So much so that a room that’s taken two tins of F&B has taken 3 for Dulux.

Dulux trade every time. If the colour is similar it it can usually be done in one coat. If it takes 3 coats, you’re either using the diluted diy stuff or you’re doing it wrong.

Buy it from B&Q with a trade point card, you won’t get it cheaper anywhere else unless you’re very friendly with yuor local Dulux trade center.

A good but cheaper alternative is Leyland and Johnstones trade, both similar in price and workability

Just paint right over it, don’t bother with any sanding.

if using a different brand of paint, leave it at least week or use the same brand

How does one obtain a trade point card?

Go to the trade counter in B&Q with 2 other invoices from trade places, plumbcenter, CEF, Travis Perkins etc(who will happily sell to you) and a fake business card and letterhead, just call yourself (insert your name) handyman etc

You could probably do it without the business card if you look scruffy and like a tradesman

Alternatively, go early in the morning and buy the first builder you see a bacon butty in exchange for using his card