# Enamel Paint over Latex ?



## Beer Belly (Apr 21, 2014)

I had some Water Based Latex paint that I was using in my Kitchen.....I got a couple of coats on 2 walls, then ran out of paint. Went to Lowes to get more.....I told them I was looking for Olympic Premium Interior Latex, Eggshell Finish in Merlot......now the paint I just put on the walls was a few years old, and the can that was mixed, and handed to me was the replacement as per the employee....the paint is a Primer and Paint in one.....same sheen, same color....but the new stuff is Enamel, and the stuff on the 2 walls is Latex.....now it seems the new stuff is covering better than the old.....can I put a coat of the new Enamel Paint over the Latex Paint I just put on the walls ?.....both are Water Based


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## bholler (Apr 21, 2014)

it should work fine the new paint is a latex enamel.


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## Beer Belly (Apr 22, 2014)

bholler said:


> it should work fine the new paint is a latex enamel.


 Great....Thanks.....new problem....after all the walls are painted, she thinks the room looks too dark, and the Eggshell finish too shiny. The Eggshell has a slight (very slight) gloss to it, so now we're looking at a total repaint......can I change the sheen without any sanding.....it's bad enough it's Merlot (really, really Dark Red), and will take a few coats to cover it


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## ironpony (Apr 22, 2014)

I LOVE painting and repainting (sarcasm).  I rather get a beating than paint. good luck with your project.


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## Retired Guy (Apr 22, 2014)

We really like the eggshell finishes - use for everything except bedrooms.


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## Ashful (Apr 22, 2014)

Lighter colors and above the chair rail:  matte or flat.

Darker colors below the chair rail, or other accents:  eggshell.

Interior woodwork:  oil gloss.

Exterior woodwork:  Ben Moore Aura.

Most importantly, buy good paint, so you can do it once:  Ben Moore.


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## jharkin (Apr 23, 2014)

Joful said:


> Lighter colors and above the chair rail:  matte or flat.
> 
> Darker colors below the chair rail, or other accents:  eggshell.
> 
> ...



Amen!
+1!
  I do somewhat similar.  Ive switched to using Aura matte on most walls, eggshell on walls that need to be cleaned a lot (kitchen/bath). Flat on ceilings. Around here I cant get oil base in anything except primer anymore so I use Aura semigloss on trim and woodwork. I use enamel for the inside of cabinets and the painted stair treads. I got tired of peeling paint so Im using oil base stain hiding primer in kitchen/bath and a specialty latex bonding primer when I go over old woodwork. Repainting walls that have flat paint doesnt need primer as long as they are clean.

Exterior is latex siding stain on the clapboard and Aura exterior on trim. Both go over a base of slow dry penetrating exterior oil primer. And any exposed ooooold wood gets a linseed oil/turpentine/penetrol treatment before that.

Paint and primer in one is a gimmic. "covers in one coat" is a gimmic. Ive had no success with either. Stick to the traditional methods - clean clean clean (TSP inside + bleach if there is mildew), sand/degloss glossy surfaces, 1 coat of good primer and 2 topcoats inside. Clean (TSP + bleach), 1+ coats of oil primer and 2+ topcoats outside if you want the job to last. (For high weathering/exposure  areas like south facing doors and windows and/or dark colors you might need as much as 2 primer/3 topcoats outside)

Agree with Joful - buy the best quality paint you can afford. An extra $10 a gallon and good prep might be the difference between a 5 year paint job an a 15 year job.  Im also a big fan of BM, and my local dealer is close and much more knowledgeable than the kids at the box.  Sherwin Williams is probably equally good, as are other boutique brands like California and F&B.  Heck we like the F&B catalog colors so much I get my BM dealer to copy them in Aura


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## Ashful (Apr 23, 2014)

jharkin said:


> Paint and primer in one is a gimmic. "covers in one coat" is a gimmic. Ive had no success with either. Stick to the traditional methods - clean clean clean (TSP inside + bleach if there is mildew), sand/degloss glossy surfaces, 1 coat of good primer and 2 topcoats inside. Clean (TSP + bleach), 1+ coats of oil primer and 2+ topcoats outside if you want the job to last. (For high weathering/exposure  areas like south facing doors and windows and/or dark colors you might need as much as 2 primer/3 topcoats outside)
> 
> Agree with Joful - buy the best quality paint you can afford. An extra $10 a gallon and good prep might be the difference between a 5 year paint job an a 15 year job.  Im also a big fan of BM, and my local dealer is close and much more knowledgeable than the kids at the box.  Sherwin Williams is probably equally good...


I forgot to say, I'm using the same scheme.  1 coat oil primer + 2 top coats (whether latex, acrylic, or oil) on everything.  This is the technique used by pro painters for more than 100 years, and for good reason.

I used to be a fan of Sherwin Williams, and in fact used it for my entire house 15 years ago.  I began to see their quality degrade pretty drastically in the early 2000's, though, and now I can't find a single local pro painter willing to use their product.  They're all hard-core Ben Moore for 95% of everything, and Muralo for historic exterior stuff (old windows, etc.).

Paint is very expensive (think $75/gallon for Ben Moore Oil, maybe $60/gal for Ben Moore Aura), but it's such a small faction of the total job cost (labor / time / prep) that you're really throwing away money using less expensive paints.  They just don't cover or last as well.  I used to paint everything myself, but more recently I've been doing just the prep myself, and bringing in a pro for the actual painting.  Painters only cost $350 - $400 per day, whereas carpenters, plumbers, masons, electricians, etc. are all close to double that.  So, I use my precious free time to do the carpentry and mechanicals, while paying for painting.  I have enough of all these jobs that it will be several years before I'm done.


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## bobdog2o02 (Apr 23, 2014)

Beer Belly said:


> Great....Thanks.....new problem....after all the walls are painted, she thinks the room looks too dark, and the Eggshell finish too shiny. The Eggshell has a slight (very slight) gloss to it, so now we're looking at a total repaint......can I change the sheen without any sanding.....it's bad enough it's Merlot (really, really Dark Red), and will take a few coats to cover it




There are no mechanical preparations required.  Just paint over it.


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## Beer Belly (Apr 23, 2014)

bobdog2o02 said:


> There are no mechanical preparations required.  Just paint over it.


 WHEW !


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## Ashful (Apr 23, 2014)

If painting over *gloss*, it's best to de-gloss it first.  This can be done via sandpaper, or much more quickly with a chemical de-glosser.  Wipe on with a sponge, then wipe clean a few minutes later with a wet rag.

If your eggshell is nice shiny new, you might want to consider a chemical deglosser, but you'll probably be fine without it.


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