ChatterBank0 min ago
varnished banister and spindles
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Does anyone know the best way to cover a varnisthed banister, i have been told to just sand it down to create a(key) then undercoat it then paint it white, which is the colour i want. Thanks in advance Rich
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Any new paint you apply will not adhere to the varnish - it's too smooth, so you will definitely need to remove it by either chemical or physical means. As you need to introduce a *rough* surface, you could sand the old varnish down (thus providing what is called a key). Some people use chemicals to remove the old varnish - it's up to you which method you choose (it's quite hard to get into all the nooks and crannies with sandpaper - you may need to use a special little scraper). Both will need good ventilation (sanding down produces a lot of dust and the chemicals produce some smelly fumes) so keep kids and pets away whilst you work - you may wish to wear a breathing mask. Once you have either sanded down or chemically stripped the old varnish off, wash the railings down with some water and allow to dry thoroughly before undercoating.
It's a good idea to use a good quality undercoat, then a top finish coat or two, all applied in very thin layers, so you get a really tough hard-wearing finished surface. Use gloss paint if you want a shiny finish, or eggshell if you prefer a slightly matt effect.
PS This is a lot of work but the secret is in the preparation - the final painting will only take you an hour or so, whilst the sanding down/removing of the varnish may well take all day. The more time you can spend on the prep work, the better the finished result will be.
It's a good idea to use a good quality undercoat, then a top finish coat or two, all applied in very thin layers, so you get a really tough hard-wearing finished surface. Use gloss paint if you want a shiny finish, or eggshell if you prefer a slightly matt effect.
PS This is a lot of work but the secret is in the preparation - the final painting will only take you an hour or so, whilst the sanding down/removing of the varnish may well take all day. The more time you can spend on the prep work, the better the finished result will be.
Sounds about right to me, the only other thing to think about is if the sanding gets down to bare timber then a primer would be advisable. If I was doing the job for a customer then I would more than likely give a good quality primer to the whole of the job.Other coats would then cover better. Make sure cleaning down is done properly.Sanding, remove all dust,wash with sugar soap,allow to dry.
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