DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

HI i have a lot of wood in my house that has been varnish my partner would like me to paint it white so is there a primmer/undercoat that i could use or do i have to get the sander out and sand it all down

Hi triplet, in my opinion the best way would be to key the wood with a medium to fine sandpaper, then wash it all down to get rid of any grease that may have built up over the years. After this prime any bare bits before giving it a couple of coats of undercoat to completely cover the old varnish, then apply the top coat. A good tip before putting on the topcoat is to give the undercoat a very light sanding once completely dry and buy some Tack cloths from a DIY store to wipe over the wood before doing the topcoat. These will pick up all the bits of dust that may still be on the wood which could spoil the finished look. Good luck.

man is right, no short cuts unfortunately unless you want the paint to peel and flake at even the slightest knock. no need to remove all the varnish, just a good rub with some fine/medium sandpaper, prime, undercoat and paint.

quality paints such as dulux trade will help a lot as well.

good luck with it all, not a task i envy!