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Painting over a cracked or crackle style faux finish is tricky. All Faux Painting can be painted over, but each time you decide to paint over any paint you have to take into accout what it is you are covering up.
I got this email from a desperate reader:
Hi! I am in a bit of a bind. I painted my walls a dark purple and then used the crackle faux finish on top. However, I didn't like it and painted over the crackle with more of the dark purple.
Now, I'd like to put my house on the market to sell and want to repaint the bedroom a neutral color.
Is there anyway to remove the crackle, or to make it so I can paint over it? Does it just need to be sanded off or will primer work?
Thanks for any help you can give me!!
What a job it would be to sand the walls down below the crackle finish. Not one I would ever want to tackle. I have a few suggestions that will be easier and quicker.
1. The paint and crackle mediums make a huge impact on what you will do next. Let's assume that they are all acrylic - water based - materials. If you used soap and water to clean up the brushes… then you used water based mediums.
2. The crackle finish is being reactivated with the paint overlay. Every layer is still affected by the previous layer. The crackling is probably somewhat less with each coat, but still a problem.
3. The crackle finish creates a high/low texture on the wall, which will show even if the crackling isn't activating.
So… how should you tackle this problem without cracking up? 
My suggestion is to use an oil based primer. Get a small can to start… it is expensive. Try this on a small area of you wall… in an out of the way spot, like behind the door or headboard area. Use 2 coats if needed, dry time will be listed on the can. The oil based primer smells and is somewhat toxic if used in unventilated areas… so keep the windows open and the fans on!
If the primer cracks… I don't mean showing a cracked texture, but actually cracks, then try a water based primer on another area of your wall. Water or Oil based primer should be the answer to keep the crackle finish from activating.
Once you find the primer solution, continue on the entire wall.
The paint you choose to finish your room should be a flat finish. Any sheen in the paint will highlight the imperfections in the walls. I hate flat paint, but if you are selling your home… then this will be the best choice.
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October 3rd, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Has anyone evr painted stripes using tape and then tried to paint over them? I cant get rid of the “lines” where the paint built up.
July 30th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Hi, I have use scotch tape. Not the cheep stuff. It works great for a small area. If you are painting stripes, I would do only 2 or 3 at a time and remove the tape as soon as possible. Make sure the area being taped is clean and very dry. I don’t use flat paint very often, so I do not know if this would work on such a surface. Also press the tape down so there are no air bubbles and paint over it carefully so the paint is not too thick. I always leave myself a tab. This makes removing the tape easier.
May I offer another suggestion? When painting the trim around windows, I use strips of wet newspaper. It sticks to the windows nicely and I don’t have to be so carefull not to get paint on the glass.