13 years ago I painted a beautiful scene in the bedroom of my then 2 year old daughter. The walls were blue with clouds, butterflies, birds and a great big oak tree. Around the perimeter was a white picket fence and a white floor to ceiling trellis around the door with ivy and flowers growing through all.
Now that she's 15 and moved to an upstairs addition we just completed, I'm trying to paint over this masterpiece. I say "trying" because I'm not having much luck.
Kilz primer has worked great on copvering all the color, but wherever there was fence or trellis, I can't get rid of the lines.
When I painted them originally, I taped off the shapes and painted leaving sharp crisp lines.
This, apparently, left sort of a raised portion on the wall wherever a fence or trellis was.
After 4 coats of primer, I can still see the outlines. Other than skim coating the entire lower half of the room with drywall mud, is there anything else I can do? Thanks,Debi
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Hi Debi,
Okay… first off, let me explain something for others that will be reading this article. The best tool you have for painting preparation is your hand. Wiping your hand across a wall after it is cleaned will allow you to feel if there are any ridges or high points in the wall that needs to be sanded down to level with the wall.
Paint will not cover up these high points and they will show when the wall is painted.
Just so you know.
Now to the problem Debi has…
You have already painted over the the mural with primer… 4 coats no less… how will you cure this problem?
Primer is usually something that can be sanded. I say usually… because some primers, Kilz included, may… I say may, pill up into little balls instead of just sanding off like joint compound would.
So… I have 2 answers for you. Neither is easy. Either sand the primer back to the mural on those hard edges and use your hand to see if it's smooth.
Or… Use some skim coat on the wall… prime… and then paint.
I know you wanted an easy answer… but you have asked the expert on Murals… and their isn't an easy answer.
Good Luck!
Debra
