Any decorators on here?

[Alan Lung]

Can you paint matt emulsion over vinyl silk? I have googled it but seems to be lots of conflicting opinions.

[blue matt]

Can you paint matt emulsion over vinyl silk? I have googled it but seems to be lots of conflicting opinions.

I certainly have in the past, make sure its clean though

[sneggyblubird]

I would give it a go but first I would key the surface with my sander using a fairly fine paper. Just my unqualified opinion.

[Vindec]

I would give it a go but first I would key the surface with my sander using a fairly fine paper. Just my unqualified opinion.

Exactly that. Done it many times.

[bobh]

Exactly that. Done it many times.

ditto

[NYCBlue]

You have to sand the entire surface. Not much, but there'll be dust everywhere. Have you considered wallpaper?

[Alan Lung]

You have to sand the entire surface. Not much, but there'll be dust everywhere. Have you considered wallpaper?

Nah, I hate wallpaper. I'll just chuck some more vinyl silk on I think.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

You can put on a coat of obliterating base paint on it , if the silk is particularly shiny silk put two on

You don't need to be sanding it , that's very intensive work , modern matt emulsion paints used as base coats, as you are doing in this situation will harden off and give you a key or foundation for top coats

[sneggyblubird]

Nah, a couple of you are missing the point. If your that worried about dust you can always use a piece of sand paper and do it manually. I'm not on about sanding it down before painting, I'm on about using a fine sandpaper and just keying it as opposed to sanding. Hardly any pressure and hardly any dust to just take the sheen of to let the new paint stick evenly to the surface.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Nah, a couple of you are missing the point. If your that worried about dust you can always use a piece of sand paper and do it manually. I'm not on about sanding it down before painting, I'm on about using a fine sandpaper and just keying it as opposed to sanding. Hardly any pressure and hardly any dust to just take the sheen of to let the new paint stick evenly to the surface.

I think that's not needed . Modern emulsion paints will stick well to even glossy vinyl walls

Stick two coats on , leave it a day to harden up , apply new paint system

👍

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Zinsser Guard paint is the best stuff to put on silk pained surfaces . It's flexible and unlike cheap emulsion won't crack

I certainly wouldn't sand the walls to give them a key , that could take a while and if you missed any areas whilst sanding lightly then the top coat could peel

That's what I was taught anyway

[Rock_Flock_of_Five]

Zinsser Guard paint is the best stuff to put on silk pained surfaces . It's flexible and unlike cheap emulsion won't crack

I certainly wouldn't sand the walls to give them a key , that could take a while and if you missed any areas whilst sanding lightly then the top coat could peel

That's what I was taught anyway

Bloody 'ell!
For once, I find myself nodding my head in agreement with you, Sludge!

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Bloody 'ell!
For once, I find myself nodding my head in agreement with you, Sludge!

It won't be the first time

[dandywarhol]

I'd move house.

[Michael Morris]

You have to sand the entire surface. Not much, but there'll be dust everywhere. Have you considered wallpaper?

Who uses wallpaper these days?

We've had loads done recently and paper is a no no. Clean walls so much neater.

[bobh]

When I bought my first flat, I had to redecorate.
Previous owners, over the years, had put up anaglypta wallpaper, then painted over it, then put up more anaglypta over that, painted over that, then repeated a third time.
Bloody nightmare to get it off.
As this was the 70s, once I had cleaned it all, I put up some woodchip (Ugh these days, I know) and painted over with silk emulsion. It looked nice, and lasted years - it was described as "a well decorated flat" when I sold it and moved on.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Who uses wallpaper these days?

We've had loads done recently and paper is a no no. Clean walls so much neater.
a
Wallpaper is still a very useful weapon for a decorator , especially if the walls are a bit old and need lots of prep work to get a flat surface.......rather than replastering the walls .....or to give a flat even surface to apply a patterned paper onto ......a lot of elderly people still like .....for example .....flowery patterns

If you tried to apply a wallpaper to a wall painted with a vinyl shiny paint the wallpaper might not stick ......but it would if a flat lining paper was put up first ......its so easy to put paper onto lining paper

Also if the walls are in poor condition and the customer isn't up for replastering the walls with a skim .....and a decent decorator will always suggest this .....then lining the walls can cover up a multitude of sins

I would always prefer a flat finish but wallpaper is still very useful . 👍