Years back, we painted trees and hills on my daughter's walls. Now, we are redoing this room and need to paint the walls. I'm concerned that the mural work will show through because it is raised a little bit (just due to more paint).

What's my fastest fix? I had thought about just skimming the edges of the trees and hills with a 14" knife and some joint compound to feather it a bit. Is that legit or a waste of my time?

Thanks!

 

I'd consider giving it a good sand with a pole sander and 120 grit paper, focusing a little more on the raised level. When you're done, feel it with your hand. If you can still feel the raised areas, you might consider fanning it out with a little joint compound to level things out.

What kind of paint did you use to paint the mural with? If oil, you should prime first with a conversion primer like Zinnser bullseye 123. If you're going the route of joint compound, you'll have to prime those areas anyways.

 

I agree, a lot depends on how thick the mural paint was applied. The odds are if you just apply 2 coats of paint over it - it will show Sanding is a good place to start. If you need to add j/c, you may also need to add texture. Even a slick finished wall that has multiple coats of paint rolled on it has a little texture and slick mud will show a difference.

 

I'd sand and then use an oil based primer just to make sure no color bleeds through as well. I wouldn't think you'd need joint compound if the height difference is only due to a coat or two of paint.

 

Mitch, art work is often brushed on a lot heavier than normal paint. I'm not sure if it's they type of paint that is used or just the nature of mural painting but if you just paint over them - the image of the mural usually shows. Not necessarily at every angle but it's there if you look.

Colors bleeding thru can be an issue but that's easily resolved, getting rid of the raised 'texture' usually involves more work

 

OK, maybe some mud will be needed

I have plain white paint on every wall in my house so what do I know about murals anyway....

 

No murals in my house either but over the years I've had to paint over various murals on different jobs.

 

Thanks for all the input! Looks like I have a date with sand paper.

The murals were brushed on. The base coat and mural paint was just regular BEHR either eggshell or semi, can't remember but nothing special.

I didn't think you could sand paint like that. I figured it would be all rubbery like latex paint tends to get when it's a bit on the thick side.

 

Well, that makes things a bit easier. My wife's an artist so I thought it might have been the stuff that comes in tubes which is much thicker and you can create texture with it. If it was wall paint, I'm sure it didn't leave much of that.

The first thing I do when I show up on a job after putting down my drop sheets and pulling the electrical plate covers is grab the sanding pole and go over every wall to be painted. Removes little nuggets from previous bad paint jobs, lint, dust, cobwebs, child filth (I don't have children so I call it that), etc. Wall paint is very sandable. Just be sure to dust it all down afterwards, including the top of the baseboard where some of it will settle and you have to cut in.

 

Geez, you sand all the walls first? That's very thorough Bill. A quality craftsman indeed.

Any recommendations on a pole sanding outfit?

 

Yep, that's how you stand apart from the rest. Also going over it all with the sander gives you a good look and helps you find any pinholes, divets, imperfections, etc. that you'll need to fill/address before you start painting.

Kind of depends on how much painting you do in terms of what you want to buy. If you do very little, you could spend $5-$6 on a plastic pole sanding end that you affix the paper to. Personally, I've only bought the aluminum heads (around $15-$20 around here) as I tend to crush the plastic ones and haven't used them since I started out. As for the pole, if you aren't planning on using it much you could just use a broom handle or plunger handle or something like that. Otherwise a 2'-4' extension pole can run you around $20-$30. You'll be surprised what else you can use an extension pole for though so it's worth considering.

Pretty much any hardware store/big box will carry the sanding heads in the paint department. Don't bother with the paint at these places, but they're not bad for paint gear. Buy your paint from a paint store.

 

I also use a sanding pole. I've never seen the plastic ones I have a couple of the wooden handle, aluminum head sanding poles. The newest one is over 20 yrs old - don't remember what I paid for them

Latex paints can 'melt' if you sand too hard and will plug up the paper. Generally if it takes that much sanding, it's better to break out the j/c. I couldn't imagine rolling more than a little bit of paint without having the appropriate size roller pole.

 

When I started out painting, my buddy who trained me told me the following:

1. Get a 2'X4' pole. You're going to use this the most in the majority of houses. Throw the broom handle on your broom in your van away, keep the head and use this as a broom handle. Saves space.

2. When you can afford it (get it soon, you need it), get a 4'X8' pole. You're going to need this soon for stairwells, and when you get rooms that aren't cluttered with stuff and you've got lots of space. It'll make life faster. Also good for when you need to rake snow off your roof.

3. When you can afford it, get a 1'X2' pole for closets, bathrooms and otherwise confined spaces. It'll make life easier and faster and your back won't hurt. Much.

4. When you can afford it, get a 8'X16' pole if you really need to. You'll rarely ever use it, so don't get one unless the job you need it for will pay for it. After 10 years, I don't have one yet. There have been times I could have used one, but I found other ways to get around this. Incredibly handy for raking snow off your roof and generally safer than the 4'X8' standing on the very top of a ladder.

Wooster Sherlock, positive locking extension pole with aluminum threaded head. Best extension poles available today and I've tried (thrown away, crushed, otherwise broken) many.

 

Except for the 1'/2', I have all of the above and have used my 8'/16' extension pole quite a bit
I prefer the cheap wooden poles but only if they work good for the job at hand. I've always taken the short 4' pole off of the push broom and replaced it with a 5' wooden roller pole .... and my back thanks me

 

Thank you all for the input! I'll see how this goes this weekend.