Reasons to Remove Old Paint Before Repainting in Singapore

remove old paint

Whenever you plan a painting project, it is important to remove old paint first. This is an essential that many people overlook, often resulting in inefficient painting results. Painting your home is one of the best ways to give it a fresh look and protect its surfaces from environmental factors.

However, before you start painting, there’s an essential step that many people overlook, and that is to remove the old paint. If you skip this step in Singapore’s climate, it can cause long-term issues for you. This article explains why it’s important to remove old paint before repainting. Moreover, it is also comprehensively covered how removing the old paint can help ensure professional results.  

Reasons to Remove Old Paint Before Repainting

Removing old paint before repainting is essential to ensure a durable finish. Painting a house is not just about applying a fresh coat of paint; it also demands that you prepare the surface for the fresh coat. Therefore, you need to remove old paint before repainting and sand the surface if necessary. This will help the new paint stick better to the surface. 

PS Painting Singapore explains why remove old paint before repainting in this section. Moreover, if you are unsure how to remove old paint, you can avail of their HDB painting, office painting, room painting, and wall painting services. Let’s review their guide to unlock the reasons for removing the old paint before repainting. 

1. Improved Adhesion

One of the main reasons to remove old paint is to ensure better adhesion of the new paint. When the surface is uneven and has several layers of old paint, it will be difficult for the new coat to adhere to the surface. 

With the imperfections in the old paint, the new paint will soon start to peel off, and you will need to repaint once again. If you remove the old paint, you can prepare the surface for the new paint, which will adhere better to the surface. 

how to remove old paint

2. Prevents Peeling and Flaking

Old paint will ultimately crack or peel off, and that will cause the new paint to crack as well. The moisture in Singapore’s climate will cause the new paint to bubble and peel away from the surface. Therefore, if you remove the old paint, you can prevent this issue, and the new coat will be more stable. This is particularly important for exterior surfaces, which are exposed to the weather more than the interior surfaces.  

3. Smooth Finish for Better Appearance

When old paint is not removed, the surface becomes uneven. You may notice imperfections that will affect the overall appearance of the new paint job. Singaporean weather makes the old paint prone to several issues, which can also affect the new paint.

Removing the old paint allows you to sand down rough areas and patch the holes or cracks. This will make the surface perfect for the new paint and produce a professional finish.  

4. Detects and Repairs Hidden Damage

In some cases, old paint can hide surface issues that can affect the new paint. Therefore, if you remove the old paint, you can inspect the surface for any defects or hidden problems. On the contrary, if you leave these issues unaddressed, they can worsen over time and cause more significant damage. For example, moisture trapped behind old paint can cause mold growth, which is harmful to the new paint and human health.

5. Compatibility Issues

It is possible that the new paint might not be compatible with the old one. For instance, if you apply water-based paint over an oil-based paint, the new paint will not stick to the surface properly. 

This can cause issues with the new paint, such as bubbling and cracking over time. Therefore, if you remove the old paint, you eliminate the risk of incompatibility between the new and old paint. This ensures better results for your repainting project.  

removing old paint

6. Better Durability

A smooth surface ensures that the new paint job lasts longer. In Singapore’s harsh weather conditions, paint needs to be resilient and durable to withstand the weather.  If you don’t remove the old paint, the new coat may fail prematurely, and you will need to repaint the surface.

If you remove the old paint and prepare the surface for the new paint, you can ensure that the new paint can withstand the weather and remain in good condition for a longer period.  

7. Increases Property Value

If you remove the old paint, prepare the surface, and repaint it, you will achieve better results, and therefore, the property value will also increase. Moreover, your home will stand out in the eyes of the potential buyers and renters. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, If you remove old paint before repainting, you can inspect the surface and remove any imperfections. There can be several issues with the already painted surface, which will be overlooked if you repaint over an old paint. This will cause problems with the new paint, and you may need another repaint soon. Therefore, you should remove old paint before repainting to get perfect results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, to get professional-looking results, it is better to remove the old paint, prepare the surface, improve the imperfections, and repaint it.
No, it is full of risk to paint over old paint because the surface can have several imperfections and issues that the old paint hides, which will damage the new paint. Moreover, the new paint type may not be compatible with the old paint. Therefore, it is better to remove the old paint before repainting.
Paint dries in 24 hours, but it takes around 30 days to cure properly.