Over time, newfangled liquid wallpapers lose their appeal. Stains appear on the walls, paint fades, some places are erased from frequent contact with objects, burned out areas form on the sunny side. Of course, the owners in this situation are looking for options on how to update or at least refresh the appearance of the coating. The easiest way is to apply paint to dull walls. But is it possible to paint liquid wallpaper?
You can dye this material at home. Moreover, there are two ways to update the color:
- With the removal of the old coating. In this case, the coating is cleaned from the walls with a spatula, adjusted to a liquid consistency with water and mixed with the pigment of the desired color. The renewed mass is again applied to the surface, leveled and allowed to dry.
- Without removing the old coating. This method allows you to paint the surface using traditional methods.
The second method is used more often, as it is less labor intensive. Choosing it, the following question arises - what paint can I paint liquid wallpaper?
What paint is better to paint
For painting surfaces finished with liquid trellis, the following coloring compounds are used.
Water-based paint
Compositions based on water emulsion are traditionally used for painting walls and ceilings. In stores they sell ready-made compounds in plastic buckets. If necessary, thickened paint can be diluted with water to the desired consistency.
The basis is white water-based paint. To give the composition the desired shade, pigment is added to it. Many colors are always on sale, so the owners will easily select the right color.
Is it possible to paint liquid wallpaper after applying water-based paint again? The answer is yes. On top of one layer, any number of subsequent layers can be applied.
Water-dispersed acrylic paint
Compared to water-based emulsion, water-dispersed paint with an acrylic base creates a more durable film. It can also be diluted with water, but thanks to the presence of acrylic in the composition, dried paint can be cleaned with a damp cloth without loss of quality.
The drying time of this composition does not exceed 2 hours. Service life - up to 20 years. The cost, compared with water-based paint, is 10-15% higher.
Latex compounds
This material has significant advantages compared with other coloring compounds:
- the strong film formed after the paint dries, perfectly resists mechanical stress;
- the painted surface is not afraid of high humidity and direct water, therefore these paints are suitable for use in bathrooms and in the kitchen;
- latex paints do not emit harmful fumes, therefore they are recommended for painting walls and ceilings in children's rooms and bedrooms;
- drying period - no more than 2 hours;
- economical consumption;
- latex compounds are suitable for surface treatment of any materials.
The disadvantages include:
- during sharp temperature jumps, cracks may appear on the surface painted with latex compounds;
- latex formulations do not protect the substrate from mold formation. To maintain normal condition, it will be necessary to provide effective ventilation;
- a thin layer of paint cannot level out minor surface defects; careful preparation is required;
- the cost of latex formulations is higher than aqueous emulsion by 3-4 times.
Silicone paints
These compounds allow you to create a breathing surface without completely covering the pores of the base. Silicone is able to maintain its original properties when the temperature regime changes and in conditions of high humidity. It does not fade in the sun, and allows you to level out bumps and small cracks.
Fungus and mold do not form on bases stained with silicone compounds. Painted surfaces withstand 25 years without repair. With all the positive qualities, there is only one drawback - the high price.
Furniture lacquer
Varnish is not the best option for painting liquid wallpaper, but in some cases it is also used. The main disadvantage is the high cost.
Materials and tools
In order to qualitatively apply paint compositions to the surface, you will need to prepare the following tools:
- coloring composition;
- a roller with fur skin, a brush 100 mm wide or a spray gun for spraying paint;
- a cuvette for working with a roller;
- capacity for the preparation of the coloring composition;
- plastic film to protect flooring and furniture;
- screwdrivers for dismantling sockets and switches;
- masking tape;
- overalls, gloves and goggles.
Preparatory work
Before starting work on painting walls or ceilings decorated with this type of wallpaper, you will need to perform preparatory measures:
- platbands are dismantled from door frames;
- remove the baseboard around the perimeter of the painted walls;
- dismantle or cover with tape the ceiling fillet (foam moldings);
- dismantle sockets and switches;
- if chips, damaged areas are found on the surface, they are masked with gypsum putty;
- the contaminated areas are wiped with a solvent or alcohol solution;
- oily stains are removed with a spatula, after which a camouflage layer of gypsum plaster is applied;
- Before painting liquid wallpaper, they are treated with a primer to ensure adhesion to the paint and strengthen the base.
Paint instruction
After the preparatory work, the flooring and furniture are covered with plastic wrap to avoid paint.
At the next stage, the coloring composition is prepared. The pigment of the selected color is added to the water emulsion and mixed thoroughly, achieving a uniform color.
Painting of liquid wallpaper begins with corners, the line of adjacency of the wall to the ceiling and floor. For these works, it is better to use a brush, as the spray gun or roller will not be able to qualitatively paint over hard-to-reach spots.
The main area is treated with a roller or spray. For the roller, choose a fur skin with a medium pile. The finished solution is poured into the cuvette, the roller is dipped in paint, rubbed on the ribbed surface of the cuvette and carried out along the wall with uniform movements, painting the surface.
How to properly paint the walls with a roller, you can see in the video, with a detailed analysis of the technology for finishing work.
Application of the second and third layer is possible only after drying of the previous layers.
Advantages and disadvantages of painting
Before analyzing the negative and positive aspects regarding the coloring of this material, it must be warned that the manufacturers of this material do not recommend painting the finished surfaces with paints, but if the owners decided to update the walls, it is better to use special paints for wallpaper.
Positive aspects of painting:
- applying paint to old wallpaper allows you to refresh the surface without much expense. Paint will mask scuffs, spots and roughnesses. The cost of such repairs will be much cheaper than the complete dismantling of old wallpapers and installing new ones;
- painting liquid trellises makes it possible to change the overall design of the room. This is important if new furniture or new decor elements appear in the room that do not harmonize with the old finish and tone;
- subject to the coloring technology, this process can be repeated an infinite number of times. The base does not suffer from the application of a new layer;
- the abundance of colors allows you to solve any design problem. Before you paint the liquid wallpaper with water-based paint, you can find the right shade in the tinting table. You can also create any shades with your own hands using various pigments;
- painting walls and ceilings does not take much time. Serious professional skills are not needed for this work, even a beginner finisher can easily cope with painting. The cost of materials is low, so this way you can often update the interior.
Negative sides of painting:
- The texture of fresh liquid wallpaper resembles a soft and silky fabric. When processing it with paints and varnishes, this feature disappears. Also, patterns formed during leveling of the material disappear - the paint levels the contrast;
- after applying paintwork, the possibility of removing liquid wallpaper from the base disappears. The paint forms a strong film, penetrating into the material, preventing the dismantling with a spatula;
- colorful compositions with excessive water content can destroy the base layer, as liquid trellis absorbs moisture greatly. Apply water dispersion compositions for finishing such surfaces with extreme caution.