Whether you move into a home where the previous owner favored dark colors, or you attempted a new darker color and decided it was too dark, the need to repaint might be in order. Now that you want a lighter color, you might find it’s not easy covering a dark or bold color with a lighter or softer colored paint. Don’t worry. You’re not stuck with it. However, you may need to take a few extra steps to go from a dark or bold color to a lighter, softer color. L.W. Winslow Painting, Inc will share how to cover dark colors with lighter colored paint in your home.

Paint Preparation

Before applying the first drop of primer or paint, some preparation is needed. Like any paint job, make such to scrape off any loose paint chips and repair the hole or divots in the walls. Additionally, wipe the wall down with a damp cloth to remove any dust or dirt. Dust will cause bubbling in the new coat of paint and look awful, so make sure the wall is clean before you prime it.

Use Primer to Cover Dark Paint

Often when a homeowner attempts to paint over a darker color the dark color seems to still bleed through the top layer of paint and ruin your new desired color. When the dark color bleeds through, it doesn’t just alter the top color. The wall will also look unevenly painted or streaks will show through and it looks bad. Before you begin painting over a darker color you will first want to cover the wall with a primer. A primer provides three essential functions.
1. The primer will seal and protect the wall from future water damage and other elements.
2. Covers the previous color and prevents the undercoat from altering or bleeding through your new color.
3. The primer also acts as an adhesion to help the new paint stick to the wall better.

Add Gray Tint to Primer Before Painting

Another trick used by professionals is to add a tint to the primer when painting over a dark or really bold color like red. Most professionals will use a gray tint or a color similar to the new color paint. By adding a tint to the primer, you can cover the darker color more efficiently. You may need to apply two coat of primer if you’re covering super dark colors such as black, and dark red, blues, and greens.

Paint & Primer in One VS Separate

There are now many paint brands that offer a primer paint combo to help remove the extra step of priming the wall first. However, when dealing with super dark colors you may want to avoid using those types of paints, or still use a stand-alone primer first then use the paint primer combo next. You will notice by putting a little extra work into covering the darker color with the primer, will make all the difference. Darker colors of paint are often best used as accent colors versus primary colors. In most cases, dark colors make a room feel closed in and cramped. Never use dark colors in small rooms for this reasons.

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If you need help repainting your home and covering up some bold or dark color, L.W. Winslow Painting, Inc can help. We provide expert services and can repaint your home or commercial building to perfection. To schedule our services, contact L.W. Winslow Painting, Inc today!