Painting Over Gloss Without Sanding: Pro Tips

Are you thinking of going for a new color on the walls but it has a glossy paint over it? If that’s the case then lucky for you because we have the perfect solution to your problem. We’ll teach you how to paint over gloss. But the best part is we’ll show you a way where you won’t have to use sandpaper at all.

So, what are the steps in painting over gloss without sanding?

To paint over glossy paint you need to prepare the walls first. And for that, you need to wash the walls with sugar soap. Then apply a primer and emulsion on it. And once they have dried up you’ll have the green signal to apply the glossy paint.

Still, confused about what we’re talking about? Then stay tuned. Because we’ll explain everything in detail to you.

All the essentials

Hold on. Before we start rumbling about the process let’s take a look at all the items you’ll need. You see, having all the items close by will ensure that you work faster and more efficiently.

So, here is the list. Grab them up so that you can start the journey.

Items-

• Sugar soap. Primer. Quick Pick: Dulux Trade 1 Litre Super Grip Primer.

• Paintbrush. Purdy 144400340 XL ( Best Paint Brush For Walls )

• Paint.

Here is the list of the best primer for high gloss paint :

1. KILZ Original Interior Oil-Based Primer/Sealer.
2. Rust-Oleum Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer.

Painting over gloss without sanding in 5 easy steps

Alright. Time to reveal the curtain. Here are all the steps needed to paint over gloss without sanding. Drumrolls. Let’s start.

Step 1- Wash the walls with sugar soap

Firstly, you have to wash the walls properly. This will ensure that the wall is dirt free and clean. Then you’ll be able to paint without the inference of any sort of dirt.

So, to wash up the walls you need sugar soap. And no it’s not the soap we use in our bath. It’s a chemical cleaner that gets all the dirt out of walls and is specially used before painting.

Here is a nice video guide on how to make sugar soap for painting.

Hence, use it to thoroughly clean the walls, and then you can head over to the next step.

Step 2- Apply a primer over the wall

Once the wall is dirt free you have to apply a primer on it. Now, it’s a given rule to apply primer before painting. 

However, when you’re planning on painting over glossy paints it’s crucial that you use a primer that can provide a good grip for the paint. Otherwise, the new paint won’t stick.

And you’ll have to waste your time by applying several layers of primer. So, it’s best to buy a good one so that with one layer your work is done.

Step 3- Wait for the primer to dry

Next up is the test of patience. By that, we mean that you have to wait for the primer to dry. Now, it depends on which primer you used on your wall.

But if used a latex-based primer your wall will be dried up in 30 minutes. But for an oil-based primer, it might take a full day to dry.

So, it’s best to go over the instructions that come along with the primer. And use that to get an estimation of the waiting hours.

Step 4- Apply the paint that you desire

Afterward, you have the green signal to apply the paint that you want. You see, the primer will be enough to ensure that new paint will stick on the walls.

Otherwise, the glossy surface will only reject whatever paint you want to put on it. Moreover, priming is easier and less time consuming than sanding. So, once that’s done you’ll have a canvas to paint over.

Step 5- Wait for the paint to dry

Lastly, you need to wait for the paint to dry. You don’t want to stick your hand on the wall and see a huge layer of paint coming off from it.

So, give it a day to dry up. And you’ll have an amazingly painted wall to enhance the beauty of your house.

Related Questions

Question: Can I paint over high gloss paint?

Answer: Yes, it’s possible to paint over high gloss paint. However, you cannot grab a paintbrush and start covering the high gloss paint with another type of paint. You have to prepare the surface and make it ready so that it can adjust to the new changes. To do this you can semi-gloss enamel.

Here is the best primer for semi-gloss paint: KILZ Original Interior Primer.

Question: Can you paint over gloss without an undercoat?

Answer: No, you should always apply an undercoat when you want to paint over gloss. That’s a must-do job because it provides the base. And this base allows the paint to grab onto something. Basically, it provides a sticky surface for the paint to stick on.

Question: How do you prep gloss walls for painting?

Answer: To ensure that the gloss wall is ready to be painted over you need to prep the walls first. And you can do this by using sandpaper. A few scrubs with the sandpaper will smoothen out the wall. Then when you paint you’ll be able to glide over the wall smoothly.

Question: Can you paint gloss over matt walls?

Answer: Yes, it’s absolutely possible to paint gloss over matt walls. However, you need to ensure that the walls have good adhesion. Otherwise, the paint won’t stick properly and will keep on slipping down the walls.

Question: Do you need a primer for gloss paint?

Answer: Yes, a good primer is crucial before you start painting gloss paint. So, make sure you don’t skip out on that step.

To sum up

Well, that’s all we have on painting over gloss without sandpaper. We hope the entire process is crystal clear by now.

In case it isn’t, leave a comment below. We’ll try to help you out in any way that we can.

With that said and done we’ll end our little article here. Hope you had a good read. Stay safe. Bye-bye!