Painting knotty pine?

KnowOneSpecial · #1 09/13/11, 10:32 PM

We have an older farmhouse and the whole upstairs is done in knotty pine. There isn't a single square inch that isn't knotty pine. It's all over up there.

DH and I have decided to switch bedrooms with one of the kids and I really don't want a knotty pine bedroom. My idea is to paint it a lovely Americuna Egg Green and decorate it in a cottage theme. (And yes, I plan on taking an egg into Hone Depot and letting them match it!)

So has anyone painted over knotty pine? There's a gloss on it, so I'm wondering if I need to buy a quality sander and prepare to become one with it or what.

Ideas?

Fae · #2 09/13/11, 11:06 PM

I would definitely think you need to get rid of the varnish on it in order to paint it but, if I had knotty pine in my house I would never paint it. I had a house like that and loved it. I know everyone is different and it will probably be beautiful done as you are planning. Good luck with it and if you do it be sure to post pictures for us. I love seeing what everyone does to their house.

ErinP · #3 09/13/11, 11:20 PM

Personally, I'd split the difference.

I love the look of knotty pine, but I wouldn't be able to stand all of that WOOD color. lol I'd go with a milk paint so that it just color washes and the character of the wood can still come through a bit.

That said, yes, you'll need to sand the walls a bit to get the varnish off.

bignugly · #4 09/13/11, 11:31 PM

Only need to lightly sand so primer will stick to it. Use Killz primer because it covers a multitude of things and surfaces. I would try it in a small less noticeable place to see but should work. Then paint whatever color you like.

willow_girl · #5 09/13/11, 11:32 PM

Yes, sand it a bit. It should turn out fine.

I had an office once in an old building and the walls were knotty pine. But they were really gnarly -- years of having thumbtacks, etc., stuck in them. They looked bad!

I had them painted a light sage green ... was very happy with the way it looked.

Alice In TX/MO · #6 09/14/11, 04:39 AM

You might want to panel over it rather than destroy the value of that wood. Future owners of that home might realize the treasure there.

pheasantplucker · #7 09/14/11, 05:31 AM

Knotty pine is a treasure...I'd drywall over it...that way if you ever change your mind, or sell it, there will be the option of having all that beautiful wood.

Yvonne's hubby · #8 09/14/11, 07:19 AM

To me painting knotty pine would be a bit like spray painting graffiti over the Mona Lisa.... why on earth would anybody deliberately destroy the value of their own home?

That being said, the varnish will need to be removed if you expect to get a quality paint job. The knots themselves will most likely present some problems due to the end grain and pitch bleeding through the paint.

KnowOneSpecial · #9 09/14/11, 07:40 AM

Here's my thing with knotty pine....I hate it. It's all over up there. I feel like I'm walking into a 1950's vacation house in the Poconos when I go up there.

It has no value to me and I plan on being here for a long time. I'm only doing one room so a hallway and two other bedrooms will still have it.

But when the ceilings have the same color paneling it gets to be TOO MUCH!

HermitJohn · #10 09/14/11, 08:52 AM

Not to worry, some of us have same dislike towards drywall. Especially textured drywall! Tear it out and put up knotty pine. Oh wait, knotty pine would cost a fortune if you could find it..... But plenty more toxic Chinese drywall out there!

lenii · #11 09/14/11, 08:58 AM

Your color sounds great. Updating is a good thing...sand, prime, paint and post pictures...

belladulcinea · #12 09/14/11, 09:01 AM

There is a gloss remover by Rustoleum that you wipe on and off. We are getting ready to paint our bathroom cabinets and it came with the kit but you can buy it seperately too. I like knotty pine but you can have too much of a good thing sometimes! Mine is cedar on several walls!

Queen Bee · #13 09/14/11, 09:09 AM

I painted our farm house pine paneling. It had 'ghost' pictures EVERYWHERE.. in the strangest places---and I HATED it... So, I used a sander--just to scuff up the wall, used 2 coats of a good primer and applied two coats of paint... It is holding up very well and have not had any knots leak thru.

Lada · #14 09/14/11, 12:00 PM

We have knotty pine ceilings in our log cabin. It's a lot of wood, but it's broken up with drywall in some rooms/ceilings. I love the wood look, but I wouldn't want it everywhere.

francismilker · #15 09/14/11, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

You might want to panel over it rather than destroy the value of that wood. Future owners of that home might realize the treasure there.

I"m with this suggestion but if you want to paint it I'd mask up and ventilate the area well. Then, I'd spray, (not roll) a coat of oil based primer on top of the varnish. It will mix well with the oil based laquer and then you can cover that with whatever latex color you want.

I've seen some nightmare looking paintjobs evolve from folks trying to cover laquer with latex based primers and paints.

Before you do any of this you should rough up the surfaces lightly with a piece of scotch brite or fine sandpaper. Just my two cents here.

wanda1950 · #16 09/14/11, 01:55 PM

Check with your paint store. There are primers that will make paint stick to almost anything and I'd sure rather paint it on than having to sand or rub the whole area. I'm with you, wood is nice but not everywhere.

ronbre · #17 09/14/11, 04:58 PM

i would wash it down well with an amonia based cleaner to get all of the dust and dirt off and then put a really really good primer on it to seal out any stains...before painting.

remember to match your type of primer to your type of paint.

clamjane · #18 09/14/11, 07:03 PM

Hi all, I don't post much but I just asked my painter brother how to do this. He suggested you get a good oil primer sealer. Then you can paint over it with latex.

I'd try that in one spot to see how well it worked before I'd sand the place.

Parttimefarmer · #19 09/14/11, 07:23 PM

Oil based primer. You need lots of venting, like for a week, but it's the only thing I have found to stop the knots from bleeding.

wanda1950 · #20 09/14/11, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bignugly

Only need to lightly sand so primer will stick to it. Use Killz primer because it covers a multitude of things and surfaces. I would try it in a small less noticeable place to see but should work. Then paint whatever color you like.

Yes!!! Killz--I couldn't remember the name. I used it when I wanted to paint some old shiny paneling and it turned out really well. Didn't sand at all; only washed down the paneling so it was clean, then Killz. But like you say, I'd try it on a small place first to be sure.