I didn’t realize that there was no primer on a room in my house, and I have now put three coats of latex paint on it, and it still hasn’t covered well. What can I do? The main problem is brush marks. The room was originally white, and I painted it a orange/red color. -Joanne

Hi Joanne,

I’d start by changing from a brush to a roller, since a roller will do a much better job of covering a large wall area than a brush, and it’s a lot faster as well.

As for the paint, if the walls were previously painted white, there usually isn’t a problem covering over it with a different wall color without applying a primer if you use high quality paint. The same can’t be said for trying to paint over dark or brightly colored walls, which usually do require a stain blocking primer to prevent the old color from bleed through.

The problem could be with the paint you are using. It could be defective, old, or a low quality paint that doesn’t cover well.

Another option is to try priming an inconspicuous spot, let it dry, then paint over it to see if that helps. If so, go back and prime all the walls with a stain blocking primer. To allow your wall paint to cover better, have the paint store tint the primer so it’s a closer match to the finish paint.

Good luck with your project,

Further Information

• Homeowner’s Guide to Paint Primer
• How to Paint a Room Like a Pro
• Interior and Exterior House Painting Tips

Tags: , bleed, brush, cover, paint, primer, roller

4 Comments on “Problems with New Wall Paint Covering over Old Paint”

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1. Sylvi Salinas Says:
   June 6th, 2010 at 2:45 pm

   I have a rip in my ceiling caused by water damage years ago. The leak has long since been sealed but the ceiling never repaired.

   I recently had my ceiling re-painted (finally) but this did not address the rip issue because the paint is bubbling along the rip line.

   Is hot-patching the ripped area in the ceiling the solution?

2. Andy Kay Says:
   January 30th, 2011 at 9:50 pm

   Finishing existing white woodwork with Valspar White Semi-gloss with primer additive. Brush strokes drag upon application. Working on the third coat in order to cover properly. Could it be the primer additive that is causing the problem?
   Thanks,

3. rosita augustine Says:
   November 1st, 2011 at 3:30 pm

   my fridge moved out so i was going to paint in the back while it was out, i used the wrong color grey & when i moved it back i messed it up by going out 2 far so i went & got the right grey color & painted but is darker then my other walls, need 2 be lighter how can i make my paint lighter…… help

4. Barb Says:
   December 25th, 2011 at 11:40 am

   How do we paint over varnishes wood work.

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