Fed up. Paint already chipping.

[millythepink]

Painted our Welsh dresser last week using the Valspar Premium eggshell paint. It looks lovely but I've noticed it's already starting to chip. I thought eggshell was meant to be hard wearing?

Is there a matt clear varnish that I can use on top of the paint that is really hardwearing? Not sure if I can trust the adverts for Ronseal and the like because the chap at B&G assured me that premium eggshell will not chip.

Did you use a primer first?

Many years ago I painted a cabinet in black and white to get a zebra finish an it looked fabulous but I didn’t use a primer and the paint did chip off.

As this was in the 1980s I can’t remember exactly what I did to remedy but diluted PVA glue is ringing a bell.

Did you prep the dresser first? Sand it, undercoat, sand it, top coat? Gloss stands up better than eggshell/satin for cleaning etc, but neither will last well if you don't start with a clean surface. The chances are that the dresser had polish or grease on it and you need to sand to provide a bit of a 'key' for the paint.

Don't know about Ronseal, but I'll be interested in the answer. I can only get the shade I want for my front-door in satin and I don't think it'll be as hardwearing.

Isn’t Valspar supposed to have absolutely gone to shit or is it ringing bells for a different reason?