Decorator (or good DIY person)'s advice needed please! Gloss paint problem question.

[dragonmother]

A decorator has painted our door with gloss paint. The paint has wrinkled badly and took days to dry in places - not everywhere.

It has been over a week and underneath the surface in some areas it's still not quite dry.

The decorator says there is something wrong with the paint. The paint supplier (Sanderson) says it was probably applied too thickly.

Who might be right?

And what can we do now to get rid of this gloopy paint? The decorator reckons he'll have to strip it off and is wanting to charge extra.

Surely if it had been applied too thickly there would be drip marks all over it?

What was underneath? Sounds like the paint was applied too thickly and has slumped unless the surface has had some kind of coating which has affected the drying time.
I'd get another decorator to come have a look and give you their 3rd party opinion.

Sounds like it was too thick and the surface has air dried but the underneath hasn't and then couldn't run as it was held back slightly by the surface.

I hope that makes sense

If I post a photo in my gallery would that help work out what happened?

I am loathe to pay quite a lot extra for this guy to strip the paint if it was his fault to start with!

I agree with kbaby.

Unless the surfaces were not cleaned properly and were e.g. in a kitchen with a film of oily dirt on them, or a bar with a film of tobacco film. Or possibly if it had previously treated with a varnish or stain which might be incompatible.

I am assuming you do not live in an old house that has not been redecorated since 1939 and still has linseed-oil paint on the woodwork.

It would be interesting to know what sort of paint it was (oil or water) and what undercoat (if any) was applied first, and how long that was left to dry.

I don't think anything in the first two paragraphs of your post applies Piglet - it's the front door, no odd paint underneath as far as I know.

With undercoat, I don't think he applied any. He sanded down then applied the first coat which was as far as he got because it went odd on him.

It was Sanderson gloss paint which is oil-based I think.

What will be the best way of him (or maybe someone else now as I'm not sure I trust him not to trash the very expensive to replace door!) removing the paint then? It's too thick to sand by hand so he'd need to machine sand it or use stripper I guess?

It it is still soft underneath, it will come off with a metal scraper, and probably white spirit to remove the remaining sticky stuff. It wil be a rather horrible job.

I think you are right to be suspicious of the previous painter. Although non-drip gloss goes on rather thick, most professionals will not use it as it is slow to apply, and they get a better finish with liquid paint. They generally prefer Trade paint which is not a cheap version as you might think, but one that is quick to apply but needs good technique. Ordinary liquid paint wil not go on thick without drips and runs, unless two coats were applied in quick succession before the preceding one was dry. Non-drip is however useful fore plastic goods like waste pipes.

You can get away with one topcoat over old gloss only if it is the same colour, and there are no patches exposed during preparation and rubbing down. If either of these apply, it is usual to apply undercoat, which is better at obliterating than gloss, and is quicker and easier to dry and rub down before the topcoat.

See if you can get recommendations of a good local tradesman from friends or neighbours. Have a look at the quality of finish on their house before you take their word for it.

At this time of year good tradesmen will be very busy as they can be painting external doors and windows, which can't be done in cold or wet. If your door is shielded from the rain by a porch or something, you may find one willing to put it on his wait-list and pop round on a rainy day.

Thanks Piglet - much appreciated.

Should I take the hit and start again with a different decorator or get the same guy back to sort it out but risk him trashing my very expensive wood front door??

Get a good one instead of the one who messed it up.

IMO if he was capable of doing a good job, he would have done.

Thanks Piglet - excellent advice as ever (seen you on here before - great to have a proper experienced in these matters person around).