Talk me through painting internal doors white so they stay white...

[Curiousthinker]

I've used Leyland trade white paint on walls and looks fab.

Heard oil based gloss goes yellow, for internal woodwork. Looking to paint internal doors bare woodwork at moment), skirting boards and banisters for stairs (latter 2 are white but not painted in years).

Could you talk me through most efficient method to getting them to stay white without streaks?

Can i use a Leyland paint again? Water based paint? Synthetic brush? Lightly sand before and use 2 coats? Dilute paint slightly or it will streak?

(Read this online ^ Not sure which true)

Please advise...

Bare wood will have better result if you put on a coat of undercoat/primer. I use water based silk finish, the low fume. Brain's a bit fuddled this evening, I'll be back tomorrow with more if nobody else jumps in.

I use pure white satinwood and it never goes yellow unlike gloss.

However, its not as tough as gloss - unless you get dulux trade diamond.

Thank God, someone with a functioning brain has turned up! Satinwood, that's the stuff I was thinking of.

Water based, simple as that. Oil based goes yellow, water based doesn’t. It’s not about gloss vs satin/eggshell, it’s about water based vs satin based.

oops . water vs oil based.

I used eggshell. One coat of primer, lightly sanded, then one coat of white eggshell. Was going to do a second coat but one was fine.

Zinser 123 primer is great. You don't need to sand - though I would obvious imperfections. The blue one is good and low odour. The red one is great but a bit smaller. Then satinwood.

Smellier not smaller!

Our satinwood hasn’t gone yellow in 3 years but it can get very tacky which means it gets dirty and is annoying to touch

Skirtings and banisters, thorough clean, light sand, wipe down again. Don't dilute the paint. People sometimes do this for priming raw wood. If you like Leyland, then use that, I've never tried it. If you use the undercoat, make sure that it's compatible with whatever you paint on top of it. I've used the zinser paint too. You can try your paint in an inconspicuous corner, or on one banister, before doing the whole lot.

I used Johnstones egg shell 6 years ago & it’s still white. I used primer & two top coats

It was oil based paint.

It does depend how much light the woodwork gets. Oil based white woodwork won’t yellow where it gets plenty of light on it. But if you have a dark area or a section behind some furniture, that’s where the woodwork would yellow if using oil based.

I use Zinsser Bulls Eye 123 primer available from Screwfix here I agree with the reviews.

Then Valspar gloss which is water based. Off the shelf in B&Q.

I used this over the last 5 years and my woodwork is pristine white.

As a precaution I would probably use knotting solution to seal any knots in the wood as they tend to leak sap which is why they bleed through paint and leave a yellow mark. It is probably overkill but a good result is all about the preparation.

I tend to leave brushes in an old glass coffee jar filled with water up to the ferrule (the metal bit) so that just the bristles are in the water between coats rather than wrapping in clingfilm. Then squeeze out by hand and blot on kitchen roll before next coat.

Can anyone recommend how to avoid the tacky feeling you get with the satinwood or silk paints? I think we used Dulux. It gets tackiest in the height of summer in certain areas that are touched a lot (eg knobs on the stairs, near door handles). This paint finish seems to attract the dirt, while gloss doesn’t. It’s been done 3.5 years and although it’s still pristine white (apart from the dirt- which can be cleaned) it’s not any better in finish.

^ it was satinwood we used on woodwork instead of gloss (silk was ceilings). I remember we used the proper primer (we were painting 50 year old doors and skirting if that makes a difference).

I've used Wickes trade eggshell (oil-based) and won't be using anything else in the future. Goes on well, thick but no runs. Smooth finish and MUCH tougher than satinwood.

I've been very happy with Ronseal water-based satinwood paint. Claims to be one coat - it isn't but has stayed very white and is very hard wearing.