Eggshell paint is known for its low amount of sheen and its soft glossy finish.
Paints don’t adhere well to eggshell paint finish as the finish has a soft glossy finish that prevents penetration or adhesion.
You can paint over eggshell paint finish, but you must either sand or prime its glossy finish first. Sanding will remove the finish, while the primer will cover it and provide a smooth coating for the new paint to adhere.
Do Paints Adhere to Eggshell Paint?
Paints don’t adhere well to eggshell paint finish because the finish has a soft glossy appearance that prevents paint penetration or adhesion. You must either sand the glossy layer off or remove the entire finish before applying new paint.
Eggshell paint isn’t a high-gloss finish, but it contains more sheen (gloss) than flat or matte paint. When dry, it forms a soft glossy top layer that repels small amounts of liquids.
The eggshell paint soft glossy finish prevents paints from penetrating or adhering to it.
However, topical paints or sealers can adhere over an eggshell paint finish directly. Topical paints or sealers, such as polyurethane, don’t need to penetrate a coating to adhere.
Can You Paint over an Eggshell Paint Finish?
You can paint over an eggshell paint finish, but you must either sand the glossy layer off, apply primer, or remove the paint finish first.
Sanding will remove the glossy layer and create tiny pores (holes) in the paint coating that the new can paint penetrate and adhere to. Primer will cover the eggshell glossy finish and provide a smooth coating for the paint to adhere to.
If the eggshell paint is sealed, you must remove the sealer coating before painting over it. Sealers create a water-resistant and hard layer over the finish that prevents penetration or adhesion.
If the eggshell paint is damaged, you must repair the finish first before painting over it.
Can You Paint Over Eggshell Paint Without Sanding or Priming?
You can’t paint over eggshell paint without sanding or priming as the paint has a glossy topcoat that you must sand off or cover with a primer coating. If you don’t sand or prime the glossy topcoat, the new paint can’t penetrate the coating and won’t adhere.
You don’t need to sand and prime the paint finish, choose one of them. Sand the paint finish if it’s riddled with imperfections or sealed. Prime the paint finish if it’s in good condition and isn’t sealed.
Before painting over eggshell paint you must apply primer for the following reasons.
- If the paint finish is damaged.
- Use stain-blocking primer if the paint finish is stained, wet, or exposed to constant moisture.
- If you want to change the color shade of the finish.
- If the finish is dirty or filthy.
How To Paint Over Eggshell Paint?
To paint over eggshell paint, do the following things.
- Clean the Paint Finish.
- Sand the Paint Finish.
- Apply Primer.
- Apply the New Paint.
The tools you need for this project are listed below.
- Sandpaper
- Clean rags
- Primer
- A gallon of paint
- Rubbing alcohol or TSD
- A paint bucket
- Lacquer thinner
1. Clean the Paint Finish
Clean the paint finish to remove dirt, dust, or grease that can prevent the new paint coating from adhering. If you clean the paint finish, the dirt and dust will prevent the new paint from penetrating the coating and adhering.
To clean an eggshell paint finish, do the following things.
- Use a solvent-based paint cleaner, such as a degrease (TSD) or warm soapy water.
- Damp a clean rag with the paint cleaner.
- Use the dampened rag to wipe and clean the finish.
- Allow the finish to dry.
2. Sand the Paint Finish
Sand the eggshell paint finish with fine-grit sandpaper (220-grit) to remove its soft glossy topcoat. Don’t use coarse-grit or medium-grit sandpaper as it can remove the entire finish, unless that’s what you want.
Eggshell paint has a soft glossy finish that is easily removed by sandpaper.
If the eggshell paint is sealed, use medium-grit sandpaper (100-grit) to remove the sealer and paint glossy topcoat. You can also use a paint-stripping compound to remove the sealer topcoat.
After removing the glossy topcoat, use extra fine-grit sandpaper (440-grit) to smoothen out the surface, remove imperfections or bumps, and make it paint-ready.
3. Apply Primer
Apply two (2) primer coatings to cover the eggshell paint’s glossy finish and create a smooth coating for the new paint to adhere to. If you sand the eggshell paint, applying a primer is optional but it helps with paint adhesion.
If the paint finish is wet or exposed to water, use stain-blocking primer as it prevents moisture from bleeding through the paint coating.
4. Apply The New Paint
Apply 2-3 paint coats over the eggshell paint. Wait until one coat dries before applying the next. The exact paint coat number depends on how thick the eggshell finish is. The thicker the existing finish is, the fewer paint coats you need.
Seal the paint finish to increase its durability. The sealer will create a glossy moisture-resistant coating over the finish and protect it from moisture, water, scratches, and other damage.
Can You Paint Over Eggshell Finish With Different Paint Types?
Flat Paint
You can’t apply flat paint over eggshell finish without sanding or priming the finish first. The glossy finish will prevent flat paint from adhering.
Chalk Paint
You can’t paint over eggshell paint with chalk paint. Chalk paint has impressive adhesive qualities, but it can’t adhere to a glossy finish unless you sand it.
Semi-Gloss Paint
You can’t apply semi-gloss paint over eggshell paint without sanding its glossy finish first.
Satin Paint
You can’t apply satin paint over eggshell paint without sanding and priming first.
High-Gloss Paint
You can apply high-gloss paint over eggshell paint. But, it’s best to remove the finish first as high-gloss paint is reflective and will reveal the underlying surface imperfections.
Wax
You can apply wax over eggshell paint finishes as wax is a topical finish and doesn’t need to penetrate a surface to adhere.
Oil-based Paint
You can apply oil-based paint over the eggshell finish, but you must either sand or prime the finish first.
Oil-based paints can go over eggshell paint, but you must sand the existing first. That’s because oil-based paints can’t stay over a slick or glossy finish.
Water-based Paint
You can apply water-based paint over the eggshell finish, but you must sand and prime the finish first. Also, water-based paint isn’t durable and you must seal the finish after you apply it.
