To paint over a dark colour, prepare the wall, apply one coat of primer in a light tone, then two coats of your new colour. The primer does the heavy lifting: it blocks out the depth of the old shade so your new colour does not have to, and it saves you from the fourth and fifth coats that come from trying to cover navy or charcoal with topcoat alone.
It is a job that rewards a little patience. Most of the disappointment we hear about, patchy walls and a ghost of the old colour showing through, comes from skipping the primer or rushing the second coat. Here is the approach that works with each of the brands we stock.
Photo Credit: Farrow & Ball; Colour Used: Railings (31)
Why dark colours are hard to cover
A deep colour such as Railings (31) or Hicks' Blue (208) is heavily pigmented, and pale paints are, by their nature, light on pigment. Put a soft white straight over navy and the first coat will look grey and streaky, the second a little better, and you may still see the old colour in raking light after a third.
Coverage figures on a tin assume a reasonable starting point. Farrow & Ball note that additional coats may be required depending on the surface and topcoat colour, and that a dramatic colour change affects how far the paint goes. A light primer evens out the base so that your topcoats behave as they should.
Choose the right primer
- Farrow & Ball. Use Wall & Ceiling Primer & Undercoat in the tone recommended for your new colour. Farrow & Ball make it in four tones (White & Light Tones, Mid Tones, Red & Warm Tones and Dark Tones), and the right one is listed on each colour's product page and on the back of the colour card. Going from dark to light, that will usually be White & Light Tones. Their system is one coat of primer followed by two coats of topcoat.
- Little Greene. The Intelligent finishes are self-priming and normally go straight on, but a big jump from dark to light is exactly when Little Greene suggest their Intelligent ASP. Little Greene recommend one or two full coats for a bold colour change, and it can be tinted towards your new colour to help build an even base.
- Paint & Paper Library. Their Architects' All Surface Primer is a primer undercoat for interior and exterior surfaces, and gives the Architects' finishes a consistent starting point over a strong old colour.
Step by step
- Check the surface. Fill cracks and holes, sand the filler smooth, and lightly sand any areas with a sheen so the primer can grip.
- Clean. Wash with sugar soap, rinse with clean water and leave to dry completely.
- Cut in and prime. Apply one even coat of primer. Do not try to cover the old colour completely in one heavy coat; a full, even coat is what matters.
- Let it dry properly. Follow the drying time on the tin. Little Greene give a drying time of 1 to 2 hours for Intelligent ASP and advise letting it dry thoroughly before the topcoat goes on.
- First topcoat. Apply your new colour, keeping a wet edge and working one wall at a time.
- Second topcoat. Once dry, a second coat gives full depth and an even finish. Look at the wall in daylight before deciding whether it needs more.
Photo Credit: Little Greene; Colours Used: Slaked Lime (105), Juniper Ash (115), Vulcan (324)
How many coats to expect
For most dark to light changes, one coat of the right primer and two topcoats is enough. Very strong reds, deep blues and near-blacks such as Vulcan (324) are the most stubborn, and the very palest whites are the least forgiving, so plan for the possibility of a third topcoat or a second coat of primer. It is better to order a little extra than to run short halfway through a wall, as paint is mixed to order and a second batch takes time.
If you would rather avoid the starkest contrast, choose a soft, slightly deeper off-white for your new colour. School House White (291) or Slaked Lime (105) feel less stark than a very pure white beside dark floors or furniture, and still read as light and fresh.
Woodwork and furniture
The same principle applies to dark skirting, doors and painted furniture. Sand to a dull key, clean, prime in a light tone and finish with two coats of eggshell or satin. For furniture, our guide to painting IKEA furniture explains when Intelligent ASP is worth adding and when the topcoat can go straight on.
Questions we are often asked
Can I just use more coats of topcoat?
You can, but it usually takes more paint, more time and more money than a coat of primer, and the result is rarely as even.
Do I need a primer for dark to dark?
Moving between two deep colours is far easier. Farrow & Ball still recommend their primer in the tone listed for your new colour, often Dark Tones. With Little Greene's Intelligent range, two coats straight over a sound surface is usually enough.
Should I test first?
Yes. Paint a sample pot onto a board and hold it against the old colour, so you are judging the new shade fairly and not against the dark wall around it.
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Intelligent ASP · Wall & Ceiling Primer & Undercoat · Architects' ASP
