How to Paint Over Dark Walls

Steps For Painting Over Dark Walls With A Light Color

Over the past few months I have been painting over dark walls in my home. I loved this dark green color, but after 8 years, I wanted to see a change. I am going much lighter and brighter. I knew that because I was going to be painting over it with a much lighter paint, I would have to take an extra step in the painting process to make sure that when I rolled the new color on the wall, it would not change color due to the original, dark green base paint color.
 
How to Paint Over Dark Walls
Before painting, fill holes with filler, then sand* smooth.
Step 1

Sanding and patching a wall

Step 1

Before painting, fill holes with filler, then sand* smooth.
When painting over dark walls with light paint colors, use a white primer. Using a primer will help to ensure that your color comes out true when dry, with no dark base color muting a light one or a light base color making it impossible to get bold color coverage. Using primer also lessens the need for additional coats of paint to get complete coverage.


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Step 2

Glidden Paint Primer

Step 2

When painting over dark walls with light paint colors, use a white primer. Using a primer will help to ensure that your color comes out true when dry, with no dark base color muting a light one or a light base color making it impossible to get bold color coverage. Using primer also lessens the need for additional coats of paint to get complete coverage.


Find Paint Primer
When rolling the paint on the wall, roll in large, wide “M” or “W” shapes. When re-loading the roller, make sure to roll in on the slanted part of the paint tray to remove some of the paint. This will help to avoid roller lines in the paint finish. Let dry.
 
Step 3

Applying Primer with W shape

Step 3

When rolling the paint on the wall, roll in large, wide “M” or “W” shapes. When re-loading the roller, make sure to roll in on the slanted part of the paint tray to remove some of the paint. This will help to avoid roller lines in the paint finish. Let dry.
 
Add a second coat to areas in which you can still see any of the previous color through the primer. Let dry.
 
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Step 4

Glidden Primer on wall

Step 4

Add a second coat to areas in which you can still see any of the previous color through the primer. Let dry.
 
​Now the walls were ready to paint them with a new, fresh paint color choice. You can see how following the steps I outlined, gave me the result I wanted. 

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Step 5

Glidden paint in laundry room

Step 5

​Now the walls were ready to paint them with a new, fresh paint color choice. You can see how following the steps I outlined, gave me the result I wanted. 

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