How to Paint Over Ralph Lauren Suede Paint

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Things You'll Need

  • Premixed joint compound

  • 12-inch taping knife

  • Mud pan

  • Metal sanding head

  • Telescoping painter's pole

  • Drop cloths

  • Blue tape

  • Screwdriver

  • Polyester paintbrush

  • Tinted primer

  • Latex paint

Paint over a suede finish for a new look.

Ralph Lauren suede paint is a lavish, decorative faux finish that closely resembles the natural appearance of suede leather. Suede paint may look luxurious to one person but over the top to another. Home decor styles change and you may eventually decide to paint over the suede faux finish. Repainting a suede-painted wall requires slightly atypical paint preparation in order to restore the wall to its original state. Suede paint is relatively smooth to the touch, but the brush technique leaves an uneven paint texture on the surface.

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Step 1

Open a plastic container of premixed joint compound. Scoop joint compound out of the container with a 12-inch taping knife, and fill the bottom of the mud pan with approximately a 1-inch layer of compound.

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Step 2

Scoop the joint compound out of the mud pan with the 12-inch taping knife. Scoop out enough compound to fill the bottom of the knife but without compound falling from the edges of the knife. Hold the taping knife at a 45-degree angle and pull the knife in a downward motion to spread the compound over the wall. Skim coat the walls until the knife is bare and in need of additional compound.

Step 3

Screw a metal sanding head onto a telescoping painter's pole and sand the skim-coated walls from top to bottom. Sand the walls from corner to corner in even sections. Inspect the walls for unevenness and apply additional joint compound where necessary.

Step 4

Cover the floors with drop cloths. Tape the baseboards and molding edges with blue painter's tape and unscrew the electrical outlet covers and switch plates with the screwdriver.

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Step 5

Dip a polyester paintbrush into a container of water-based primer, tinted to the color of the chosen paint. Brush in the wall corners and ceilings edges with the primer. Lightly apply primer above the taped edges of the baseboards.

Step 6

Screw a paint roller handle onto a telescoping painter's pole. Dip the paint roller into a bucket of water-based primer and roll the primer onto the walls. Reroll areas with accidental paint buildup, using a dry roller. Allow the primer to dry.

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Step 7

Dunk a clean polyester paintbrush into a container of latex paint. Fill in the corners, cut in the ceiling edges and brush around window and door frames.

Step 8

Saturate a clean paint roller in a container of latex paint and roll the walls. Apply the paint in even sections, starting in one corner and working toward the opposite corner. Allow the paint to dry and apply a second coat to attain the true paint color.

Tip

Store the outlet covers and screws in a plastic bag for safekeeping. Choose a paint in a flat finish to camouflage wall imperfections left over from the suede paint.

Warning

Do not paint over uncured suede paint. If the suede paint is fresh, read the re-coat recommendations noted on the product's label.

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