Rubbing alcohol will soften latex.

Casey

I had this problem in my bathroom. Or rather, the worse version of the problem, in which the previous owner painted latex over oil and I had to deal with the consequences (peeling paint). Actually, I hired someone to deal with the consequences because that was one job I didn't want to DIY.

It boils down to priming with the right primer. Sorry, I don't have a recommendation, as I left it to the pros.

You can always paint a small area of latex over the trim. Let it harden a few days and check to see if it comes off too easily. You may even have trouble getting it to stick to the oil.

My daughter just bought a new/old house where the previous owner had painted the dining room walls with latex ...over oil applied by the original owner. The walls are flaking and peeling terribly! They did not notice the walls when viewing the home because they were heavily covered with drapery and artwork. Now they will have a mess on their hands when they get ready to paint. I have cautioned them to check all additional walls and trim to make sure they are not also painted with oil. None of the other walls appear to be peeling, but the living room walls appear to be painted over wallpaper.

Anyone have remedies for getting peeling latex off of oil walls or taking down paint covered wallpaper?

Contrary to what Brushworks says above, I prefer the look and care of trim painted with oil. When we sell our home, I will make sure that the new owners realize that the trim is oil. ;)

Nhb22, I'm in Canada where oil based paint is getting hard to find. It is being phased out due to the chemicals in it.

Sounds like your daughter has a mess on her hands. I'm sorry, I don't have any advise for her, other than lots of sanding.

nhb22

Let's have a paint off! :) My Pro Classic against your choice of oil.

Then we'll let your buyers choose which is which. :)

I had to peel a thick layer of latex paint from my entire bathroom and most of the kitchen. Some genius 2 paint jobs ago decided to paint over oil enamel with really cheap crappy latex without sanding or priming. Some areas peeled off in big sheets. For parts that didn't here's what worked best for me: I took a painters tool and scored lines through the latex layer every 6" or so. Then I sprayed something containing ammonia - spray can dirtex, extra strength windex or just ammonia and dish detergent in water) on that area until it was dripping. Then I'd let it sit for a while and work on another area. Once it was mostly dry and the paint felt a little gummy it would peel or scrape off easily. Parts of the ceiling were more stubborn and required 2 or 3 applications of ammonia solution.

Thank you! That sounds like an awful process. I hope that my daughter doesn't have it on any other walls. I cannot imagine why someone would use oil paint on a wall. Perhaps they were trying some technique. The previous owner of the house says that she did not know that the dining room wall was oil until the peeling started. This was about 20 or so years ago when they bought the house and nothing has been done since then. The rest of the house looks fine, so I am hoping it is all latex.

Brushworks - I am not sure about Houzz, but on Garden Web, no one was allowed to push their products.

At somepoint, I'd be ready to replace the drywall. Yuk!

The best results I've had for going over oil based paint is to use a god primer -- you can use the shellac KILZ, but I don't like messing with that unless I have to. The water based KILZ or Zinzer (Bullseye) 1-2-3 will go on and dry fast. Once dry, it sticks to anything (wash your hands promptly and only paint in work clothed you don't mind getting paint on) and you can paint over it with anything -- including latex.

My house is from the 50s, and was owned by old people who painted the walls the same color at least 3 times, so they clearly were continuing to use oil on the walls because they didn't like change ;)

In the bathroom I cleaned with dirtex, scuff sanded, and primed with water based bullseye 123.

For the kitchen the oil paint was flaking in places and the deeper layers had lead, so I didn't want to deal with sanding them. I used the dirtex, scraped the loose stuff off and primed the glossy areas with BIN (the original shellac version, not the synthetic version) That stuff pretty much sticks to anything as long as it's clean. It smells and it's a PITA to apply with a roller but better that than lead paint dust. There was flat paint behind where the old cabinets had been and a bunch of fresh joint compound, so I put a coat of 123 over everything including the BIN before painting. Probably overkill but after scraping all that peeling paint I wasn't going to cut corners.

Pushing my product? That's a poor assumption. Mentioning a product isn't pushing or selling it, it's a simple reference to products that work well. See other posters above.

I and another responce mentioned a product to help deal with the OP's question -- you are veering a bit away from the topic with a product push you sell (I don't sell nothin'). That's why you are getting some pushback.

As you originally reponded, you can sand down the paint and go over it with latex either way, but if you don't sand enough or you miss some spots, you can have problems, If you use one of the primers mentioned, you don't have to sand and I find it easier, neater and more certain you will have good results. I sanded baseboards in a room and painted and still had peeling, so I go with the primer first. I was trying to avoid going and buying more, but when I have used the primer, I've never had a problem. Except getting the dried primer from under a fingernail (nail polish remover will take it off your nails).

Thank you for answering the above, lascatx . ;)

"At somepoint, I'd be ready to replace the drywall. Yuk!"

I agree. I think I am going to suggest that to my son-in-law. The walls are drywall as the house was built in 1979. We are hoping that this one particular dining room wall is the only one with oil.

I don't think brushworks was trying to sell anything, just advocating that pro classic is better than oil for trim.

lascatx - with oil paint with any sheen, in order to do it right you really need to degloss it by sanding even if you are using a primer. You may be able to get certain primers to stick when it's shiny but if the surface had been dulled the mechanical bond will be much stronger. I had to use the BIN on the areas of the kitchen I didn't want to sand because 123 would not adhere well enough without deglossing. However, if lead isn't an issue it's easier to sand and use water based primer than it is to deal with the shellac primer.

You may have had a different experience, projects. I know what I have done in multiple homes, been advised by pros and what the manufacturers instruct

If I recall correctly, BIN is the Zinzer shellac primer that is similar to the KILZ shellac. I have only used the shellac primer for two projects (and maybe leftover on some that followed). The first was when we had to chose between going over wallpaper on the one hand and replacing the sheetrock on the other -- it was that bad. We were advised to use the shellac primer to permanantly bind the paper to the drywall and chose that route, figuring we would replace the sheetrock if it didn't work. It did, but it was stinky and messy to work in a small powder room with that stuff. The other was to deal with a post-animal problem we wanted to make sure we never smelled again. Once more, stinky and messy stuff to work with, but it worked.

Without special circumstances, I always recommend the KILZ water based or Zinzer Bulls Eye 1-2-3 (I've seen it as just 1-2-3 too). It is much easier to work with and to clean up and they say no sanding necesssary. Do I degloss anyway? Sometimes. Depends on the project, but I can tell you that stuff doesn't peel off a clean surface. Now, cleaning the surface is another issue.

If you paint 123 on glossy oil, it will stick, sure, and it will probably not give any problems once painted but if you degloss the mechanical bond is much stronger and that stuff is not going ANYWHERE! Yes, I have tested this, and even after it's fully cured the primer over unsanded oil can be scratched off but the primer on the deglossed paint can't. It probably won't peel either way but why take chances when sanding will make it bulletproof.

If I remember correctly, KILZ 2 actually tells you to degloss.

I used the BIN (shellac in an alcohol base) in part of the kitchen because I had it and because the adhesion is much better over glossy oil than water based primer. I had it to use on cabinet doors and some uninstalled trim I was pre-priming because it sands better and had a faster recoat time.

BTW I've asked several pro painters how they paint over oil and they all said they scuff sand and prime.

I've repainted thousands of feet of oil trim without using a bridging primer. Clean and dull and never a callback. I guess that's the difference between a pro clean and dull and a diy clean and dull.

Lighten up a bit. I'm not selling any paint. I never have sold paint. Labor is much more profitable. :) I'm retired. Relax.

LOL Yup. And I didn't see you as selling -- just thought that was the reaction you were getting.

As far as sanding, some surfaces don't lend themselves to a lot of or very effective sanding. Where there has been an issue, I've never had a problem with the primer alone adhering and staying put. I know you can sand alone -- done that too, but I will go with the extra step of the primer regardless. I've never had a problem with it and even more than clean up issues, the reason I want latex over the oil is that the oil yellows. I have alway had oil based paint go that amber tint and when I paint trim white, I want it to stay white.

PRO

Brushworks Spectacular Finishes PRO

" Let's have a paint off! :) My Pro Classic against your choice of oil."

I apologize if I was mistaken that you are trying to push a product. Perhaps you should change your sign-in name to one that doesn't name you a Pro and advertises a service. ;) I thought you were one of those that search the web or boards, bring up old post, just to be able to tout your business and products. Again, it may be alright to do this on Houzz, but it was prohibited on Gardenweb.

I think Brushworks comment was cute. I did not see it as selling at all. He/she has posted before and seems quite knowledgeable and helpful, so I would agree that you should let it go nhb...and maybe say, "Oops, sorry" rather than continue to restate your justifications for your initial comment.

Looks like nhb did just that: "I apologize if I was mistaken...".

She did, Debra, but it was one of those, yeah but apologies since she went on to say he should perhaps change his sign in name. Why the heck should he need to do that? Because nhb was mistaken? That is like one of those "I'm sorry if you misunderstood" types of apologies which really aren't apologies at all.

Apology accepted. I've been a member for a long, long time and have posted over a thousand posts to GW paint forum. I've never solicited or earned a dime here.

Whether to prime or paint is determined by an on-site examination of the substrate. Of course if existing paint is poorly bonded, then removal and priming is necessary. If existing paint is sound, cleaning and sanding will suffice.

;) Thank you!

Sorry, I thought I was in the decorating forum. After being a GW member for almost 10 years, I really don't like this Houzz and may just discontinue using it. It's hard to post photos, and I have yet been able to figure out how to post a video. Surely there is a decorating forum that is easier to use!