Paint over Existing Oil Paint in Your Home

When repainting in an old home, you may need to take special steps to ensure that the old paint won't bleed through or blend with the new paint.

Steps

Determine the type of paint previously used. Water/latex based paint will come off when rubbed with alcohol on a cotton ball, oil and lead will not. If it is oil or lead, the only way to tell the difference is to send a sample in to a lab to be tested. (It is not known if home test kits are actually reliable.) Look online for a reputable company, check with the Better Business Bureau.
If the existing paint is lead-based, the local building codes in your area may require you to remove all existing paint before repainting. Check local regulations before continuing.
If the existing paint is latex-based, you may simply paint right over it using latex paint.
If the existing paint is oil-based, you should first paint the room with one or two coats of a oil-based primer.
Allow the primer to dry for at least a day or two (see instructions on your particular paint), and then paint your top coat. For best results, apply a second coat of paint after the first coat dries.
- If desired, the paint store can tint your primer to within a few shades of the paint you will use as your top coat, which will help to hide the primer if you miss a spot, but this isn't generally necessary.

Always make sure your work area is well-ventilated when painting. The fumes in paints, thinners, and primers can be very harmful.