How to paint over dark colours

Painting over dark walls can be challenging. Dark paint tends to show through lighter shades and requires additional coats of paint to cover it up. Although, it is possible to achieve a flawless look with the right prep work and paint products. Dulux Wash&Wear® +PLUS Super Hide Low Sheen is ideal for covering most dark colours in just two coats of paint, saving you precious time.

Follow these easy steps to get started:

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Painting & Application Techniques

Ultimate hiding power for a flawless finish

With its concentrated levels of titanium pigment, Wash&Wear® +PLUS Super Hide has the ability to cover most dark coloured surfaces in just two coats. It's ultimate hiding capacity and exceptional washability means the paint gives the perfect finish and is easy to maintain.

Steps to painting your wall

Clean the wall

Lay down a drop sheet and clean your walls with sugar soap. You may be tempted to skip this step, but a clean surface is your best insurance against a ruined paint job.

Prepare

Mask your trim for cutting in. Cutting in is a technique where you paint with a brush or application pad in areas that can’t be reached with a roller.

Cutting in

Load your brush by dipping it into the Wash&Wear® +PLUS Super Hide roughly half the length of the bristles. Tap the brush on the side of the paint pot to remove the excess. Start brushing a few centimetres from the corner or edge. As you move the brush, you will establish the line of the edge of the paint. Drag the brush into the edge so that the line on the paint follows the edging.

Loading

Load your roller push it forward on the tray then lift it to see if it spins evenly. If your roller is unbalanced, it’s because the paint isn’t evenly applied, so continue rolling it over the tray with full rotations to spread the paint evenly.

Rolling

Start rolling from where you cut in and roll across the wall. For best results, try to roll as far into the brushed area as possible to blend in.

Repeat this step twice after a two-hour gap as a second coat of paint is necessary to cover most colours.

Laying off

After you have covered a section of the wall, it’s time to lay off to get a smooth finish. This is arguably the most important step in rolling a wall and should be done when you’ve painted a section roughly 3-4 meters. Laying off your wall means giving it a smooth consistent finish and hiding those streaky brush strokes. Simply place your unloaded roller at the top left corner of your wall. Ensure the handle side of your roller is to the right. Then with almost zero pressure roll straight down your wall until you reach the bottom. Remove your roller, return to the top, and slightly overlap where you just rolled so that each panel rubs away the line from the previous lay-off.