Why new paint fails over gloss
Gloss paint cures to a hard, smooth, non-porous film. New paint sticks to a surface by gripping into its microscopic texture — and gloss has almost none. The new coat sits on top rather than bonding, so everyday knocks, cleaning and even normal expansion and contraction shear it off.
This is why 'just paint over it' is the single most common cause of peeling doors, skirting boards and window frames we get called in to fix across Melbourne homes.
The professional preparation sequence
Getting a lasting finish over gloss is a sequence, and each step exists for a reason:
The same cleaning, filling and sanding fundamentals apply to sound walls too — our wall preparation guide covers the full sequence before any finish coat goes on.
Degrease and clean
Wash the surface with sugar soap to remove grease, grime and cleaning residue — especially around handles, switches and kitchen-adjacent trims. Rinse and let it dry.
Scuff sand / de-gloss
Sand the entire surface with 180–240 grit abrasive paper until the shine is uniformly dulled. The goal is an even key, not removing the old coating — unless it's flaking, in which case loose material is scraped and sanded back to a sound, feathered edge.
Dust off thoroughly
All sanding dust is removed with a vacuum and a damp or tack cloth. Dust left on the surface becomes a bond-breaker under the primer.
Apply an adhesion-promoting primer/undercoat
A dedicated adhesion primer or undercoat goes over the de-glossed surface. Dulux and Haymes both make primers suited to previously painted gloss and enamel surfaces — the choice depends on the existing coating and the topcoat system being used.
Apply topcoats
Once the primer has dried per the manufacturer's directions, two topcoats in your chosen sheen level finish the job.
Differences by surface
The principle is the same everywhere, but the work varies by surface:
- Doors and trims — the highest-wear surfaces in the house. They need the most thorough de-glossing and a quality undercoat, because they're touched, knocked and cleaned constantly.
- Architraves and skirting boards — collect polish, vacuum scuffs and grime near the floor, so cleaning matters as much as sanding.
- Timber windows — moving parts mean adhesion failure shows fastest; sashes and edges need careful sanding and priming, and care not to glue sashes shut.
- Walls previously painted in gloss or semi-gloss — common in older bathrooms and kitchens; the whole wall needs an even de-gloss so the new low-sheen or matt finish doesn't flash or peel. Our guide to choosing the best paint finish for walls, ceilings and trims explains the sheen trade-offs.
Warning signs the previous job went straight over gloss
- Paint that scratches off with a fingernail on doors or trims.
- Chips and flaking around handles, edges and corners within the first year.
- Peeling in sheets, where the new coat lifts cleanly off a shiny surface underneath.
- A crackled or alligatored appearance, where incompatible coatings were layered without priming.
When to call a professional
A single door is a manageable weekend job. A whole house of gloss trims, doors and windows is a different matter — the preparation is slow, dusty and easy to get wrong, and the finish on visible joinery shows every shortcut.
We repaint gloss and enamel surfaces across Melbourne's inner west as part of our interior painting work. Request a free quote below or call 0434 850 347.