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Painting fire surround

Posted by JT Taylor, on
I have a fireplace surround that I'm not keen on the wood and it has been varnished. I'd like to paint it white but unfortunately it's quite intricate so would be nearly impossible to sand it down before painting. Can you use zinsser primer straight onto the varnished wood?
Andrew Smith

Andrew Smith

Hi I have used the same primer for painting factory finished kitchen units and old varnished staircases , i recommend 2 coats of the 123 an 1x undercoat and 1x gloss or 2 coats of satinwood. It states on the tin that no sanding required but i would lightly sand all the flat areas first.

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