We just used homebase all purpose basecoat (high VOC) to prep the walls of our nursery for painting. After painting the entire room, we noticed that while it is for 'interior and exterior' use; it is mainly geared towards exterior use on wood and metal. The smell is, as you'd expect, pretty intense.
We are novices at DIY and were hoping for advice from 'old hands' on what to do to remedy the situation. Would airing the room out for a few days be enough or would we need to strip the paint and repaint with a more appropriate interior primer.
High VOC paint is usually very good stuff. The smell is the solvent that makes it work evaporating, it will not last long. Air the room.
Stripper will have MORE fumes than the high VOC paint! Much more.
Now, the biggest problem you have is that the top coat ought to be compatible with the undercoat used, so you probably ought to use the same manufacturer's compatible topcoat. This will probably also need airing well!
If you tell use what the paint is we can be better at answers.
It was the Homebase All Purpose Undercoat (for interior and exterior wood & metal). Still kicking myself for having not read the back of the can that says not recommended for interior walls or enclosed spaces.
A link to the paint is:
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$cip=1500006953%3EC$cip=1500007222%3EC$cip=1500008762&categoryId=1500008762The baby is not due until February, so I am hoping that airing the room will be a good resolution.
OK. This paint is really for wood or metal. For walls choose an emulsion paint next time - you don't need a special undercoat for emulsion - just use two coats - you can even thin the first one with about 10% water if the walls are new.
You'll need to air your room for a few days before attempting a top coat - the aim is to let all the solvent evaporate. If you try to put another kind of paint over it before the solvent has gone, it will lift the new coat. Of course, that wouldn't happen with a compatible gloss or satin wood paint - but choosing those now will compound your problems I think.
It's not clear to me if you can just put emulsion over this undercoat, but I would give it a go in a corner where the bed/furniture will cover it up and see if it dries OK. If so, use it as the top coat, it will be low VOC and the brush/roller will wash out with water. A silk finish is ideal for a nursery as it will wipe clean easily.
Even having been doing this sort of thing intensively for forty-odd years, I still have to read every tin. The range of paints keeps on expanding and the b....rs keep changing the tins so you can't get what you bought last time. Don't feel too bad about it.
A bucket of water with a bundle of straw or bowls of white vinegar are traditional solutions. I've not tried either, as ventilating the room works for me.
I'm not contradicting you, but I have had trouble getting Emulsion to bond to oil-based undercoat if it isn't a week-or-so dry. Seems the oil on the surface makes the water-based paint 'bobble' through surface tension.
When trying to overpaint gloss with emulsion, using a small roller to apply a light first coat can help greatly I have found. It lays down a thin translucent layer that then acts well as a key for subsequent coats.
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