Can You Paint Acrylic Over Emulsion?

Acrylic paint is commonly used for art and craft, and Emulsion is wall paint. You can use acrylic paint on various surfaces, including walls and wood. But if you want to paint on a wall that has Emulsion paint on it, you may wonder if you can use acrylic paint over Emulsion.

Acrylic painting artwork on emulsion wall

Can You Paint Oil Over Acrylic?

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Can You Paint Oil Over Acrylic?

The short answer is, Yes, you can use acrylic paint on Emulsion. Emulsion paint is commonly used on the walls and ceiling of your house. And this paint gives a very matte finish. Acrylic paint sticks on the matte surface of the Emulsion paint. However, if the paint has glossiness on it, you have to sand the gloss down. 

Painting Acrylic Paint over Emulsion: Can You Do That? 

Acrylic and Emulsion are both water-based paint. Acrylic paint is composed of pigments that the producers disperse in acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paint is one of the most popular craft and art paint. This paint is very effective to paint on, inexpensive, and easy to clean. 

If you want to decorate your wall with some beautiful artwork and the wall is already painted with Emulsion, worry not. 

Acrylic color painting on emulsion wall

You can use acrylic paint over Emulsion to create beautiful artwork. For the children’s room, this is the best decision to use acrylic paint to create interesting patterns and beautiful shapes of birds or butterflies. 

To paint acrylic paint over Emulsion, you must prepare the surface before painting. 

How To Prepare The Surface For Painting Acrylic Over Emulsion:

Preparing the surface is very important when it comes to the case of using one paint on another. You need to sand the surface and clean it, ensuring there is dirt or debris on it. 

Make sure to sand the wall very lightly. Otherwise, you will peel off the Emulsion paint from the wall. Sanding is not even necessary if the wall is smooth and there is no crack on it. 

How To Paint Acrylic Over Emulsion: 

After the surface is prepared, it is time to paint. If you use acrylic to decorate your wall with any artwork or create interesting shapes, then primer or sealer is unnecessary. 

Painting acrylic over emulsion wall

But if you intend to cover the whole surface with acrylic paint (which is unlikely to happen), you need to use a primer or sealer.  

If you are painting on a very glossy or highly porous surface, you can use a primer. The painted wall can be porous or non-porous. As Emulsion paint is used on your home’s interior wall and ceiling, you can avoid using a sealer. You can use a sealer on surfaces that are exposed to environmental factors. 

Depending on a few factors, you will need two to three coats of paint. It largely depends on the color and finish of the existing Emulsion paint on the surface. However, two coats of acrylic paint will make the paint adhere better to the surface. 

Conclusion: 

It is possible to use acrylic paint over Emulsion. But proper surface preparation is necessary for this. If you prepare the surface nicely, acrylic paint will adhere to the surface over Emulsion. You can decorate your home or children’s room with acrylic paint, even if the wall is painted with Emulsion.