What You Need to Know to Paint Over That Bright Pink Wall

April 18, 2025

Saying Goodbye to That Pink Wall: How to Paint Over Bright Colours with Confidence

You walk into the room and BAM—there it is. That wall. That blinding, bubblegum pink beast glaring back at you like a leftover from a little girl’s birthday party circa 2010. Maybe it was a bold choice once. Maybe it was your teenager’s phase. Maybe it was there when you moved in and you’ve just... lived with it. But now? Now it’s time for a fresh start.

Before you grab a brush and your favourite shade of “morning mist white” or “deep ocean blue”, you’ll want to do a bit of prep—both mentally and physically. Painting over strong colours like pink isn’t as simple as whacking on a coat and calling it a day.

Let’s Talk About What You’re Really Up Against

Bright colours, especially reds and pinks, are notorious for bleeding through. They’ve got a strong pigment that wants to hang around. It’s like trying to put bandaid beige over neon—it’s going to need some extra love.

The Magic Trio: Clean, Prime, Paint

Every solid paint job starts with prep. And that includes showing that pink wall who's boss. Here’s what to do:

Clean the wall: Use sugar soap or a mild detergent to get rid of grease, grime, or sticky fingerprints. You’d be shocked what’s lurking there.
Sand it lightly: Not enough to remove the paint, just enough to dull the sheen. This helps your primer grab on better.
Prime it properly: Don't skip this. A good stain-blocking primer will seal in the pink and stop it from peeking through like an uninvited guest. Ask us in-store which Haymes primer works best—we’ve got you.

Choosing the Right Primer (Yes, There’s More Than One!)

If your pink wall is flirty and fluorescent, grab yourself a grey-tinted primer or one with high opacity. It’ll reduce how many top coats you need. Haymes Ultra Premium Prepcoat is one of our favourites—it’s like putting the right shapewear under a dress. Smooth, flawless, and no surprises showing through.

Time for Paint (This Is the Fun Bit!)

You’ve earned this. After all that prep, now you get to pick your new vibe. Neutral? Bold? Moody and dramatic? When painting over bright pink, strong colours like navy, deep green, or charcoal work well and hide better. But even if you’re going light, don’t worry—just be prepared to add a second (or third) coat for good coverage.

Use a quality roller, keep your strokes even, and don’t overload the brush. Let each coat dry thoroughly. Rushing never leads to good outcomes—ask anyone who’s ever tried assembling a flat-pack without reading instructions!

Cheeky Tip: Sample First

Want to make sure that perfect earthy terracotta doesn’t end up looking more like burnt orange? Try a sample pot on the wall before you commit. Paint it on swatches or directly on a primed area to see how it reacts, especially under different lighting. Trust me, what looks dreamy under store lights might not hit the same at 3 PM under real Aussie sun.

Common “Oops” Moments (And How to Avoid Them)

Skipping the primer: The pink will haunt you. Always prime, even if the paint says self-priming.
Wrong tools: Cheap brushes and rollers leave streaks, shed bristles, and make the job ten times harder.
Going too light too fast: If you want to go from pink to white, you might need a mid-tone primer coat in between. Or prepare for three coats of paint (minimum) to get the look you want.

Need a Hand? Or a Paintbrush?

We’ve been helping locals paint out bad colour decisions *and* start fresh with confidence for over 30 years. Bring in your questions, samples, or even a photo of your space. Candeece and the team at Strathalbyn H Hardware’s Paint Shop will get you sorted with Haymes products that actually do what they promise—and advice you won’t find scrolling random forums at 10 PM.

So whether you’re banishing the pink forever or just softening it into something more “you”, know this—your space is a blank canvas waiting for your style. And we’re here to cheer you on every brushstroke of the way.

Happy painting!
Candeece