How to Paint Over Semigloss Paint With Matte

Sand the walls with 180-grit sandpaper. Sand the walls from top to bottom, moving the sandpaper in circles. You do not have to apply much pressure or spend much time on each section, as all you are trying to do is rough up the surface to make the paint adhere to the wall. After sanding, dust the surface and vacuum the floors to ensure that the dust doesn’t mar your new paint finish.

Apply a primer. Put one coat of latex primer on the surface of your wall to prepare it for the new coat of matte paint. This step is particularly important if you are trying to cover dark paint with a lighter color, or cover a bold pattern, such as stripes.

Paint with your matte paint. Apply two coats of paint, allowing at least four hours drying time between each coat. Because matte paint has a tendency to show brush strokes, take care to move up and down the wall in straight lines when you apply your final coat.