Emulsion paint

[Mariapata]

Using a Wikinson's emulsion, I tried to paint my kitchen walls, using first a brush, then a paint pad. Paint is going on very unevenly and streaky, showing brush marks and light/dark patches. What am I doing wrong and how do I fix it? The previous paint I'm covering was smooth and even, so that's not the problem.

 

[JohnD]

it's a kitchen. the walls will be dirty with cooking film of grease and dust. Look at the top of the wall cabinets near the cooker where it will be especially bad. You can wash them down with sugar soap until they seem clean. The dirt will mix with the new paint, making it dirty and patchy.

If it was dry dust on a ceiling, you could cover up the dirt with extra coats, but in a litchen, the added grease will mean it won't stick to the wall properly.