Paint to fresh plaster

[rich_vw]

Just checking really...

Plaster will have been on the walls for over a week (this weekend) so hopefully plenty of time to dry out, do I just use a 50/50 emulsion/water mix as the base coat? Will any old emulsion do the job?

Cheers,

Rich

[cjs]

That's what I do, white emulsion, but I suppose even a mist coat of any light colour will do. I tend to do a bit more water than 50%, you want it to soak in as much a possible, you'll soon know if it's right.

[rash_decision]

I don't bother mixing emulsion with water. I normally just buy some cheaper emulsion and give it a coat or two with that. It makes for a better finish in my opinion, without the risk of seeing the plaster through your finish coat.

[MrTom]

I though you were mean to use watered down PVA glue to seal the wall, saving on paint.

[rich_vw]

I have 2 half empty 10L tubes (one white & one magnolia) of old emulsion which the OH doesn't want in her colour scheme so was just going to water down and use them.

Cheers

[Mr Pointy]

rash_decision said:

I don't bother mixing emulsion with water. I normally just buy some cheaper emulsion and give it a coat or two with that. It makes for a better finish in my opinion, without the risk of seeing the plaster through your finish coat.

That's wrong: new plaster is very porous & the first mist coats need thinning down so that they penetrate & adhere properly. If you see paint flaking off & showing new plaster underneath then you know the job was bodged & no mist coats were put on.

[Sleepers]

Mr Pointy said:

rash_decision said:

I don't bother mixing emulsion with water. I normally just buy some cheaper emulsion and give it a coat or two with that. It makes for a better finish in my opinion, without the risk of seeing the plaster through your finish coat.

That's wrong: new plaster is very porous & the first mist coats need thinning down so that they penetrate & adhere properly. If you see paint flaking off & showing new plaster underneath then you know the job was bodged & no mist coats were put on.

Cheap emulsion is very watery, at least the stuff I buy is...

Never had an issue...

[VxDuncan]

Yup. Mist coat, about 50/50. Should be matt (not vinyl). Probably find the second coat doesn't cover either if it's anything less than the best, so either prepare for a couple of coats of cheap stuff, or go thick with some nasty one coat stuff.

Don't use PVA, it's a bodge. You want the paint to soak in and adhere, not float as a skin on the surface (plus any damp/humidity runs the risk of the pva disolving and it turning patchy).

[fatboy b]

I've used Polycell Basecoat on fresh plaster, then painted colour on top.

[CO2000]

I go about 70% water to start with then 40% & to finish two unwatered top coats.

[Spudler]

20/80 water/paint for the mist coat, then paint as normal.

[Deva Link]

CO2000 said:

I go about 70% water to start with then 40% & to finish two unwatered top coats.

I'm struggling to imagine how you could even apply that unless you sprayed it on.

[Dennis99]

I would use Leyland's Super Leytex or similar.

http://www.leyland-paints.co.uk/leylandtrade_produ...

[CO2000]

Deva Link said:

I'm struggling to imagine how you could even apply that unless you sprayed it on.

I tend to use thicker paint (Dulux superflat etc) cheaper paint (which most people will use as a mist coat/2nd coat) is thinner anyway so yes in general 50%/50% would be a better starting point for most.

[topsparks]

I'm a Dulux Trade stockist and Dulux have a paint called Supermatt for new plaster work.

[Stu R]

Watered down Supermatt for the mist coats works fine, for finishing coats use something else.

If you're starting on fresh plaster, do the job properly

[rash_decision]

Mr Pointy said:

That's wrong: new plaster is very porous & the first mist coats need thinning down so that they penetrate & adhere properly. If you see paint flaking off & showing new plaster underneath then you know the job was bodged & no mist coats were put on.

I've done it this way on dozens of freshly plastered walls, and never had any issues whatsoever! No flaking or patchy coverage. The paint has been on the walls for years now!! I do use a cheaper emulsion for the base coat, and these are fairly thin in comparison with some of the better, big brand paints, maybe this is being absorbed???

[Deva Link]

rash_decision said:

Mr Pointy said:

That's wrong: new plaster is very porous & the first mist coats need thinning down so that they penetrate & adhere properly. If you see paint flaking off & showing new plaster underneath then you know the job was bodged & no mist coats were put on.

I've done it this way on dozens of freshly plastered walls, and never had any issues whatsoever! No flaking or patchy coverage. The paint has been on the walls for years now!! I do use a cheaper emulsion for the base coat, and these are fairly thin in comparison with some of the better, big brand paints, maybe this is being absorbed???

I read up about this as daughter's living room walls and ceiling were skimmed and I painted the ceiling with diluted emulsion. It was fine, except in one area where the paint just wouldn't stick, as if the surface was oily. Eventually PVA'd that area and it was OK.

However in reading up, some people seem to have terrible trouble - entire rooms where the piant flakes off or crinkles up.

[VxDuncan]

Sounds like the plaster was over-polished so the paint won't stick. I once plastered a wall and won't a bit over the top in the final dry trowel. Was incredibly polished, but the paint pealed off on the second coat. You could literally run a blunt scraper up the wall and take it back to fresh plaster - so much you couldn't tell it'd been painted!

Went over it with a sander to key it and all sorted.

[Dr Imran T]

Dennis99 said:

I would use Leyland's Super Leytex or similar.

http://www.leyland-paints.co.uk/leylandtrade_produ...

I used this recently and it worked fine.

You can also use 'Wickes Trade Matt' white. I used this on fresh plaster and got a superb result. It can be watered down but I wouldn't go more than 50% as it is quite thin already. I think it states on the tub that it is fine for new plaster but I will have to check again.

I don't get this PVA thing, some people PVA the walls then paint over it. Personally I did not do this but some of my workmen say it does no harm and they do this regularly.