Painting new plaster - product confusion!

May 04, 2008 5 Replies
P

I've just had the walls of my lounge reskimmed, and the new plasterboard ceiling (constructed by me) skimmed. I intend to paint them. The plasterers recommended that the first coat should be diluted, and that any cheap neutral coloured emulsion would do the job.



Accordingly, I went to Wickes with the intention of buying a big bucket of trade brilliant white matt emulsion. However, I then spotted a product claiming to be specifically for painting new plaster, and containing a "mix of polymers". Needless to say, it is significantly more expensive - £18 for



10L against £11 for 10L of the standard emulsion.

Of course, once I'd spotted a miracle product, doubts set in and I left the store with nothing. I'm not really bothered about the extra cost. But does this product really do a better job than the approach recommended by my plasterers?


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C

================================== A quick 'google' suggests that emulsion paint is a 'mix of polymers' so you can't really go wrong whichever product you choose.

Cic.

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P

Well, quite. Maybe they are "special" polymers... I forget the exact wording on the tub.

Anyhow, this is the product:

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seems to emphasis "breathability" as a feature, to allow the plaster to continue to dry. But I thought my plaster was already dry (or will be, by the time I start to paint it). And it becomes irrelevant once I decide on the actual colour I want for the finish (it won't be brilliant white or magnolia) and slap that non-breathable paint on top! So I think I'm talking myself out of this special paint, unless someone can come up with a really good reason to use it...

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S

I think your observations are sound :-)

FWIW and IME Crown has never given me any bother on new plaster, straight from the tin. OTOH the last lot of Dulux I used was a pain because it was simply too thick. Also worth pointing out that a thinned down thick paint is not the same as a properly formulated thin paint.

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M

There are always products doing the same job but more expensively. They're designed to part the customer from their money. Ignore them.

BTW I prefer the water coat option to a piss coat. Its much quicker,

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P

another option! Still, at least the product will be the same - now I just have to work out where to put the water...

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