Painting on new plaster

[Arthur]

Hi. I have some newly plastered wall and some 'salts' have appeared on it. Is it ok to just paint over it or what do I need to do first?

Thanks.

Arthur.

[Andrew Gabriel]

The salts will brush off, but they are normally an indication of a damp wall, so they'll likely form again. Why was the wall newly plastered? You probably have to stop the wall being damp, or prevent the damp reaching the plaster.

[John Key]

the salts will continue to appear for a number of weeks. You could use a dehumidifier until the plaster is completely dry. If you do paint the wall, you must use a porous paint, which can be obtained from trade outlets and sometimes even Homebase and the like. Do not use anything oil based (like anti-condensation or mould paints) because it will only exacerbate the problem.