I've just had some walls plastered and various sources have quoted between 2 weeks and 6 months before the walls can be painted. What is the opinion here? When I get round to it, can the walls just be painted or do they need any preparation?
Dave
I've just had some walls plastered and various sources have quoted between 2 weeks and 6 months before the walls can be painted. What is the opinion here? When I get round to it, can the walls just be painted or do they need any preparation?
Dave
When it's dry. Have they been skimmed, or completely re-done?
Dilute the first coat a little. You could use 1:5 PVA:water first, which might be a bit cheaper, then use normal paint. N.B. *Don't* be tempted to use cheap emulsion on the basis that it's going to be overpainted, so it does not matter. It *really* does. Use only good stuff.
If your gonna use PVA should be more like 1:10, otherwise paint won't stick to it, or use wallpaper paste.
Wickes Trade paint, is ok to go straight on, needs 2-3 coats to get a good base.
PVA is a rather bad idea under some types of paint, which won't stick to it. Dilute matt emulsion is normally fine for this purpose. Add 10-20% water according to instructions on the tin (go for the higher water proportion the more highly polished the plaster is).
Get some of that special plaster they use on TV makeover shows - you can paint that after 15 minutes :-)
Dave
Are you an american person?
Paint sticks perfectly well to PVA. I certainly do not recommend using wallpaper paste, that's a recipe for real disaster - the bubbling of paint as it's put on, and the flaking and peeling of paint after an interval. That's why it is so important to wash off walls really well that have been stripped of paper before painting.
OK. I like Wickes Trade Paint, it's OK for a cheap-ish one. I'd avoid the £1/litre offeings like the plague.
Nope, but spent some time there.
That's because it was used to stick the wallpaper to the wall, and not to size it, which requires a weaker soloution.
Absolutely. Been there, done that, trashed a whole house-worth's of decorating. Stick with dilute emulsion.
David
If it's over-polished, that's the plasterer's fault. and not much will stick to it!
Hmm. What dod you put on, and what did you cover it with, as a matter of interest? I've never had a problem with PVA/emulsion, ever, and I'm interested.
Couldn't remember myself, but Google did!:
David
I would recommend waiting at least 2 weeks (the longer the better). Ensure the room is well ventilated to allow it to dry out first. If you paint it earlier then you risk damaging the plaster.
Use dilute emulsion for the first coat (up to 50%). If the paint is not dilute enough the paint will dry too quickly.
Mark.
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