Painting new plaster

[Steve Maskery]

Morning guys.
Anyone know about painting new plaster? I'm being told contradictory things by people, both of whom ought to know what they are talking about.

I've had some old Artex skimmed over nice and smooth. It was done on Saturday and now looks dry. At least it is pale all over.

The plasterer said I could paint it after about 4 days, which is now, but to dilute the first coat 50/50 with water.

The paint shop bloke tells me I need proper contract emulsion with no vinyl in it. But the smallest tub I can get is 10l and I have only about 12 sq m to do.

So what do I do?

Many thanks
Steve

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Steve,

I have the decorator here at the moment and he is using Leyland trade/contract emulsion, this says that it is specifically designed for new plaster.

What colour are you after?

I always leave newly skimmed plaster for a week, before painting.

Thanks,

Neil

 

[Steve Maskery]

White.

 

[MikeG.]

Mist coat first, definitely.......but 50/50 is quite weak. The problem with it being so weak is that it will run out of the roller and down your arms, and spray everywhere. You want it just strong enough that it doesn't do this. I've had problems in the past where the first coat has been too thick and doesn't adhere properly, and the roller for the second coat then peels it all back off. My specifications always say "mist coat followed by 2 full coats".

 

[porker]

Steve, I would say they are both right. You don't want vinyl if the plaster is not 100% dry as the moisture can't get out and may blister the paint. I would wait until 100% dry (it should be very pale pink assuming it was multi or board finish plaster) which it sounds like it is.
A lot of new houses are painted before the plaster is dry (to save time) and that's why they need breathable paint. I know advice is to do a 50/50 mix for the first coat but IME this makes a very watery paint that gets everywhere. If you are going to mix down I would use 10% water max. I use quite chalky Farrow & Ball type paint as I have an old house and put it on neat and have had no adverse affects. (I've glued and skimmed loads of artex in my time and painted this way).

 

[novocaine]

50/50 or 60/40 by eye, contractors paint is better but it'll still soak in just fine if you use dulux (although at 15 quid a tub of johnstones trade it's cheaper than normal paint anyway)

give it 2 coats then leave it for a day or 2, it will sup like a sailor on shore leave so don't expect the first coat to look good.

then go over it like you would any other painting.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

I'll find out if we've got enough spare.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Thanks guys.
If it is that thin I could spray it.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Steve,

Come over to Hucknall tomorrow and you can have some paint.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Steve Maskery]

Thank you Neil, that is very kind of you.

 

[novocaine]

Thank you Neil, that is very kind of you.

Kind offer, does mean you have to go to Hucknall though, hope you've had your jabs.

(just kidding, I only need jabs because my sister lives in Hucknall and her kids bite)

 

[Beau]

Yes mist coat 50/50 I think the deal with the trade and contract paints is they are breathable so can let out any more moisture in the plaster.

 

[Jasper42]

Done a lot of plastering over the years, C&G qualified but not in the trade. I have always used a weak pva/water mix as a seal coat. May be better was of doing it now but by doing this is saved the paint being sucked into the plaster, so saved paint and always worked.

Know friends who after me plastering for them forgot the advice and painted direct to the plaster, worked but used a lot more paint which is not cheap compared to screwfix contract pva.

 

[Bm101]

One small'tip' Steve. Everything else I know has been covered already.
For the first time ever I used frog tape on the extension. I've always cut in by hand previously and disdained tape for right or wrong.
Have to say it's good gear although it pains me to say it a bit and it's a little pricey but if you have a lot to do it might pay for itself. Matter of opinion I suppose. You'll have to do your own Time/Motion Study. :wink:
I've always understood that' traditionally' you'd never put vinyl paint on new plaster. I'd always buy a cheaper trade emulsion as it soaks in rather than forms a coat on top of the plaster. After that you're free to paint with with what you want. Vinyl forms a coat that sits on the surface.
There's so many different paints available now I'm not sure it still applies. But a word of caution.
I went to a Crown paint centre and your man said there is no 'Bathroom/kitchen etc paint'. It's just vinyl.
Fair play.
In the (tiny) ensuite I painted the ceiling with a dedicated vinyl bathroom paint. I have a good fan installed but you know....
The walls were done with a matte emusion. Took a calculated risk.
Frog tape was fine on the matte. When I peeled off the ceiling it stripped it back to plaster. Ahhhhh! I filled with Toupret. Mustard gear will never go back to polyfilla. Made good.
All good in the end but unnecessary work and time.
I would never use vinyl onto new plaster again, even very dry. Only problems I have ever had painting have involved a combination of the two.
Right or wrong for me I have found, cheap trade Matte, 60-40 (70-30 if no carpets laid ) mist coat + 2 coats of a decent trade and I'm a fussy beggar when it comes to painting.
Regards
Chris

Also as an edit: If you have a few older tins of paint of the same variety, different shades in the shed... dont bung em out. Get a pair of Lady tights. NOT fishnets ya perverts! Pour all the old paints in to the tights and wearing a pair of rubber gloves etc, squeeze through. Oof. I say!
Free paint free of lumps and that to seal your new plaster. Works like a dream to filter old paint.
You might have a bit of explaining to do when your Missus tries to find her 'Brand new packet of F*ing things I know they are F*ing here somewhere' tights though if you are anything like my family... :-$

 

[Spragnut]

I've just done 5 rooms, walls and ceilings in each room. First 4 I listened to those supposedly in the know. Watered down contracting paint, which is what I did. Tried different ratios and used Leyland contractors white, every room was a disaster.

The paint ended up drying very powdery, you could run your hand over it and there would be white residue on it. I had to commit so put top coats on. Firstly the Leyland has this really bizzare off white finish, which if you have good eyesight is obvious, its rubbish for ceilings if you want that crisp white finish. My advice don't use it for top coat anywhere. Secondly the top coat on the walls, which was a dulux colour, all you had to do was look at it and it would chip and peel. Although its still on the walls I expect to come home one day and sheets off paint will be on the floor.

For the final room I binned all the Leyland I had, 20l or so! And on a whim bought Wickes straight to plaster paint, what a difference, for starters it dries white. Secondly the top coat adheres to it properly. It also behaves the same as car primer in its sand-ability, rubs down lovely and smooth whilst remaining non powdery.

Just my experience but I'm staying well clear of Leyland for anything in my house. Interestingly my brother in law, who is also doing house renovations, had near enough exactly the same experience. Which secured it for me it wasn't a batch issue. I bought a tin of white dulux trade supermatt and it looks stunning on ceilings.

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[owen]

That's a load of rubbish. Maybe you watered the Leyland down too much? I'm not a painting expert but our decorators probably only add about 10% water for the first coat. We use Leyland for every property we renovate, and up until now have never had any problems. ( been using it 10+ years on 20+ property renovations). Never seal the plaster with pva, it gives a poor finish, and if you get any runs they're pretty much impossible to get out even after 2-3 coats of paint.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Well a big thanks to Neil for a very generous dollop of Leyland for new plaster.
It's a long time since I've painted new plaster. But I have a cheapo HVLP thingy that I bought by mistake (don't ask) and thought I'd try that. The paint says it is sprayable, the machine says it isn't. They are both right, sort of.
The machine doesn't have the oomph to do the job properly, but even so, thinning as much as I dare, I've done one coat and I can't believe how good it looks. Flipping fantastic. One thinned coat. Unbelievable.
I was expecting to have to do a couple of thin coats followed by a couple of full coats, but I honestly think that one full coat on top of this will be perfect.
It's really bouyed me to get on with it, as I was getting decidedly tired of the project, and it is going to get worse before it gets better...
...Kitchen ripped out on Wednesday.
Thank you Neil.

 

[Spragnut]

That's a load of rubbish. Maybe you watered the Leyland down too much? I'm not a painting expert but our decorators probably only add about 10% water for the first coat. We use Leyland for every property we renovate, and up until now have never had any problems. ( been using it 10+ years on 20+ property renovations). Never seal the plaster with pva, it gives a poor finish, and if you get any runs they're pretty much impossible to get out even after 2-3 coats of paint.

I didn't realise you were in the room when I was painting it, apologies.

Watered down as per many guides, even calculated the correct amount of water. In fact I seem to remember it may have said on the tin, in which case I would have followed it. Definite dusty finish. I fixed a faceplate to the wall a good 5 days later and as soon as the socket made contact the paint bubbled and I could peel it away from the Leyland.

Just because someone has had different experiences to you it doesn't mean it's rubbish...... your decorators are doing your renovations are they doing a "rubbish" job or do they/you have lower standards. I don't know you from Adam so I'm not going to speculate.

Your standards or experience with a dirt cheap paint were different to mine, what a wonderful world we live it. Do you honestly think I'd post a fabricated experience of the paint? Get a life dude.

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