New paint crack

TCPPC

Recently had a paint job done

The living room was plaster and dry for 2 and half days then first coat on Monday then the guy painted three layer of the colour we wanted today.

I found the paint was starting to show small cracks, is it because he didn't let the paint dry enough before the second coat, he blame it on the paint quality...which I think is total lies.

What should I do, should I paint over it again?

huckster

Paint can start to crackle for loads of reasons. It could be the paint or how it was applied.

If it was just a plaster skim, 2 & half days should be ok for it to dry.

I would have thought that a light mist coat of paint should have been applied to the plaster first and left to dry for atleast 24 hours, before further coats were added.

What brand of paint was used ?

DTDfanBoy

I'd also be favouring lack of a mist coat as the cause.

Plaster can draw in a lot of water, if it hasn't received a mist coat it will suck a lot of moisture out of the paint.

TCPPC

What's the best solution for me now, should I just paint over it? Or do something else

huckster

Well I have had the same issue using B&Q own brand paint. Some paint brands are better than others. One brand may have worked ok without a mist coat and another brand would have cracked. It might have been better for the contractor to have chosen the brand of paint and you the colour.

What I had to do was go over it with medium course sanding paper, then cleaned with a sugar soap and after drying I then repainted with better paint. So far so good.

I see some decorators suggest, sanding down, then a coat of primer, before re-painting with the colour of your choice.

If the decorator has blamed the paint, you can contact the paint manufacturers and they will often ask for the paint to be sent to them for testing. However, they will test it in an environment that is nothing like a normal house, where plaster is newly applied, then wallpaper is added, taken off, paint applied etc etc. I suspect that they would find the paint was ok.

warmhands.coldheart

is the paint "cracking" or is it the plaster ?? I've found you're better leaving new plaster time to dry longer then any hairline cracks can be painted over to get a better finish.

I would say also cheap "shed" paint should be avoided.. the fact it took 3 layers of the colour to me would suggest it was !!!! paint

Furts

warmhands.coldheart wrote: »

is the paint "cracking" or is it the plaster ?? I've found you're better leaving new plaster time to dry longer then any hairline cracks can be painted over to get a better finish.

I would say also cheap "shed" paint should be avoided.. the fact it took 3 layers of the colour to me would suggest it was !!!! paint

I would tend to second this. If the wall has been re-plastered, rather than scimmed, it was not given long enough to dry out. That would have been of less concern had appropriate paint been applied - namely high opacity trade obliterating emulsion.

The three coats in one day suggests the first two coats did not dry properly and they are now drying and cracking the coats above.

Re-coating the wall with obliterating emulsion should work - but I would leave it a week, assuming the room is heated. The obliterating emulsion will be white or magnolia, (no other colours easily available), then your chosen colour will go over this.

TCPPC

Hi

Thanks for the feedback

The painy i use was dulux not mid range 23 pound for 2.5l so i presume it be good quality. Thr crack is getting worse, the painter saod he will come againbthisbfriday to repaint it. Shouldbi ask him to sand it then repaint it.

I got afeeling he rush it by applying too many coat on at once whilst the temperature was quite cold as well