Mist Coat Emulsion-yes or no?

Saver-upper

I have been asking around for quotes to have a new extension painted.
Talking to different decorators,painters,etc,and getting quotes,it seems there is lots of different opinions about whether a mist coat emulsion is necessary.
I don't know anything about it,and am interested to hear people's thoughts.Over the last few weeks I have heard such variation in opinion as:
"Leaves a better finish",
"Not necessary on brand new plaster",
"Should always be done on brand new plaster",
"With paints as good as they are today,it is not necessary"
"If you mist now,when you go to redecorate in a few years time (Lordy no,never again ),the paint will just fall off in chunks" (or something to that effect-I did tune out abit when redecorating in a few years was mentioned )
I am interested to hear everyone's thoughts.
Thank you.

Grenage

New plaster, mist it.

Lungboy

Or use a new plaster paint, like No Nonsense Trade Bare Plaster paint.

Le_Kirk

This has been asked so many times and every time there is always a 50/50 split about which way to go. About 18 months ago, I had a wall replastered and, after it dried out, I painted it with a cheap emulsion straight out of the tin and sure enough ............. nothing happened, it was fine, covered it with my (well Mrs Le_Kirk's) choice of finish coat and it is still OK.

dominoman

Mist coat yes.

jakemillspaek

Mist coat here.Not a £ tie breaker.

TheCyclingProgrammer

Lungboy wrote: »

Or use a new plaster paint, like No Nonsense Trade Bare Plaster paint.

Good stuff that.

Whatever you do OP run a mile from anyone who suggests PVA! :rotfl:

onomatopoeia99

Yes as an amateur, it dramatically reduces the amount of nice (and therefore expensive) paint you'll need when you come to paint the walls the colour you want them.

amerste

Screwfix to a new plaster emulsion paint. Well worth it and reasonably priced.

wrightk

I have always used the cheapest emulsion there is on new plaster. Eg b+q value emulsion rather than forking out for 'new plaster paint'. The consistency is very watery anyway so its great for a mist coat and never had any issues

Mr.Generous

wrightk wrote: »

I have always used the cheapest emulsion there is on new plaster. Eg b+q value emulsion rather than forking out for 'new plaster paint'. The consistency is very watery anyway so its great for a mist coat and never had any issues

You are right to use this, its cheap because it doesn't have the vinyl's or modern synthetic equivalents that make it tough and hard wearing. They cause a problem with new plaster because they form a tight seal or barrier which salts in the plaster can't penetrate and frequently results in the paint peeling away in elastic stretchy patches.

The mist coat is just normal emulsion but thinned so much it wont seal the wall. On thick plaster ie undercoat (browning or bonding) then finish plaster you should ideally wait 6 months before applying a quality paint finish. You dont see this much now, usually skimmed over board which needs about a month. Its not about the plaster physically being dry its the chemical processes that produce efflorescence / clouding / salts all sorts of possible things that can cause you problems.

Its all about the mineral content of the plaster and the underlying substrate, every one knows someone who painted new plaster straight away and didn't have a problem. Just like everyone knows someone who smoked 60 Woodbines a day and lived to 99, so cigarettes can't possibly be bad for you because of this one example.

The none vinyl emulsion cheap own brand paints are your best bet, paint for new plaster is unnecessarily expensive - B&Q value emulsion is definitely suitable and comes in a choice of a few colours, paint for new plaster comes in white or magnolia.

Ever noticed on new builds what colour every single wall is?