New plaster to paint 2023

Postik

Doozergirl said:

Re: mist coat.  It should be 50:50 paint:water.  The lack of a proper mist coat only shows when you go to repaint a room but the results are bad as the bottom layer peels easily off the wall. The purpose of the mist coat is to allow the dry, thirsty plaster to take on enough water to allow the paint to bond rather form a skin.  

Back in the day the guy who plastered my house told me to use watered down PVA.  I did this and never had any issues at all, but from reading online people do seem to have had issues using PVA and it can dry to quite a shiny finish.

I would go with the 50:50 paint and water and I'd probably buy the cheapest tub of white paint I could get.  Some say the cheaper ones are already watered down but I would add more water to be safe.

I wouldn't pick up old paint from a recycling centre because you don't know how old it is or what contaminants it has in it.  Painting brand new plaster should be easy (no stripping off wallpaper or sanding and washing walls) so I wouldn't do anything to risk turning an easy job into a nightmare.

twopenny

Ha, ha, Postick. Indeed that's why I asked.

couldn't get on the net because I moved furniture this am and the router had a hissy fit.

I've tried an old dish sponge with the coarse back that's soft and worn (a useful tool for all sorts told to me years ago by a youngster) and that seems to have evened it out enough. Trouble is there's more to do and seeing it needs the right light or feel.

Hard to photograph but it's the dark spots that are raised and once painted may show as random rashes over the wall.

The plaster guy came back to do the coving......and used a very wet cloth to wipe it off for some reason.

This has left me with bare coving (not white) and wetted the artex and new plaster. So any idea do I paint this with emulsion or do I need to put some sort of priming on?

Also used sealant around the base where it didn't quite fit!

If you are wondering I've spent 4yrs and can't get a local firm to do this job so I got a good deal where a bathroom supplier was owed a favour...........nothing major, just irritating that one guy doesn't turn up or comes late.

The plumber has done a great job and is meticulous and organised apart from the flooring which has gaps round the archetrave when there was room to slide it under and has a gap. Small lumps in my porridge as the saying goes.

But I'm so glad just to get a bath to sort the house and my health issues the details are small.

Postik

twopenny said:

Hard to photograph but it's the dark spots that are raised and once painted may show as random rashes over the wall.

Is it the little dark flecks you're referring to?  Or the darker patches in general (which is normal, but they should still be smooth).  If it's the flecks and they're raised I'd probably try and remove these as you are doing but in an ideal world it shouldn't be necessary.  Out of interest can they be "knocked off" using a wide, flat wallpaper scraper (being careful not to mark the plaster)?

twopenny said:

The plaster guy came back to do the coving......and used a very wet cloth to wipe it off for some reason.

This has left me with bare coving (not white) and wetted the artex and new plaster. So any idea do I paint this with emulsion or do I need to put some sort of priming on?

Also used sealant around the base where it didn't quite fit!

It's been a long time since I ever did any coving, if I recall correctly I think it might be covered in a papery substance although it might depend on the type of coving.  The wet cloth would be to wipe off any adhesive that squeezes out from underneath.  I think all you need to do is let it dry (perfect weather at the moment these last few days).  The sealant should also be okay and will all blend in once painted.  I am not sure if the coving needs priming or can be painted straight over but when you mist coat the walls it might not hurt to do the coving too.

FreeBear

Postik said: It's been a long time since I ever did any coving, if I recall correctly I think it might be covered in a papery substance although it might depend on the type of coving.

Looks like Gyproc coving with a paper facing. Treat it the same as the freshly plastered walls and prime it with a mist coat, then a base coat. Give it a light rub down with fine sandpaper after the base coat if you want a really smooth finish.

twopenny

Thank you Postnick.
That was my instinct.
Well all but the paint scraper  they aren't bad enough to warrant that but enough to stand out in paintwork as you walk in or lay in the bath.

Thanks Freebear. Our posts crossed so I didn't see.
Pretty sure it's the lightweight stuff. 
Guy cut it on the front patio and didn't bother to sweep the mess. What a plonker!
Plumber even gave the hall carpet a hover after taking up the sheets before he left.
This is why I usually wait for local. You know their attitude.

But I've a bathroom. I can live properly or sell. I'm (almost) free at last. Just the heating, windows and car to go 
 

twopenny

Update - re the rough bits of plaster.

I used an old kitchen sponge/scourer which was soft but enough to gently rub the rough bits as I found them.

It worked very well, very easy and little mess.

Mist coat on mostly and has worked well.

Thanks for the help.

MrsStepford

English Heritage told us that Paint for New Plaster (we used Wickes Trade) allows walls to breathe and we have found it to be excellent stuff.