Painting after removing picture rails

[thunderbum]

Hi guys,
Newbie decorator so please be gentle!javascript:emoticon('')

I have removed all the picture rails from a room in my 1980s built flat. I have started to prepare the walls for filling the holes left by removing the picture rails but have noticed that the old plaster underneath is completely bare and untreated. This is in contrast to the walls which have 3 or 4 layers of emulsion paint on them. This has created a ridge between the bare plaster and the painted wall which I have scraped and sanded. However, do I need to treat the bare plaster with anything before painting.javascript:emoticon('') The last thing I want is a nasty line in the wall where the old rail used to be.

Any guidance much appreciated.

 

[stevewestern]

Sounds like you need to mix some more polyfilla or whatever and fill the whole area where the picture rail was so you loose the ridge. No need to prepare the bare plaster in any way, but make sure you have a big filling blade to cover the whole thing - something like this -

http://www.trade1st.co.uk/flexible-filling-blades-5pack

You may need to fill, let it dry, sand then fill a second time to get it to disappear but it is a simple job.