painting newly skimmed walls

nickibabe · Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 10:23 am Post Subject: painting newly skimmed walls

i have just had my hall walls and ceilings skimmed, how long do i have to wait to paint them, and what is the best thing to prep them with first

spice · Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 3:31 pm Post Subject:

if you have just had them skimmed only, then you wait till the plaster has dried, it goes a very pale pink, and you can paint with Vinyl matt, or better still super matt that doesnt contain any vinyl.
Dont use silk, or soft sheen if you can help it, till at least a few months down the line.

Do a miscoat first, which is a thinner solution of your paint, all you have to do is thin it down with approx 15-20% percent of water, give a good stir, then paint on the walls.
This seals the walls ready for your good coats, if your using a good quality paint like dulux, I would still thin your second coat, just a little,and then just paint from the tin for your third coat, if you think it looks too thick, then just add a tad more water, cause sometimes the paint can drag if its too thick,and painter not quick enough lol

Diyers are slower than the professional painter, hence you might get the dragging, but if you do one wall at a time and see how you go.

nickibabe · Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 8:38 am Post Subject:

A friend suggested sealing the walls with a solution of pva and water, is this any good or is it best just to go with the thinning of the paint ?
Thanks for your advice,

Nige F · Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 4:34 pm Post Subject:

Thinned PVA goes on before the plaster

your friend`s been getting too much UVA

AngryNugget · Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 6:50 pm Post Subject:

For some reason B&Q are recommending that you seal plaster with PVA before you paint.

Everything I've read on here says not to.

Zampa · Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:15 pm Post Subject:

B an Q know nothing ..

Dont whatever you do use PVA on bare plaster.

If you want a second opinion go on any of the trade sites and look at their 'how to' sections.

Personally id go with the good advice Spicey gave..

Heres how most of the trade do it one way or another..

Thin by 40% and apply a first coat of matt emulsion

Rub down the walls with 80 or 100 grade abrasive paper

Fill if you have to

Apply a second coat of emulsion thinned by about 25%

Apply a thrid coat thinned by about 15-20%

The amount you thin it by depends on the quality the paint.

Stick to Matt...anything with a sheen highlights every single deviation on a new wall

Non Vinyl matt for deep plaster..vinyl matt is fine for skim

Hope that helps

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spice · Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 9:28 pm Post Subject:

Zampy, I'm sure you must be my twin.

Because, I always thin my paint down, whether its first coat second or even third.

I'm not saying thin to because I'm trying to make it last, but I know by adding just a tad bit of water to the third coat, gives a much better finish.

Zampa · Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:02 pm Post Subject:

Quote:

Zampy, I'm sure you must be my twin

Good looking suave and sophisticated too?

p******g paint out for the hell of it is a false economy..it can end up not covering and youl have to give it another one.

Strange thing is a lot of people that its done to cut corners/costs etc..I dont know any decorator who does that.

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FredFlintstone · Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:08 am Post Subject:

So you folks rub down newly plastered walls after applying a mist coat? Is that to smooth the plaster finish or to remove any little bits of paint that haven't been absorbed? Also, doesn't it remove a lot of the mist coat or are we really talking about a very ight rub down?

Regards

Fred

joe-90 · Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:50 am Post Subject:

Most decorators use a sander on a pole and give a quick wizz over BEFORE the mist coat. The reason is that if the plaster has the odd line on lump it will clear it. If the plaster is dead smooth, then it will give it key.

It's pretty common to give a secondary light sanding before the main coat.

Zampa · Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 3:22 pm Post Subject:

I wouldnt attempt to rub down the walls first...you can scratch them to bits..once the mist is on you can see what you are doing of..

I normally just give the bare plaster a once over with a wide bladed stripping knite to remove any snots

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mk2phil · Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 9:38 am Post Subject:

How many coats of the Dulux Supermatt should you apply?

As I understand it, the first coat is the mist coat which you thin with water.

But should the second coat also be the Supermatt stuff, or normal vinyl matt emulsion coloured paint (perhaps thinned with water also for a better finish)?

Zampa · Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 5:38 pm Post Subject:

mk2phil wrote:

How many coats of the Dulux Supermatt should you apply?

As I understand it, the first coat is the mist coat which you thin with water.

But should the second coat also be the Supermatt stuff, or normal vinyl matt emulsion coloured paint (perhaps thinned with water also for a better finish)?

Yep..first coat is the mist..

You can use ordinary vinyl matt emulsion over the top, providing you give it a second coat of vinyl matt..otherwise you get whats called 'shearing' flashing shiny uneven sheen marks where the roller and brush has overlapped

But if the plaster is deep id suggest to stick with supermatt in case there is still any trapped moisture in the wall...sometimes two coats is enough but three will look better.

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mk2phil · Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:16 am Post Subject:

Thanks Zampa.

Is that the process you'd follow:

supermatt mist coat > sand with 120/180 > vinyl matt 2nd coat > sand with 120/180 > vinyl matt 3rd coat (watering down the paint on each coat to get a better finish).

What I mean is, you've said I can do it this way, but I'd like to know the preferred way - what a pro would do.

Thanks fella.

Zampa · Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 6:03 pm Post Subject:

mk2phil wrote:

Thanks Zampa.

Is that the process you'd follow:

supermatt mist coat > sand with 120/180 > vinyl matt 2nd coat > sand with 120/180 > vinyl matt 3rd coat (watering down the paint on each coat to get a better finish).

What I mean is, you've said I can do it this way, but I'd like to know the preferred way - what a pro would do.

Thanks fella.

Give the wall a dry scrape over to remove any cruddy bits of plaster etc..the mist coat (if your using dulux supermatt then you can add about 40% water) rub down and fill the walls where needed , id use 100 grade, 120-180 will clog easily with supermatt...rub down the filler and apply two more thinned coats of you vinyl matt..(thin by about 25% each one..dulux is very thick and dry emulsion..if you feel it 'pulling' or you are getting a lot of 'orange peel' in the emulsion then thin it a little more.

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