painting on fresh plaster

[pissedoffpainter]

Hello everyone, I hope someone can help me!
I had a damp proof course put in at the beginning of november (injection) and obviously had the walls plastered aswell. I was told that I could begin painting them by xmas. I decided to wait an extra month to fully make sure that the walls were dry enough to start painting (i.e plaster turned light pink) I've recently started painting with dulux supermatt exactly as it says on the tin, 1st coat 1 part water 3 parts paint, 2nd and third coats 1 part water 5 parts paint. The majority of the house looks nice but I have patches of paint flaking away and when i rub with sandpaper or a cloth the patches become larger. I have tried re-painting and re-diluting the paint but the flakes still appear. This seems to be mainly in the dining room downstairs which was very damp when i moved in. I am hoping for some advice please, do I leave for longer, use a de-humidifyer, or are there special products for this problem. The house is mid terraced and built in 1890.

 

[leewill]

I live in a similar house and i had to dot and dab plasterboard onto the walls to get rid of this problem, but i`d remove all the flaky bits with a bit of sandpaper and just paint over it with neat paint, don`t dilute it, and give it a few coats, alternatively, if the wall is a outer wall you could fit a vent to air the room, if the bricks are anything like mine you`ll be weeks trying to drill through it, i`d go with the paint.

 

[philipb82]

When I painted my house about 2 years ago I didn't use a diluted coat as the first. I didn't realise this had to be done but anyway 2 years later no problems with flaking or peeling. I don't know if it makes any difference but the first coat of paint was sucked up by the plaster, it took 3 coats of white to cover.

Phil

 

[NickB_99]

and obviously had the walls plastered aswell. I was told that I could begin painting them by xmas.

It is possible for plaster to be over-polished during plastering and therefore too smooth. this would have nothing to do with drying time.
If this should be the case, sanding should roughen it up enough to get a good key for your paint.
On any new plaster, remember to dilute paint.

 

[Richard C]

I didn't use a diluted coat as the first. I didn't realise this had to be done but anyway 2 years later no problems with flaking or peeling.

DO NOT use neat paint, it may look like it's stuck but it hasn't as you will eventually find out. Always use 2/3 thinned coats of matt emulsion in quick succession & let it dry thoroughly before decorating.

newbew99 may have the answer in that it's been over polished but you may have local contamination of some sort, maybe PVA if the spreads been a bit sloppy working elsewhere. Try a (light) buff with sandpaper which hopefully will sort it out.

 

[philipb82]

I don't want to hijack this post but Richard C - how long do you reckon it will be before the paint starts 2 come away/peel from the wall then? Also would be best to strip it all and start again, we're talking the whole house here!

Although my plaster isn't new and it had wall paper on it before.

Thanks

Sorry to original poster.

Phil

 

[Richard C]

how long do you reckon it will be before the paint starts 2 come away/peel from the wall then?

It could last for years but may usually starts to show cracks & peel as it ages & starts to shrink back; a selotape test will give you a good idea as to the level of adhesion you have.
The biggest problem comes if it’s papered; when you try to strip the paper at decorating time, large chunks of the paint are likely come away with the paper especially if you use a steamer & then your left with a hell of a mess. Of course if you move in the meantime, it would end up some other poor unsuspecting souls problem.

Also would be best to strip it all and start again, we're talking the whole house here!

No point in creating a whole load of work, I would leave as is just be prepared for it, particularly when you come to re-decorate.

Although my plaster isn't new and it had wall paper on it before.

Was the paper stuck onto what looked like bare plaster then?

 

[philipb82]

It was that old wood chip paper that was on, we live in an ex-council house. It was plaster behind.

Anyway thanks for your advice, I'll keep my eye out for any problems and fix them when it happens.

I weren't keen on stripping the paint!

Phil

 

[Richard C]

The plaster may have been primed with something before papering in which case you may well have struck lucky.

 

[philipb82]

I might have dropped on then

Anyway thanks for your help and advice.

Phil

 

[Nige F]

Hello everyone, I hope someone can help me!
I had a damp proof course put in at the beginning of november (injection) and obviously had the walls plastered aswell. I was told that I could begin painting them by xmas. I decided to wait an extra month to fully make sure that the walls were dry enough to start painting (i.e plaster turned light pink) I've recently started painting with dulux supermatt exactly as it says on the tin, 1st coat 1 part water 3 parts paint, 2nd and third coats 1 part water 5 parts paint. The majority of the house looks nice but I have patches of paint flaking away and when i rub with sandpaper or a cloth the patches become larger. I have tried re-painting and re-diluting the paint but the flakes still appear. This seems to be mainly in the dining room downstairs which was very damp when i moved in. I am hoping for some advice please, do I leave for longer, use a de-humidifyer, or are there special products for this problem. The house is mid terraced and built in 1890.

Zinsser water based primer/sealer Costs a bit more than other methods, but it`s a good `un for problem surfaces