Do I need a second mist coat?

[jacoscar]

I had walls and ceiling skimmed and I applied a mist coat of

https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Matt-Emulsion---White-10L/p/145119

3 litres of paint and 2 liters of water (instructions indicate max 40% of water)

This is after a first mist coat and drying for a week

If I rub my hand on the wall I’m left with a fine white powder

Do I need to clean it with a damp sponge before the next coat?
Can I apply the finish paint or do I need a second mist coat as it looks a bit patchy?

 

[motorbiking]

Looks fine, though I'm not convinced it was fully dry in some places. Have you tested with a moister reader? TV plate above power plate is not ideal.

 

[opps]

40% water for a paint that costs £1 per litre? Wow...

I would be inclined to use a wet sponge, but you may find that it just washes all of the paint off. If so, re-mist with a decent paint (again, as per the manufacturer's instructions).

The reviews for the paint are, understandably, very negative.

 

[jacoscar]

Looks fine, though I'm not convinced it was fully dry in some places. Have you tested with a moister reader? TV plate above power plate is not ideal.

There is no tv plate in the picture (the power comes from below and the top is just the antenna
No, I didn't test it with a moister reader, I went by the colour

40% water for a paint that costs £1 per litre? Wow...

I would be inclined to use a wet sponge, but you may find that it just washes all of the paint off. If so, re-mist with a decent paint (again, as per the manufacturer's instructions).

The reviews for the paint are, understandably, very negative.

40% water was the manufacturer instruction for that paint, it was pretty thick before adding water; I didn't check the reviews, but I imagine some may come from people who forgot to stir before use

 

[jacoscar]

How do dilution ratio work for paint?

What does 40% mean in this case?

10 liters of paint + 4 liters of water?
6 liters of paint + 4 liters of water?

I’ve assumed to be the second (40% of the total) but I just want to check

 

[opps]

How do dilution ratio work for paint?


What does 40% mean in this case?

10 liters of paint + 4 liters of water?
6 liters of paint + 4 liters of water?

I’ve assumed to be the second (40% of the total) but I just want to check

You are correct 6 parts paint to 4 parts water.

Sorry, I wasn't doubting you. Off hand, I can't recall buying a paint that required thinning by so much.

A few years ago, I once made the mistake of paying the same amount for a Crown (retail not Crown Trade) paint. It was all the local store had. I wanted to touch up marks on a client's white walls. After 4 or 5 coats I could still see the dark marks. I used about 5% of the tin and binned the rest.

Personally, when mistcoating, I apply dilute, wet on wet. By that I mean that I allow the mist coat to soak in slightly and then re-roll straight over it. It provides a more even coverage and doesn't leave the customer thinking "OMG my walls look awful".

I am still a little concerned about the dusty finish. I guess toy can select a small section, apply a full fat coat, let that dry and then apply a second full fat coat. If the second full fat coat does not pull off the first as you roll it, you should be OK.

 

[jacoscar]

I have cleaned all the dust with a damp sponge and then applied a second mist coat at a lower ratio (1 part water and 3 part paint, so 25% instead of 40%)
The dust after this second mist coat was minimal so I have applied the first top coat