Filling and preparing "Tape Holes" in Emulsion

[FozzieBear]

After nearly 20 years we are replacing our kitchen and I need to prepare the walls. I have got a plasterer coming to skim the "artex" ceiling and make good the chases for the new electrics and missing plaster where tiles were hacked off.
However there are no tiles going back up and no wallpaper to cover any of the imperfections. The original plasterer did a brilliant job and the surface finish was smooth and flat with very few blemishes making it a dream to paint. However over the years various "School Art" has been brought home by the children and grandchildren and put up with sticky tape.
Now that that has been removed its taken off the emulsion back to the original plaster finish. Although a long while back I remember doing a sealer coat of 50% matt emulsion to 50% water on the new plaster once it was dry but that doesn't appear to have helped.
What is the best way to deal with these bare patches?
Should I reseal them first with a mist coat and then fill with a fine filler and sand, or should I fill first and then paint over. Previously I have had to use a non water based spray (Zinnser??) or the edges of the emulsion bubble when applying new emulsion.
Alternatively should I bite the bullet and use lining paper and then paint over that?
Any guidance would be appreciated

 

[misterhelpful]

It sounds like the original mist coat hasn't been 100% successful, and you know the repair options available. As you already have experience of it blistering when you repaint, I would suggest misting the areas before and after filling. That way you will know if the blistering is going to occur before you start using you topcoat.

If the blistering does re-occur at either of those points, you will probably be better advised to line the wall(s) or seal with the Zinsser product you have used before.

Also, you state that the plaster was 'smooth and flat, making it a dream to paint'. This could be a possible reason as to why the mist coat has failed - plaster can be overpolished which stops the paint being absorbed into the surface.

 

[FozzieBear]

It sounds like the original mist coat hasn't been 100% successful, and you know the repair options available. As you already have experience of it blistering when you repaint, I would suggest misting the areas before and after filling. That way you will know if the blistering is going to occur before you start using you topcoat.

If the blistering does re-occur at either of those points, you will probably be better advised to line the wall(s) or seal with the Zinsser product you have used before.

Also, you state that the plaster was 'smooth and flat, making it a dream to paint'. This could be a possible reason as to why the mist coat has failed - plaster can be overpolished which stops the paint being absorbed into the surface.

Many thanks Misterhelpful yes the plaster finish was very shiny so you could well be right.
I was really trying to determine if it was good practice to mist before filling or fill directly on bare plaster and then mist but you have provided that guidance.

I suspect Ill have to go the Zinsser route again.
Thanks again for responding.
Fozzie

 

[misterhelpful]

It's usually better to mist before filling so that the bare plaster doesn't absorb all of the moisture from the filler. When this happens, the filler can flake off when sanded or painted, especially in fine surface filling situations like you have.