Mist coat paint lines - is it normal?

[opps]

I bought some of that to use as a mist coat.

Its truly awful paint, it’s not vinyl so it’s adhesion is poor and it has almost no pigment so it has poor opacity. As it dried it had areas which went really rough - by the time I had sanded it smooth, there wasn’t much left.

I’ve given up with it and I bought Dulux trade brilliant white - which has excellent opacity, almost obliterating the old colour with one coat.

<blushes> I missed the fact that is the contract paint. You are correct that they are awful products that are only intended to be used on slightly wet plaster that has not yet fully dried out. As you say, they have a very low vinyl/acrylic content and not really suitable as finish coats in the longer term.

They are impossible to keep clean and do little to deal with the level of suction.

A while ago I was asked to redecorate a bathroom that a builder had just painted. He used contract matt on the ceiling. As soon as the shower was run, the paint became translucent until the moisture had evaporated away. It kinda acted the way it is supposed to, ie not providing a barrier to moisture.

Unfortunately, many people use it because it is so cheap- but there is a reason why it is so cheap.

 

[Chivas69]

If you're going to use a vinyl paint for a mist coat make sure the plaster is completely dry first. The contract matt will let any moisture out!

 

[Max Power]

I cannot believe the amount of conflicting info out there on this topic!

I have seen many people recommend to use a "contact matt" as a mist coat - and that's the advice I went with in the end.

In addition, many people have specifically said NOT to use vinyl matt as a mist coat - see this thread for example: https://www.mybuilder.com/questions/v/34897/matt-or-vinyl-matt-for-mist-coat

Anyway I've applied a second "thicker" mist coat now and that's resulted in a more solid appearance. Can still see some patches but otherwise looks a lot nicer than before and the "tram lines" are much less visible. I ran my hand over these lines and did not feel any bulges - so it should be OK fingers crossed.

 

[Chivas69]

He who dares Rodney!

 

[opps]

If you're going to use a vinyl paint for a mist coat make sure the plaster is completely dry first. The contract matt will let any moisture out!

I am in complete accordance with you, however I often seen it used on plasterboard skim by supposed decorators that only buy it because of the low cost and ease of use.

 

[Chivas69]

Also. The amount of new builds that have the contract paint as a finish. New owners getting dusty paint on their clothes every time they rub up the walls.

 

[Max Power]

@opps as I am using a vinyl matt as my finish coat, should I be doing 2 coats of this, or can I get away with just one? It's also white, so I'm thinking it should be OK in one coat. Or should I do a "full fat" coat using the contract matt and then one coat of the vinyl matt?

 

[JohnD]

I have seen many people recommend to use a "contact matt" as a mist coat

You can get away with a cheap paint for a while.

It's more that, for new or damp plaster you should use a non-vinyl. Dulux Trade Supermatt is not cheap rubbish

It looks decent and is easy to paint over with a more durable colour after the house has been sold or dried out