Painting fresh plaster

[Psyclist]

I know this has probably been gone over again and again, but we're in a desperate rush to get our plaster (which has been done today) painted before our kitchen is fitted at the weekend.

Is there anything I can put on the fresh stuff to allow me to paint it over the next couple of days?

Waiting for weeks simply isn't an option as we had to have the old kitchen out to get the walls fixed and we've got a toddler so not having a kitchen for weeks while we allow the walls to dry simply wouldn't work.

Is there anything I can do or should the walls be ok to size within the next day or so? I just want a sealing coat on. Not the final decorative colours.

I've seen housing refurbs have plasterers in one day and painters the next (possible slight exaggeration) and wondered how they get away with it, but most people reckon you can't paint for weeks.....

 

[Diyisfun]

You will need a mist coat on, I dont know how dry the plaster will have to be before you can do this.

 

[Psyclist]

Crikey, that sounds messy!

 

[TheDec]

If you were to apply any paint system to plaster skim when it still wet(damp) it will soon come back and haunt you, really not a good idea.

Dec

 

[JulianCassell]

Presumably you're aware that once the plaster has gone light pink you're good to paint?

If you got a bit of gentle heat going through the room tomorrow, you'll be surprised how quickly it will dry. Some people will disagree strongly with forcing plaster to dry at any level, but as long as you keep it gentle, you won't have a problem, or at least I've never found it to be a problem.

If for some reason, due to thickness, render etc. it doesn't dry before the weekend, then you would be unwise to apply paint, as stated by Dec.

Otherwise, with a bit of heat, I'm sure you'll be able to get a mist coat on tomorrow evening (just make sure its matt ie. no vinyl) - Gliddens contract white is perfect for the job.

Best of luck

Julian

 

[TheDec]

Blimey

If he follows that he's going to need a lot more than luck!!

 

[misterhelpful]

Don't be tempted to use paints like Supermatt which say they are suitable for use on plaster that is still drying.
Always let the plaster dry thoroughly before mist-coating. I'm sure you won't want to have paint flaking (and all the fuss that goes with it) in your new kitchen a few months down the line just because you rushed with the mist coat.
If the kitchen really must be fitted this weekend then leave the plaster behind the units bare, (although they shouldn't be fitted if it is still quite wet) tape up all the unit edges etc after the installation and then paint. It may seem like a tedious job but, believe me, it is the lesser of two evils.

 

[TheDec]

The point you raised with regard to painters applying a mist coat on plaster skim whilst the skim has not fully dried is in part correct, the Emulsion they use is called Contract emulsion, this system allows both the damp skim to be painted whilst still allowing the skim to dry out, the normal application method of this would be to thin with no more than 20% water. Yet I am of of the opinion that the applyiing of this is still far to soon in your situation.

Dec

 

[ic1927]

I wouldn't advise painting plaster before it's fully dry, even with contract emulsion. None of these modern emulsions are 100% vapour permeable despite what the manufacturers claim. You might get away with using a potassium silicate mineral paint which is alkaline and totally vapour permeable but finding an outlet that sells this stuff might be difficult and very expensive.

 

[Psyclist]

Ok, point taken. I'll just have to paint around the units.

The wife's working from home today anyway, so I've told her to leave all the windows and doors open in the kitchen so hopefully it should have dried a bit more by the time I get home but I think I'd prefer not to have to paint it again in a couple of months so you're probably right.

Thanks anyway. I was just wondering if the tech was there yet to allow this. As you say, the paints are probably available, just scarce and expensive so I'll just leave it.

Thanks chaps!

 

[TheDec]

As a matter of fact Contract Emulsions are very inexpensive, it's just that in your case it is far to soon to apply paint.

Dec