Painting new plaster disaster - please help!

[bmbarh]

Hi folks, newbie here desperately seeking advice!

We've just had a new bathroom fitted but are decorating it ourselves to save some pennies. The builder skimmed the whole room (it's quite small) and said to use 2 coats of cheap emulsion, then "proper" paint on top.

Having spent all weekend painting (2 coats cheap emulsion, then 2 coats dulux silk) I came to take the masking tape off the tiles (to protect them from the paint) and it's pulling the paint off the wall with it - the paint's like clingfilm on the wall!! After lots of frantic googling I know now we should have watered down matt emulsion as a primer coat, but are there any options other than peeling off all our hardwork and starting again onto bare plaster?!

All advice/comments (other than how stupid we were!) gratefully received, thanks!

 

[kjacko]

Hi, if you've masked the tiles, then it surely can't be taking much paint off the walls, maybe only a tiny bit around the edges. You should be able to slightly rub it back then just paint in the patchy bits. Maybe water it down and build a couple of layers up.

If it were me i would have just taken my time cutting in, without the real need for masking. But even if i do make the tape should not really be on the wall, it should butt up to it to form a nice dividing line.

The only true advise i could give, which has been given to me by the pro decorators who work at our company is "take your time to prepare it right". mask it carefully, cut in accurately.

I'm a decorating novice tbh and used to tackle job with all the grace of a sack of carrots on a horse, but now i actually enjoy decorating as advice i've heeded has paid dividends each time i do a room.

Hope it helps.

 

[bmbarh]

Hi kjacko, thanks for that.
I've been a bit free and easy when painting up to the masking on the tiling, so in some places it's a continuous layer between wall and tape, and when I pull the tape off the rest of the wall is coming with it!
Will try watering down and patching though, cheers.

 

[kjacko]

Lol, been there, done that......learned my lesson.
I'm better at it now due to the advice of others so if i can pass it on and it helps then great!
btw....was your plaster completely dry before you started painting?

I've found that sometimes you can get away with it, sometimes you can't and it will peel.

 

[Robbie uk]

The trick is to pull the masking tape off before the paint dries ! Ideally when painting upto tiles its easier to paint onto the tile edge and then wipe off the excess paint with a cloth over your thumb before it dries.

 

[kjacko]

The trick is to pull the masking tape off before the paint dries ! Ideally when painting upto tiles its easier to paint onto the tile edge and then wipe off the excess paint with a cloth over your thumb before it dries.

Actually, yeah, that's what i do.....although i did learn the hard way