Painting On New Plaster - Washable options?

[RS7]

Hello, despite trawling loads of forum posts I still haven't managed to find a sure answer.
I'm getting a garden office built and it will be left plastered and unpainted. I believe this should be finished within the month and then I'm planning to paint it myself.

I want to use a good washable/scrubbable paint and was thinking Dulux easycare matt but ive seen conflicting opinions.

Not sure how soon after plastering is finished I can paint, provided the weather is hot I'm hoping it can be a week max (whenever i see its an even colour?).

Originally I was planning to do a 70/30 mist coat of Leyland trade contract matt emulsion or armstead or similar, then go in with 2 coats of easycare.

Now im wondering if thats the right idea, whether the easycare will bond to the mist coat and would it be breathable to let the plaster fully dry?

I've also seen people talking about dulux trade diamond but it seems much more expensive and ive got 150SQM of walls and ceilings to cover and I'm budget conscious.

Bit confused about what is the best way to go and I'm just currently trying to price it all up. Any good advice would be appreciated.

 

[opps]

I suspect that Easycare is the Dulux retail version of Dulux Trade Diamond matt.

My main gripe with washable matt paints is that if you use a scouring pad to clean stubborn marks, the section of wall becomes shinier.

If you are happy with a slightly higher sheen level, you could use water based eggshell. Oil based eggshell will give you a much more durable finish but it will stink and is slightly more difficult to apply.

I am not a fan of contract paints as a base coat. They have a lower acrylic/vinyl content and are normally recommended for plaster that still needs to let water escape. If the plaster is still drying you should only use them and not the durable finishes.

Are we talking bonding coat and finish plaster or plasterboard and skim? Either way, leaving doors and windows open will speed up the drying process.

With regards to mist coats- please just follow the advice on the back of the tin. An over thinned mist coat will not deal with the suction and will be very splattery.

 

[RS7]

Hi, Thank you for your reply

I've seen Dulux Trade Diamond Matt but if Easycare is the retail version of the same thing, is there any major difference that makes it twice the price?

I don't know much about eggshell so could you explain why you think this would be a better option?

Also I think it will be plasterboard and skim.

Following what you said I'm leaning towards using Easycare as a mistcoat (says on the website you can do this) and then go in with 2 full coats. I was thinking of using contract for mist coat to save some money but id much rather do it properly than save a little bit.

Ideally I wish to start within a week of plastering being finished but of course I won't begin until its an even colour and I can't see any damp areas. - However I know that even at this point the plaster is not fully dry but would it be okay to paint with Easycare (or similar) just as I would with contract. The website says that Easycare is breathable so I assume it would allow the plaster to fully dry out over time even once its painted (similar to how contract does?).

I'm not set on this so please let me know if it would be significantly better to just bite the bullet and go with Dulux Trade Diamond Matt or another, similarly priced one like Crown Trade Clean Extreme for my purpose rather than the regular retail.

Otherwise do you think I am on the right track?

 

[opps]

Hi, Thank you for your reply

I've seen Dulux Trade Diamond Matt but if Easycare is the retail version of the same thing, is there any major difference that makes it twice the price?

I don't know much about eggshell so could you explain why you think this would be a better option?

Also I think it will be plasterboard and skim.

Following what you said I'm leaning towards using Easycare as a mistcoat (says on the website you can do this) and then go in with 2 full coats. I was thinking of using contract for mist coat to save some money but id much rather do it properly than save a little bit.

Ideally I wish to start within a week of plastering being finished but of course I won't begin until its an even colour and I can't see any damp areas. - However I know that even at this point the plaster is not fully dry but would it be okay to paint with Easycare (or similar) just as I would with contract. The website says that Easycare is breathable so I assume it would allow the plaster to fully dry out over time even once its painted (similar to how contract does?).

I'm not set on this so please let me know if it would be significantly better to just bite the bullet and go with Dulux Trade Diamond Matt or another, similarly priced one like Crown Trade Clean Extreme for my purpose rather than the regular retail.

Otherwise do you think I am on the right track?

A week for skim should be absolutely fine (especially at this time of the year).

Trade vs retail- I normally avoid retail because it seems to be thinner- hence the difference in price. That said, the last time I used the retail it was a purple matt and, pleasantly, two coats sufficed (I had assumed that I would need three coats given that it was the retail version). In general, I would rather buy the trade version because saving £30 on materials is a false economy if I need to spend an extra day applying a third coat. I completely understand why you would rather save some money given that it is your own place.

If you told me that you wanted white walls, I would be inclined to recommend a mist coat of Trade matt, followed by a full fat of white trade, and then two coats of the retail Easycare- if you said it was light grey, then I might say go for the retail as a mist and then two full coats of retail. IIRC, Wickes sell both the trade and retail Dulux paints- sometimes they have pretty good discounts, eg buy one, get one half price.

I have never use the Trade version as a mist coat. I have only ever used it over existing emulsion. One thing I would say is that the first coat seems to suck in a lot. The second coat however glides over the previous coat. I have done jobs where I estimated 5L, after the first coat I have used as much as 65% of the paint, the remaining 35% was still more than enough for the second coat.

Breathable? That is a very relative term. I doubt it would be as breathable as contract paint, but you are looking at skim after plasterboard rather than render with a plaster skim coat.

Apropos the eggshell, it will be more shiny than the matt but less shiny that silk.

Sorry, just finished work, am having a pint and need to go back up to the bar. If I have failed to address all of your questions, please do post back.

Regards.

 

[RS7]

A week for skim should be absolutely fine (especially at this time of the year).

Trade vs retail- I normally avoid retail because it seems to be thinner- hence the difference in price. That said, the last time I used the retail it was a purple matt and, pleasantly, two coats sufficed (I had assumed that I would need three coats given that it was the retail version). In general, I would rather buy the trade version because saving £30 on materials is a false economy if I need to spend an extra day applying a third coat. I completely understand why you would rather save some money given that it is your own place.

If you told me that you wanted white walls, I would be inclined to recommend a mist coat of Trade matt, followed by a full fat of white trade, and then two coats of the retail Easycare- if you said it was light grey, then I might say go for the retail as a mist and then two full coats of retail. IIRC, Wickes sell both the trade and retail Dulux paints- sometimes they have pretty good discounts, eg buy one, get one half price.

I have never use the Trade version as a mist coat. I have only ever used it over existing emulsion. One thing I would say is that the first coat seems to suck in a lot. The second coat however glides over the previous coat. I have done jobs where I estimated 5L, after the first coat I have used as much as 65% of the paint, the remaining 35% was still more than enough for the second coat.

Breathable? That is a very relative term. I doubt it would be as breathable as contract paint, but you are looking at skim after plasterboard rather than render with a plaster skim coat.

Apropos the eggshell, it will be more shiny than the matt but less shiny that silk.

Sorry, just finished work, am having a pint and need to go back up to the bar. If I have failed to address all of your questions, please do post back.

Regards.

Thanks for the reply, gave a lot more clarity.

I'm only going for white walls and ceiling, probably will end up doing a mist and then 2 coats of retail easycare.

In regards to the trade diamond matt, I wouldn't mind spending double if the product was much better but they seem pretty similar as my untrained self can see. Also as you said its my place so i don't mind spending another day painting. Also I don't see much saying that the diamond stuff can be used as a mist or if its breathable as the dulux website says.

I would have done what you suggested for the white but that does seem like a couple more steps and complexity so unless you don't recommend it I'd just use the Easycare throughout as the trade matt isn't any cheaper.

Sorry if I'm over-questioning but I'm just trying to do it right.

And mate, you're making me jealous, I wouldn't mind a pint right now with the weather we've been having