Ah, the joy of a freshly plastered wall! But can you put paint straight onto plaster? What’s the best product to use? And how long after plastering can you paint? Check out this expert Q&A to put your mind at rest and make sure the decorating process goes smoothly.
How long after plastering can you paint?
Tempting as it is to get that colour up as soon as the wall is finished, patience is the order of the day. Fresh plaster is porous and will soak up moisture, so you don’t want to start slapping on paint until your plaster is properly dry. What will happen if you do? You won’t get the lovely finish you’re after: the paint could flake, peel off or even grow mould.
How can I tell if plaster is dry enough to paint?
Quoted drying times usually refer to the ‘setting’ of the plaster; instead, you need to know how long it will take to ‘cure’. Generally, if you’re painting new ‘finishing’ plaster, you’ll want to wait a week or two for it to dry fully. Some specialist plasters, such as lime plaster, can take up to a month to dry.
The surroundings make a big difference, too. If your walls are in a well-ventilated room, drying will be quicker. Test the plaster by eye. A patchy finish shows it’s still damp in places; if the wall has turned from a mid-brown to a uniform pale salmon colour, you’re good to go.
What’s the best way of ensuring a smooth finish?
It’s common to find a few uneven areas on a newly plastered wall – particularly in the corners. Remove them gently with a scraper, and then sand the wall with 180-grit sandpaper. This should ‘key’ the surface without scratching it, making it easier to apply paint. And don’t forget to cover floors and furniture with dust sheets before you start, then vacuum carefully once you’ve finished. Plaster dust gets everywhere, and you don’t want it spoiling the finish when it comes to painting.
Can I paint straight onto plaster?
No – you need to prime the surface to seal it before painting. The easiest method is to apply a ‘mist coat’ using watered-down emulsion. You don’t need anything fancy: you can just use standard white emulsion or, if your top coat is darker, a watered-down version of your chosen colour.
In terms of the best ratio of paint to water to use, six parts paint to four parts water is a good rule of thumb. Mix your paint and water in a clean bucket, apply to the wall with a roller and brush, and try not to go over the same area more than once. The mist coat needs to be thin so the plaster can absorb it, so watch out for drips. Leave to dry for 24 hours and then apply your top coat.
What’s the best paint for new plaster?
Once primed, plaster walls can take any colour or wall paint finish. Browse our recommendations for the most common paint finishes and, if you haven’t yet chosen a colour, be inspired by our collection of over 200 shades.
Finally, make sure your dust sheets are down and that you’ve masked off any areas you don’t want to paint, such as skirting boards or switches, then get painting!
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