The Problem With Newly Plastered Walls

When you purchase a new home or even when you renovating an existing one, you will find that the best way to get a high-quality interior is to have the walls plastered. This can mean plastering over existing surfaces or dry-walling and skimming with plaster.

Both can look fantastic. However, there are several issues with newly plastered walls that you should be aware of. Before you start tackling a newly plastered wall you should ensure you are happy with the quality of the finish. What is polished plaster?

The newly plastered will look fantastic. However, the small imperfections will be a lot more visible when you start painting as the paint will make them stand out more. That’s why you should run your hands over the walls carefully and look at them in different lights to ensure they are as good as you think they are. This can be a good time to find out more about the building and construction industry security of payment act, it can save you a lot of money and hassle when you are not happy with the finished work.

Newly Plastered Walls Are Absorbent

The biggest issue with a newly plastered wall that has never been painted before is that they simply absorb water. Plaster is predominantly water, that is what makes it possible to spread it across your walls and get the perfect finish.

That means, before you start doing anything, you need to give it at least a week for the plaster to dry. If you don’t the paint you put on will not bond properly and will crack and peel. It may even look uneven when the wall was finished perfectly.

Sealing The Wall

Even after they have fully dried, if you paint a newly plastered wall the paint will simply be absorbed. Instead of painting, you need to invest in some sealant. This can be painted on, sealing the wall and preventing it from stealing all the moisture from your paint. It will also help to stop the wall from drying out and cracking up.

The sealant should be applied and left to fully dry before you start applying the paint.

You don’t need to purchase a special sealant. It is possible to use a very diluted version of your base coat. It will be more water than paint but just enough paint to allow adhesion to the wall. You can even spray it onto your wall if you wish.

This process will also help you to highlight any issues with your wall. Bumps and uneven surfaces can be corrected with filler, sanding, or by re-skimming the top. You may need to speak to your plasterer.

It is a good idea to do two base sealing layers as this helps the paint go further and improves the brightness of the finished color.

Finishing Touch

With the sealing coat sorted you can let it dry and make sure there are no drips or runs before adding the topcoat. This creates the perfect finish and helps to overcome the main problem with plastered walls, how absorbent they are.