Did you get your plaster walls repaired and want to paint over the repairs? It is important to ensure that the repair job is done properly and to take care to prepare the surface before dabbing on those first dribbles of paint. If you are not careful, you could end up with nodules, lines, or uneven marks on your walls and no amount of paint coats can smooth out these imperfections. Let’s take a look at the crucial steps to take before you start coating your walls with a fresh layer of paint.
1. Smooth The Surface
It is very important to ensure that the newly applied plaster repairs are applied as smoothly as possible. Any dents, nodules, or streaks left behind can be challenging to conceal. The new plaster layer can be a little bit thicker but there should never be any dents or holes left behind.
2. Let Plaster Dry Completely
Give enough time to let the plaster set and dry properly. If you start sanding down too early you could end up removing chunks of plaster. If you paint too early, the moist plaster could create stains on the new wall paint coat.
3. Scrub with Sandpaper
Scrubbing and smoothing the surface with sandpaper is a crucial step. It is important to sand down the surface even if it looks very smooth. This is the best way to prevent nodules or connection marks on your wall surface.
4. Prime the Areas
When plaster walls are restored, a mixture of new plaster is used to cover the holes, smooth out the dents, or cover cracks. A proper plaster repair job involves several steps. The damaged areas need to be cleaned and prepared, the plaster is reinforced, a scratch coat is applied, a brown coat is applied, and a finish coat is then used.
This finish coat does give the plaster a very smooth surface but the material is still dryer and more porous than the rest of the wall. If you simply paint over the surface, your walls could end up with flaky or gloopy areas. This is because the dry patched areas will suck up all the paint.
Before that first layer of paint can be applied, the newly plastered areas need to be coated in primer. This primer will smooth out the surface and will keep the plaster from sucking up all the paint. It is usually best to prime with a mist coat.
5. Apply a Base Coat
The mist coat applied to the areas is very thin and might not cover the freshly applied plaster entirely. It is usually best to coat your walls in a layer of base coat paint. This base coat will reduce the contrast between the walls and the newly applied plaster and will help the paint adhere better to the new and old surfaces.
6. Paint the Walls
When the primer is dried, you can start on the right paint colour for your walls. It is usually best to coat your walls in two layers of coloured paint. A second coat of paint is important even if you are using high-quality paint. This will give a smoother finish and will properly conceal all of the drywall patches.
You should repaint the entire wall even if you are using the same paint colour as the original walls. Paint might discolour over time and manufacturers sometimes do have a tough time mixing up the same hue. If you only cover the newly fixed areas, your walls could end up with mis-matched colour streaks or patches.
Get Professionals to Restore and Repaint Plaster Walls
Getting that perfectly smooth finish can be tough, especially if your plaster walls have some significant damage. At We Fix Walls, we have all the necessary equipment, materials, and the required skills to properly repair and repaint plaster walls. When our professionals are done, your walls will look smoother, silkier, and more luxurious than ever.
