Can anyone advise please? I've tried the FAQ but unless I'm losing my
sight, I can't find an answer for this one...

I've just had walls newly plastered. The plasterer said to my wife
that the walls should be prepared with three coats of watered-down
white emulsion prior to painting. My question is; what ratio of water
to emulsion should I use?

Thanks for any help,
Simon

I've just had walls newly plastered. The plasterer said to my wife
that the walls should be prepared with three coats of watered-down
white emulsion prior to painting. My question is; what ratio of water
to emulsion should I use?

A bit excessive.

I would use a special new plaster paint, such as Dulux Trade Supermatt. I
would then apply one coat thinned down and then another coat at full
strength. Officially you should then use a third coat, but the paint is of
such high quality that this is rarely necessary.

http://www.duluxtrade.co.uk/webapp/w...sheets/410.pdf

This recommends up to one part water to 3 parts paint for sealing new
surfaces.

Christian.

On Wed, 30 Nov 2005 10:15:29 -0000, "Christian McArdle"
wrote:

I've just had walls newly plastered. The plasterer said to my wife
that the walls should be prepared with three coats of watered-down
white emulsion prior to painting. My question is; what ratio of water
to emulsion should I use?

A bit excessive.

I would use a special new plaster paint, such as Dulux Trade Supermatt. I
would then apply one coat thinned down and then another coat at full
strength. Officially you should then use a third coat, but the paint is of
such high quality that this is rarely necessary.

http://www.duluxtrade.co.uk/webapp/w...sheets/410.pdf

This recommends up to one part water to 3 parts paint for sealing new
surfaces.

Christian.


Thanks for your help Christian.

Simon

PigPOg wrote:
Can anyone advise please? I've tried the FAQ but unless I'm losing my
sight, I can't find an answer for this one...

I've just had walls newly plastered. The plasterer said to my wife
that the walls should be prepared with three coats of watered-down
white emulsion prior to painting. My question is; what ratio of water
to emulsion should I use?

Thanks for any help,
Simon

Watering paint down is a pain. You have to stir it for quite a time to
get any kind of uniformity, and then it slops everywhere, runs up your
arm etc.
I've used undiluted Crown emulsion on new plaster without problems. Best
to apply the first coat sparingly though. Dulux is just too thick IMO.

Watering paint down is a pain. You have to stir it for quite a time to
get any kind of uniformity, and then it slops everywhere, runs up your
arm etc.

I can't say I've ever done it with that kind of precision. I just decant the
paint into a pot/tray (I do this even when not diluting). Then I give it a
slug from the glass of water I'm drinking and stir it for about 15 seconds
with a brush.

Christian.

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
. ..
Watering paint down is a pain. You have to stir it for quite a time to
get any kind of uniformity, and then it slops everywhere, runs up your
arm etc.

I can't say I've ever done it with that kind of precision. I just decant
the
paint into a pot/tray (I do this even when not diluting). Then I give it a
slug from the glass of water I'm drinking and stir it for about 15 seconds
with a brush.

Christian.



It's debatable why thinned emulsion is always recommended for the first
coat. I've heard various explanations, but the one that seems most sensible
to me is that the dry plaster sucks the liquid out of the paint quickly,
which makes it difficult to spread the paint out evenly with a brush, and
you end up with heavy brush marks. I'm sure it's not vital to mix the water
and paint in definite proportions, only to thin it down sufficiently to make
it brushable on the "hot" plaster.

Peter

On Wed, 30 Nov 2005 09:19:02 +0000, PigPOg wrote:

Can anyone advise please? I've tried the FAQ but unless I'm losing my
sight, I can't find an answer for this one...

I've just had walls newly plastered. The plasterer said to my wife
that the walls should be prepared with three coats of watered-down
white emulsion prior to painting. My question is; what ratio of water
to emulsion should I use?

Three coats of watered down sounds a lot - he wasn't trying to persuade
you his mate should paint it instead was he?

I used Wickes trade - diluted with a generous splash of water (it
doesn't take much to make it a lot wetter).

In one place I never got further than that for a year, and it looked ok,
but nothing more. But with a top coat on that (coloured Wickes trade in
this case) it looks really good.

The white seems to make a very good undercoat for the coloured paints,
as well as being significantly cheaper (you will get through a *lot* of
paint for that first coat, even diluted).
--
On-line canal route planner: http://www.canalplan.org.uk

(Waterways World site of the month, April 2001)

"Nick Atty" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 30 Nov 2005 09:19:02 +0000, PigPOg wrote:

Can anyone advise please? I've tried the FAQ but unless I'm losing my
sight, I can't find an answer for this one...

I've just had walls newly plastered. The plasterer said to my wife
that the walls should be prepared with three coats of watered-down
white emulsion prior to painting. My question is; what ratio of water
to emulsion should I use?

Three coats of watered down sounds a lot - he wasn't trying to persuade
you his mate should paint it instead was he?

I used Wickes trade - diluted with a generous splash of water (it
doesn't take much to make it a lot wetter).

In one place I never got further than that for a year, and it looked ok,
but nothing more. But with a top coat on that (coloured Wickes trade in
this case) it looks really good.

The white seems to make a very good undercoat for the coloured paints,
as well as being significantly cheaper (you will get through a *lot* of
paint for that first coat, even diluted).
--
On-line canal route planner: http://www.canalplan.org.uk

(Waterways World site of the month, April 2001)


I just had my walls replastered and my plasterer said nothing about painting
it with watered down emulsion.

Is it really necessary?

What difference will it make if I just do it with full strength emulsion?


TIA

--
Steve

Remove "nospam" from email address to reply to me personally

In article ,
Steve Rainbird wrote:
What difference will it make if I just do it with full strength emulsion?

If it isn't too late do it with watered down emulsion. It may be OK but the
plaster will suck the water out of the emulsion and leave what's on the wall
too dry too soon. AIUI that could lead to flaking.

--
John Cartmell john@ followed by finnybank.com 0845 006 8822
Qercus magazine FAX +44 (0)8700-519-527 www.finnybank.com
Qercus - the best guide to RISC OS computing

"John Cartmell" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Steve Rainbird wrote:
What difference will it make if I just do it with full strength emulsion?

If it isn't too late do it with watered down emulsion. It may be OK but
the
plaster will suck the water out of the emulsion and leave what's on the
wall
too dry too soon. AIUI that could lead to flaking.

--
John Cartmell john@ followed by finnybank.com 0845 006 8822
Qercus magazine FAX +44 (0)8700-519-527 www.finnybank.com
Qercus - the best guide to RISC OS computing


No its not too late it was only plastered today.

--
Steve

Remove "nospam" from email address to reply to me personally

PigPOg Wrote:
Can anyone advise please? I've tried the FAQ but unless I'm losing my
sight, I can't find an answer for this one...

I've just had walls newly plastered. The plasterer said to my wife
that the walls should be prepared with three coats of watered-down
white emulsion prior to painting. My question is; what ratio of water
to emulsion should I use?

Thanks for any help,
Simon

You should always give new plaster a watered down coat first, what the
trade call a "p**s coat" . If you just put a full strength coat on
there is a real possibility of the paint flaking off. Ive seen it
happen many times, and you often dont know its happening until you try
to repaint a wall and the new paint starts to bring off the old stuff.

Pro decorators will always do it.


--
Nick H

"Nick H" wrote in message
. ..

You should always give new plaster a watered down coat first, what the
trade call a "p**s coat"

LOL - It's always been called a Mist Coat as far as I know, but maybe that's
polite rhyming slang!

Peter