Interior Walls & Ceilings

Silk is always difficult to cover. The correct process is to wash-down with sugar soap solution, rinse with clean warm water and allow to dry. Then lightly rub-down the walls with a fine abrasive paper, just enough to remove any nibs and to provide a key or grip for subsequent coats.

Then apply a coat of matt, best you can, allow to dry and lightly rub down again. The second coat should go on a lot easier. In some cases it may take 3 coats to get a good finish.

Any of these steps omitted is just going to make it more difficult and result in a poor finish.

In extreme cases you can use a bonding primer such as Zinsser 1-2-3 but it’s rarely the case you’ll need to.

Do I need to wash off all the paint and start again or is there a way to retrospectively seal the plaster through or over the top of the existing paint? Thanks in advance! Nicola

Painting over it with a thinned-down coat of vinyl based emulsion will bind the surface together but, as you suggest, the existing coating is not properly adhered to the surface and will come away eventually.

It really depends how bad the problem is and whether you can live it?

If you are able to wash it off then that is the ideal answer. One other solution is cross-lining the walls with lining paper but it would need to be done professionally and isn’t a permanent fix.

I have a very old lincrusta paper on my ceiling in a Victorian house. It has been painted many times , not by us over the years and the paint is now flaking off. Can you advise how to stabilise the flaking before we paint it again. Thanks, Elaine

You can’t really do much about the flaking paint other than try and remove as much as you can before painting over it. The reason for this is because the paint loses its contact with the surface over time and any extra load of more paint will make the matter worse.

I have Graham & Brown super fresco wallpaper on my chimney breast which I emulsions years ago the paint I used is not vinyl & if I wipe it the paint comes off.

My question is I want to emulsions wallpaper again with a vinyl Matt emulsion how can I stop previous colour from bleeding through?

Previous colour is Red & new colour is pale grey. I would be grateful for your advice please. Stephen

A coat of universal primer sealer such as Zinsser Bulls Eye 123 should do the trick. If it’s the entire wall then a coat of Zinsser Wallpaper Cover-Up may do the trick?

Hi, I recently decorated a newly plastered kitchen. The plaster looked dry (pale pink) so did my mist coat, then applied my trade paint. In patches the pink hue of the plaster is coming through. What can I do? Hannah

Sounds like your plaster is still drying out, best leave it for now. The drying process will have been limited by the paint and could take several weeks/months. You may find some paint blisters off, or maybe not? Wait and see.

I’m due to paint my newly plastered kitchen ceiling & walls soon. I’ve Purchased 10l of Tikkurila Anti Reflex White 2 Full Matt. Can I water a few litres down (20-30% water) and apply it as a mist coat on the ceiling and walls. I’d then be looking to apply it to the ceiling as finish coat. As it’s an emulsion I just want to know if I can use it as as a mist coat as I have a lot of this paint? Scott

According to Tikkurila, the product can be thinned up to 20%

https://www.tikkurila.co.uk/amfile/file/download/file/7954/product/2371/

Hello i would like some advice please, my bathroom walls were previously painted with Matt emulsion but the colour comes off when I wipe the wall, I want to repaint with a wipeable emulsion can I do this straight on top of the other emulsion or do I have to some preparation first? Susan

Should be OK, I would wash down the walls first with a sugar soap solution and then rinse with clean warm water to remove any contamination – which is normal in bathrooms.

You may need to thin the first coat of your chosen finish with water because the previous coating will be slightly absorbent and this will help seal the surface.

What I think you mean is that you used a ‘trade matt’, the type of paint you’d use on new plaster?

In which case, this is quite normal because there is no vinyl component that is usually added to regular wall paints in order to make them washable. You can paint over it with Vinyl Matt to seal the surface if you prefer.

I need to paint a full house that has just been plastered (ceilings n floors) and new skirting added…what do I need to do to prep the walls after the plaster is dry…and when coming to the bathroom is there anything special that needs to be done to the paint there.

It is the plan to paint the whole house including woodwork in a Matt emulsion. Karen

It depends how deep the plaster is really but, assuming it’s just a skim finish and you have allowed a few weeks for it to dry, then simply use a thinned coat of matt emulsion as a primer and then paint as normal. All paints vary so it will take a bit of trial and error to get the right amount of water to add. Ideally, it needs to be able to soak beneath the surface but not be so thin that it just becomes coloured water.

You can use standard matt for the bathroom but bear in mind that it will be difficult to keep clean. An advanced matt finish, sometimes marketed specifically for bathrooms and kitchens will be better option.

Regarding the woodwork, you’ll need to use an acrylic wood primer first. This is usually labelled as quick-drying or water-based.

I wouldn’t recommend using emulsion as a woodwork finish though. You can get water-based paints for woodwork with a matt finish that are more durable

All the walls in our flat give off a white chalky residue when you brush them with your hand or clothes, I think its probably because its been painted with trade matt white paint with no vinyl content by the previous owner who rented it out.

We’d like to paint all the rooms with new paint but where we’ve applied samples it scratches off really easily – how do we prepare the walls to make sure the paint will adhere properly?

I’ve read about Zinsser Peal Stop but it would be very expensive to use that throughout the house, is there another option? Would just sugar soap and rubbing down be enough? Sophie

You are on the right lines with Peal Stop although a penetrating sealer such as Zinsser Gardz would be better. A cheaper alternative is EverBuild Water-Based Stabilising Solution. (Both available from amazon).

The product is literally like water so 5 litres would be enough for 2 smallish rooms. I appreciate you may have to treat the whole house and it isn’t going to be cheap but it’s only going to be a one time problem if you do it right.

The only thing you need to be careful of is that it can be messy and will splash all over the place – so it’s essential you cover up any flooring and wipe away any splashes on skirting boards and architraves before it has chance to dry.

One coat should be enough but if the problem is particularly acute it may need two. Best do a small trial area first.

I’ve applied an acrylic primer to our ceiling and noticed soon after that the paint has started to crack or blister in some areas. Is this because the paint underneath may have been oil based?

It’s not cracking everywhere but I’m not sure whether to just scrape back/sand and patch the areas or can I apply a bonding primer to the whole sealing to stop anymore flaking? Arjun

What you describe sounds like surface contamination, most commonly in kitchens and bathrooms. Ideally, you should wash down the surface with sugar soap solution first but, since you have already painted the ceiling this isn’t going to work.

It really depends how bad the problem is now, you may get away with scraping off the affected areas and repainting until you get a decent coverage. If it’s really bad then you may have to try and remove the whole lot, which is going to be messy.

Covering the ceiling with lining paper is another option although you may need to pay someone to do this for you. It isn’t a perfect solution but will get you to an acceptable finish.

I’ve put two white coats onto a wall to hide yellow and a coat of gray which is colour I want but the paint has literally ran off the wall six inch from bottom in a line back to the yellow??? What would cause this to happen? Angela

Did you wash down the wall before painting? It sounds like the surface has been contaminated with something that has prevented the paint from drying. Any traces of oil or grease will do this.

I completed a painting apprenticeship when I was young then joined the army. I have now left and decided to start my own business back in painting.

Everything is going well apart from a job I have just recently started. It is a new plastered living room. I had always been taught to mix my mist coat at a ratio of 80/20. I applied the paint to the new plaster.

I then went to apply a second coat to the ceiling and it was very dry. It went on but felt it pulling. I then scratched the service and it doesn’t seem solid. I fear that I needed to add more water to the paint.

I am going back tomorrow to carry out the job. I am wondering if I would be able to second mist coat it. This time with a more watery ratio? Karl

There isn’t a fixed rule for thinning paint down since every brand will be different and some need thinning more than others. For new dry plaster it’s best to do a trial area first. Ideally, you want the paint to be so thin that it soaks into the surface but not so thin it just becomes coloured water.

Assuming you have already first-coated all the plaster, there is nothing you can do now that’s going to correct your mistake since any coating is only as good as the surface you’re applying it to.

Rather than try and 2nd coat it right away I would give it a couple of days to cure and you may find it doesn’t peel away so easily, if at all.

The best paint really depends on what properties you need, all paints are a combination of a few basic products and the ratio of each will result in better/worse qualities in one way or another.

For the flattest finish, a paint with a high percentage of pigment will achieve this but it is a compromise over scrub/washability so be careful of using in high traffic areas.

Farrow & Ball is one particular brand with a high pigment content but please note I am not saying this is the best paint, just that it’s probably most likely to produce the finish you are after.

hi. i have a stud wall that was previously painted over 10 years ago with good quality paint – Colourtrend interior soft sheen. As the room needed a fresh coat of paint i repainted the room in an another neutral colour – Colourtrend interior matt.

All walls were fine except for stud wall. I have now ended up putting on 5 coats on the stud wall and the wall still looks patchy and when i apply the paint the wall is eating the paint i.e. paint is soaking in quickly.

Can you recommend any ideas of what i can do? Do i need to put a primer on it? and what is the best primer for this problem? Caroll

Not sure why a previously painted wall would be soaking in paint the way you describe, there must be something else going on?

You could try priming a test area with an oil-base penetrating sealer such as Dulux Alkali Resisting Primer or Leyland Alkali Resisting Wall Primer

I would only do a trial area first though. See how you get on?

You are likely to get splashes from the wall (assuming you’re using a roller) so it’s advisable to do the walls first and picture rail/skirting last.

I have some hot water pipes that have been channeled into a wall and plastered over. They give off a fair bit of heat, the wall can be quite hot to the touch.

I wondered what the best solution is with regards to painting that wall. It will be just an ordinary emulsion but is there any other product that i should use first that will help protect the emulsion and stop it being affected by the heat? Rob

There isn’t much you can do since the heat is going to transfer to the paint covering regardless. A non-vinyl based emulsion will be less likely to be adversely affected though.

For instance: Dulux Trade Supermatt, Armstead Trade Contract Matt, Crown Covermatt, Leyland Trade Contract Matt, or Johnstone’s Jonmatt Premium Contract Matt are all suitable choices.

Hi I have used a dark red homebase duracoat in my hallway and want to paint over it. What is the best primer/undercoat to use. I have also been advised to scratch the surface using a metal scooter or sandpaper. Will this help? Kath

Paint as normal although you may need an extra coat. Obviously, use the best quality paint you can afford to minimise the need for multiple coats.

Lightly rubbing the walls with fine sandpaper between coats will produce a better finish but don’t get carried away trying to remove the existing finish. You only need to remove any bits and nibs to make the surface smooth.

Ideally do the walls first and then the woodwork, otherwise you’ll get splashes of emulsion on the finished woodwork.

But, really, whatever suits you best.

I’ve got some hairline cracks in painted plaster walls and ceiling. I’m planning to rake out and polyfill but was wondering how deep to rake out to be sure of a good adhesion?

They are really fine (thin) cracks. Also is there an easier way without having to rake out? Spray filler? Rob

You need to scrape back to surface of the brick or stone behind the plaster. The only easier way, if there are lot of cracks, is to line the walls with a decent grade lining paper. You can also buy lining paper with a scrim backing for severe cases.

We have built a single room extension to a Victoria Cottage the three new walls are plastered and painted. We have retained the original external wall and want to keep it’s original soft red brick appearance making it a feature wall. However the bricks do produce dust/wear & tear. Can you recommend a primer or sealer to put on the bricks to keep the wall “clean” but should we wish to paint it in the future will still allow us to do so? James

Assuming this brick wall is a single skin you’ll need a sealer which is microporous and, because you don’t want it to react with any paint you might use later on, it should also be solvent-free.

Kingfisher Brick and Dust Sealer fits the bill on both counts. https://www.kingfisheruk.com/item_26bds5_interior_brick_and_dust_sealer_matt_finish

You could use a standard water-based stone sealer (available from B&Q or Wickes) as a budget alternative but only if it specifically says ‘solvent-free’ or ‘acrylic based’ on the label.

In either case you should only apply a single coat so it’s enough the seal the surface without resulting in a sheen finish. Do a small trial area first so you can gauge exactly how much to apply.

I have an old barn conversion that was constructed from natural stone and lime mortar. When we converted 15 years ago we were advised that we had to paint the inside walls with a mineral based paint to allow the lime mortar to ‘breath’.

We spent a fortune using a German product that has served us well, but we would like to change the colour & I was wondering if we could use a normal interior paint or an exterior Weathershield type product?

The external walls are either bare stone or have been limewashed. Could you advise me what product I could use to over paint the inside? Mark

You could use a regular matt emulsion, not a vinyl based one. Dulux Trade Supermatt or Crown Trade Covermatt are OK.

However, the performance in terms of ‘breathability’ isn’t going to be as good and you may get odd patches that don’t adhere well or begin to stain. This, of course, depends on how much moisture is in the walls and you may not have any problems at all?

The only caveat I would add is that it’s always wise to try a small trial area first just in case there are any compatibility issues. There shouldn’t be, as the emulsion paints mentioned above contain pretty basic ingredients, but it’s best to play safe.

Love this blog, thank you for the advice on paintbrushes. So we have a Victorian terrace that is covered in woodchip wallpaper. Unsurprisingly the plaster underneath is in various states of repair.

My question is – in an ideal world we would have quite a lot re-plastered but can’t afford a professional. Is there a product that we could use that isn’t one of these “dries white and is a cross between plaster and filler” that will give us a reasonable finish? Should it only be gypsum based? Anna

Regrettably, there isn’t a practical alternative to the filler/plaster hybrids you want to avoid using.

There are various quick repair products available in DIY stores but their performance often doesn’t live up to the promise, and they can be quite expensive if covering a large area.

Gyproc Easifill is a popular product used by many professionals where something between a traditional filler and skimming plaster is required. You can buy large 10kg bags from B&Q (go for the regular green label stuff, not the quick drying option with a yellow/orange label).

It’s easy to mix and you can get a fairly decent finish although it does need sanding down afterwards and does also create a lot of dust. Provided you know this in advance, and take necessary steps to prevent the dust filling every room in your house, it is probably your best bet.

Use a plasterer’s trowel for best results and, if you don’t already have one, look for one with a fairly flexible blade, as these are easier to use. Failing this, go for a flexible filling knife with as wide a blade as possible.

A hand-sander, as above, is another expense but saves on elbow-grease and will ensure you get a nice flat finish.

Note though, the finished surface is quite powdery so will, ideally, need sealing before painting or wallpapering over. Artex Stabilex is the best product for this but you’ll need to get this from a trade merchants such as Brewers and it costs about £25 for 5 litres.

You can sometimes get away with just wiping the walls down with a wet sponge to remove the excess dust and then priming with a thin coat of paint or wallpaper adhesive but the the success of this method depends largely on the finish you are going to be using and a bit of luck too. So, obviously, I wouldn’t recommend this option.

Other than this, it may be worth getting a quote for someone to come and patch plaster the worst affected areas. When you take into account your own time plus the cost of materials it may well work out more economical?