Mist coat - Use "cheap" white emulsion?

[Calathea]

Hi,

We have had pretty much every wall skimmed so will be looking to paint it all at some point but wondered about what to use for the mist coat rather than PVAing it all.
From what i have read the best course is
50% mist coat
30% second coat
10% top coat.
Will probably go for Dulux Trade as i can get that from a local merchant.
The question is, is it worth using the "expensive" coloured paint or use standard white matt emulsion?

 

[sparklymarkly]

I'm no pro decorator, but we've just had an extension built which left us with a lot of freshly skimmed walls.
We gave all the new plaster plenty of drying out time, then two coats of 50% diluted matt white emulsion (cheap B&Q own brand) followed by two coats of final colour and they look great!
Hope this helps.

 

[Zampa]

99.9 time using a different paint for the mist will be fine....15 chance though that it could go wrong.

But if you dont go for a cheapy emulsion for the mist then you wont be able to thin it by 50%...maybe about twenty

Weigh up the waste aspect...would you have enough emulsion by sticking to one barand?...if so stick with that.

Buying another paint just for the mist coat could leave you with a load of paint left over that, being a cheapo emulsion, ist much good for anything else.

Stick to matt though whatever happens...silk doesnt work well as a mist and shows every deviation in the wall.

Dont forget to give the wall a light scrape over first..just incase there are any spalshes of plaster...but DONT rub it down before you paint it...DO however rub down between coats.

 

[AEM]

but DONT rub it down before you paint it...

I have freshly plastered walls that I was planning to lightly sand to get rid of any imperfections before applying a mist coat. Can you please explain why that's a bad idea. I've never sanded between emulsion coats either, how does that improve the finish? Thanks.

 

[Zampa]

If you rub down bare plaster you will scrath it...these scratches will show badly under the paint and worse still can expand when they are painted.

Rubbing down between coats of common practice...it flatten the orange peel effect of the roller, which will promote a better finish, and remove any surface nibs you may pick up.

 

[Calathea]

Good idea, i will have to work out the economics on the mist coat and see.