Painting

[Privateeye]

Hi

I've just moved into a mid-terrace victorian and have decided to repaint the bedrooms. There was a bit of a peel of the original paint and when pulled, it pulls off like wall-paper leaving smooth pink plaster underneath. After some online investigation, it turns out this could be lack of a 'mist-coat'.

So, we're in the process of hand-peeling the paint off three of the walls. One wall though has a layer of green paint under the magnolia. This is still peeling but not as easily

Is that wall safe to be painted on or should paint not peel at all off plaster?

Thanks in advance

 

[madder]

If it isn't coming off easily and if it is frustrating and time consuming, then I would sand it all down, clean any dust away, fill wherever is rough with a skim of fillers, sand it smooth touch up any filling with matt emulsion. Maybe give a thin first coat to the full wall and then paint it as normal.

 

[Privateeye]

It's quite a large wall. Would you sand with hand or electric? And would you sand it down to the plaster?

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• Privateeye
• 29 Aug 2014
• 1

Untitled

• Privateeye
• 29 Aug 2014
• 1

This is the easily stripping walls and some holes from a removed shelf

 

[madder]

I wouldn't sand it down to the plaster. I'd just sand it smooth. I'd mist coast any raw plaster before doing any of the skim filling.

That easily stripping wall looks like it wasn't mist coated at all, or certainly wasn't given a light sanding in between coats, and if that all comes off then great. Holes can be filled with filler. Just make sure to mist coat any raw plaster before doing any filling around it.

 

[Privateeye]

Ok so the easy bits are mainly off and as you say, I'm left with frustrating time consuming patches of better adhered paint.

If I sand these areas, alongside the bare plaster wall, and then mist coat and top coat it, will these patches show through?

Untitled

• Privateeye
• 29 Aug 2014
• 1

Untitled

• Privateeye
• 29 Aug 2014
• 1

 

[madder]

It is difficult to tell for sure by looking at a photo, but my advice would be to sand down so that it's smooth, particularly on the edges where it meets the raw plaster, mist coat the raw plaster, skim any areas where it's particularly rough, sand the filling down, touch the filling with matt emulsion.

I would recommend that you use Matt in that room to finish as it hides abnormalities where mid sheen or silk won't. But if you are going to use a mid sheen or silk, coat(cover) the full walls in Matt first.
I'd still recommend finishing in Matt though.

 

[Privateeye]

Ok so sanding occurring, especially the borders of the patches of paint and putting polyfiller over the edges and sanding again where that's done. Holes are filled and sanded also. Then I'm going to use a very slightly damp clog to wipe away dust.

For the first mist coat I'm going for 70:30 paint:water mix, how long should I leave this to dry?

 

[madder]

Should be dry in a few hours. You'll know yourself when it is ready. Very light sanding in between all coats of paint should also help it stick better. Good luck!