Painting Fresh Plaster - Help a noob

Soldato
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18 Oct 2002
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I can't remember the exact ratio, but when I had a room skimmed a few years ago I was told to just buy the cheapest white paint and water it down with whatever ratio they suggested at the time and apply several coats before decorating properly. The only issue I've had is paint flaking off behind a radiator and I'm not really sure how to stop it happening again in the future when I paint again behind the radiator.


did you put the radiator back on quite quickly and then use it? force-drying is not good for paint
 
Soldato
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I can't remember the exact ratio, but when I had a room skimmed a few years ago I was told to just buy the cheapest white paint and water it down with whatever ratio they suggested at the time and apply several coats before decorating properly. The only issue I've had is paint flaking off behind a radiator and I'm not really sure how to stop it happening again in the future when I paint again behind the radiator.

remove the rad, lightly sand the flaky paint off, re prime area then re paint when dry, don’t warm radiator until paint is fully dry
 
Soldato
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I started priming my walls with watered down cheap emulsion but then paid extra for fresh plaster emulsion , when I say extra it was a few quid if that. It’s taken the hassle out of getting the consistency right and the extra time messing about. If you’ve paid thousands to re skim/plaster your house then why quibble over a few extra quid on paint :/
 
Man of Honour
OP
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Thanks all for the advice. Seems to be a consensus that basic emulsion (not the cheapest) will do the job. I’ll let you know what I get and how it goes! :)
 
Soldato
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This is the key surely, your buying cheap rubbish. I mean mixing some paint with the correct amount of water isnt hard, but if you start with a poor quality product you will get a poor finish.

Cheap doesn’t necessarily mean rubbish, I just personally found the extra step in diluting it a waste of my time when I could buy it premixed for just a couple of quid more
 
Soldato
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Cumbria
Thanks all for the advice. Seems to be a consensus that basic emulsion (not the cheapest) will do the job. I’ll let you know what I get and how it goes! :)

you’ve spent money getting the walls plastered, will spend money on your finishing paint and other things, why bother diluting anything when there’s paint already premixed for the job at hardly any extra cost just to save a £1 or 2
 
Soldato
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you’ve spent money getting the walls plastered, will spend money on your finishing paint and other things, why bother diluting anything when there’s paint already premixed for the job at hardly any extra cost just to save a £1 or 2
What are you buying that is only £1 or £2 more expensive? It's considerably more expensive from what I've seen!
 
Soldato
Joined
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Cumbria
Figure of speech, but last time I bought some I didn’t find it much more expensive ,considering I’d just paid quite a few thousand to have the house fully replastered , it didn’t make sense to start worrying about saving on a few litres of paint
 
Soldato
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13 Jun 2009
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My own head
Surprised no one mentioned Dulux Supermatt. The coverage on that was amazing. If your paint was flaking off from decorating I can almost guarantee that the plaster was too smooth.
 
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