little scuffs on matt emulsion painted plaster walls

[deraila]

chairs being knocked against dining room matt emulsion painted walls, suitcases swiped on bedroom walls on way in etc. how do you get rid of theses marks - tried washing but just taking paint off. do i need to repaint whole wall?

If the paint is coming off with just water I think you might have to repaint to get it looking nice. If you use a hard-as-nails paint like Dulux Endurance (unfashionable, I know, as it's neither F&B nor chalky), the walls will wipe clean.

If it comes off with water, then it is either an overpriced fashion paint, or a non-vinyl emulsion intended for use on new plaster as it is porous and allows moisture to evaporate. There is a chance it was painted by someone who didn't mist the wall. It is unlikely to be PVA because most of the people who do that have been hunted down and killed by angry decorators.

Yes you need to repaint it. You will need to touch-in the bare patches first with a small brush, first, one or two coats diluted with 20% water which will soak in, then one coat unthinned to make the colour similar to the rest of the wall. Then a couple of coats of branded vinyl emulsion over the whole wall. Silk is easier to keep clean than matt.

If this is a wall liable to be knocked and scraped by chairs, you might consider a chair-rail, in gloss painted wood. Most people don't know what it's for and think it's an ornament. You fit it at a height to match your own chairs.

Yes, its the VOC free type of eco/natural plant based paint. Hate,hate ,hate it because i feel it just doesn't perform well but DH insists. Ah well, swipes we shall have.

Getting hall decorated next week. Was thinking eggshell over vinyl wall paper. Will it look hideous and shiny?

I find eggshell holds the dirt, won't clean, and looks grubby, especially if hands touch it.

It depends on the marks, but for minor scuffs I find those magic eraser sponges (from Aldi, Flash or JML) very effective.