Painting onto plastered walls

[Windowpain]

Had decorators in to quote for painting bedroom. They said as they are painting onto plaster they will need to put PVA (I think!) on walls first, then several coats of white followed by two top coats. Are they right?

We have done that in the past ie the pva stuff and we have done the two coats of cheap white emulsion first then normal paint but have discovered an amazing product from Screwfix.

We used this and it is a 15ltr tub so I had a member of staff take it to the car for me (and I am strong) those massive tubs in B&Q are 10ltrs to give you an idea of the size. Read the reviews.

It is specifically designed for new plaster, it went on like a dream, the coverage is amazing and I would definitely use it again. Maybe you could get your decorators to use that. I left a wall and the ceiling white and didn't use another paint, just that laytex paint. It is in our kitchen.

Just re-read your post, what just normal plastered walls or newly plastered?

I decorate in our house and have done loads of emulsion painting. On normal plastered walls I just painted the new colour.

If the wall is very dark then yes, white paint, but having discovered the laytex paint from Screwfix I would now use that due to the coverage.

On newly plastered walls I used the laytex stuff.

In the new kitchen extension,I used the screwfix stuff then painted over most of it with a dulux mixed paint. All fine.

They may be over-egging the pudding somewhat. One coat of watered down cheap white emulsion plus two coats of your paint should be sufficient, depending on colour. We've done this in two bedrooms this summer, one which we painted ourselves, and one which web had a decorator do.

We had 3 rooms skimmed and painted recently. I don't know if it makes a difference that it was a skim, but they did a perfectly good job with just 1 undercoat and 2 of colour.

You need something on first, otherwise it all just sucks in. Usually they just do a little bit of PVA mixed with a first coat of emulsion, and some water (15% ish I think). I think if you do that, then the subsequent coats have a better, more even finish, and are quite stable.

Thanks for replies.

We've been doing so much on this moneypit house that I can't remember exactly when we had plastering done but it was before Christmas. DH decorated the living room (plastered at same time), put an undercoat on and two costs of F&B paint and it looks fab hence I wondered if the painters were, as Anything says, over-egging the pudding and am worried what their quote might be. Also bedroom is same size as living room but they estimate we'll need twice as much paint as we did for downstairs. It's an expensive paint so don't want to part with that much if I don't need to (Little Greene Co and they don't do returns).

You mist coat new plaster (paint with watered down emulsion). Wouldn't trust any decorator who said you needed to pva new plaster before painting - before plastering yes, painting no.

Either a mist coat first followed by a couple of normal coats of emulsion or use something like B&Q basic white emulsion as the first coat.

We have just had some rooms plastered/skimmed and I checked with the plasterer about what he did to his place. He said a cheap emulsion was fine to use as the first coat or the mist coat. He used a trade paint.
B&Q cheap emulsion followed by the colour we wanted worked well for us.

Also said whatever you do - DO NOT use PVA on it as the base coat.

nononononono

never put PVA glue on a surface that you hope one day to paint.

The correct treatment is one or two coats of matt emulsion thinned with water (the instructions will be on the tub)

Google "PVA Emulsion Paint" to find the horror stories

Send these "decorators" on their way and find someone better.

Thanks so much for replies. Having received their quote, we've decided to do the decorating ourselves and appreciate tips you've given!

Don't do pva!!!
It doesn't allow the plaster to breathe