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Original poster

Didn't water down the paint...

16 replies

BossWitch · 09/10/2017 18:35

Have I fucked it?!

Dh and I painted a base coat of white emulsion over the new plaster in our dining room over the weekend. Dh chatting at work today and it transpires that we were meant to mix the paint with water first when putting onto new plaster. Shit. We had no idea and assumed that a cheap white paint as an undercoat would be fine. Has anyone made the same mistake and lived to tell the tale? Feel like such a twat for not googling first!

OP posts:
Ragusa · 09/10/2017 18:36

Pretty sure it will be totally fine unless it is a bathroom type paint with a vinyl-ish finish.

ShoeJunkie · 09/10/2017 18:37

Cheap white emulsion is likely to be fairly watered down anyway (that's why it's cheap!) so it's likely to be fine!

Original poster
BossWitch · 09/10/2017 18:38

Just normal matt emulsion.

OP posts:
AnnieAnoniMouse · 09/10/2017 18:41

You mix the water in so that it absorbs into the plaster & the paint adheres to the plaster. Without the water the paint can be too thick and just sit on top of the plaster. Then it peels.

I'd google what the best option is now.

PotteringAlong · 09/10/2017 18:45

I think it will just peel off because it won't stick. You're going to need to sand it down to get the paint off and then paint it with the mist layer (I think it's called? I seem to remember lots of discussions about it!) again.

Original poster
BossWitch · 09/10/2017 18:49

Balls.

OP posts:
RatRolyPoly · 09/10/2017 18:52

Meh, I'd chance it. As long as the plaster was good and dry that is. I'd probably leave it a few days make sure there was no immediate peeling, but after that I'd just cross fingers!

AnnieAnoniMouse · 09/10/2017 18:55

There are a lot of good suggestions on this page...

community.screwfix.com/threads/painting-new-plaster.90352/

I'd go with the wallpaper scraper, using masking tape first if necessary.

There would be a LOT of swearing & 🍹

TizzyDongue · 09/10/2017 18:57

Which paint? It may be watered enough. If it isn't it'll be soon be obvious (peeling)

PigletJohn · 09/10/2017 19:10

if it's difficult to scrape off, it doesn't need scraping off.

If it peels off easily, take it off.

I'd suggest a broad metal decorator's scraper.

Original poster
BossWitch · 09/10/2017 20:35

It was a big tub of valspar Matt white. It's not as thin as other basic white I've used, pretty middling.

I really don't want to scrape it off! I think I'm going to pick at a little bit in the corner and see what happens.

OP posts:
YorkshireTea86 · 09/10/2017 21:05

We painted straight on top of fresh plaster on our stairs without realizing you were meant to seal it first. It has been ok, been on 6 years and not peeled.
Won't be doing it again in the kitchen though!

Ragusa · 09/10/2017 23:04

Yeah i would not want to be scraping paint off a lovely new painted wall. You dont wamt gouge marks. Id leave and see how it fares.

Ragusa · 09/10/2017 23:04

Lovely new plastered wall that should read.

SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower · 09/10/2017 23:07

I had no idea you were meant to do this and the two rooms that have been replastered were done in valspar white matt - zero peeling a couple of years on.

I'd leave it and see how it goes. If it peels, then sand it, but if it's fine then why bother?

FlaviaAlbia · 09/10/2017 23:10

We forgot to water down cheapy B&Q emulsion after we got our kitchen plastered, the only problem it caused was that it was incredibly hard to paint on and kept coming off at the time of painting. Once it was done however, it was fine and hasn't peeled or flaked, so it's not an inevitable disaster.

That was about 8 years ago and it's been repainted a couple of times since then without problems.

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