Advice please.. decorating fresh plaster

[wtfisthatspiderdoing]

Extension project is finally in the final stages. I have plastered walls! I need to decorate ASAP so that radiators can go on. A few questions if you lovely people can help...

How do I know when the plaster is dry enough to paint? I know it's dry when it's all gone a light colour.. but is it dry dry?!

When wall papering onto fresh plaster is there any prep I need to do?

Dry plaster should be light pink when dry, how long ago was it plastered? A week should be long enough.

If you're wallpapering size the walls with a solution of watered down wallpaper paste. Leave that to dry then wallpaper as usual.

If you're painting mist coat the walls with watered down emulsion for the first coat, then paint as usual. I am assuming the plasterer hasn't polished the plaster as they don't tend to now.

I am a decorator and this is what I do.

It's going to take at least a week or two to dry! When it starts drying, it's quite easy to see the difference between the damp patches and the dry bits. Don't be tempted to decorate before it's properly dry, the paint will bubble off and it will be a right mess. Leave windows open/ heaters on to speed up the process if you can.

The mist coat is emulsion mixed well with tap water.
Some say 10% water, some say up to 50%.

You can put more than one mist coat on if you wish.

We found it was the high corners that took longest to dry for the plaster.

As people have said above. DO NOT use watered down pva or anything like that it will ruin your lovely smooth walls and be a bastard to paint.

Make sure you use a true matt emulsion and not a vinyl or silk for your mist coat.

This time of year drying will be slower. If you are somewhere really cold you could add a low level heat source to an unheated room to stop the walls freezing and speed up the drying process.

Low level heat but ventilation is the must

I've hired a big dehumidifier for a few days and have 3 electric convection heaters in there so hopefully that will help dry it!

@wtfisthatspiderdoing
You need this
www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Trade-Emulsion-Paint-for-New-Plaster---Pure-Brilliant-White-10L/p/122443?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&adpos=&scid=scplp122443&sc_intid=122443&gclid=CjwKCAiAwKyNBhBfEiwA_mrUMqbbF62UsFtW7kXDKSPtBhm074feWjVvVg7T-Hcq9-J5-0yEMt8tsxoCH0oQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

This replaces the mist coat that is needed and can go on when the plaster is still not 'dry dry'

I had all my ceilings skimmed this year and used it on all, after the plasterer recommended it.
One coat of this and then 2 costs of Dulux matt white emulsion

Job done!

Don't dry it out too quickly or it can crack.

Don't dry it out too quickly or it will crack , have a window open daytime to allow air to circulate , allow a week to ten days to let it dry ,don't use extra heat or a dehumidifier as it will crack it
When it's properly dry paint over with a mist coat using white emulsion watered down approx 60/40 (paint / water ) and stirred very well , be careful as it's thin and will easily drip whilst your rolling it on , just put it on thinly and allow it time to dry properly before applying a proper coat of emulsion - don't use anything other than emulsion for at least 6 months as it does take a while to set properly , I've always been told not to wallpaper on new plaster and it should be 6 months to a year before doing wallpaper

• white matt emulsion , I use dulux trade

Dulux do a supermatt paint that is for new plaster including drying plaster. Do a mist coat with that - the instructions telly ou how much to water it down.