Painting plaster

[MrAlyakhin]

So my new bathroom is halfway to being finished. It was skimmed Tuesday.. I have tried to work out what I can do to paint it as I need it to be functional by Christmas.

Google gives so many opinions. Nobody, not even professionals agree on anything.

I have bought armstead trade contract Matt suitable for bare plaster as advised by the decorator centre. I plan on doing 1-3 coats of this. Reasoning being it's breathable and while my plaster looks dry it probably could do with longer drying before applying a proper bathroom paint.

I really want to get paint on walls before things are properly installed like the toilet and radiator. As painting behind once they're up will be challenging. The top coat will be a soft sheen whitish paint. I'll probably do this in the new year.

Does this sound like a good plan? Do I need to add water to the first coat or as it's suitable for bare plaster can I just use it without diluting it?

I would leave me plaster for at least two weeks before painting a you need it to be thoroughly dry. They usually say to leave a few days for a skim coat (as opposed to full new plaster), but I've found that to be too soon.

I'd use a 1:1 watered down coat of cheap white emulsion from screwfix or other DIY shop as a prime coat (anything that does not have vinyl in it). The plaster will suck that in. Give that a day to dry then go over with another coat of undiluted emulsion. Then you can put your colour over that.

Try and leave the window and door open to get air circulation, maybe a fan too. Don't use a dehumidifier though, you just need air circulation.

If you're desperate to have it before Christmas, leave it one week, but definitely use the fan.

Don’t rush it, you are spending a lot on this, do it properly or you will end up redoing it.

the plaster needs a couple of weeks to dry fully. This is important.

any Guests will cope without a room being painted!

I’ve just had a bathroom plastered. Plasterer said to leave it until the plaster coat has dried (should be an even pink colour), then use ordinary emulsion for first coat. The first coat will feel like it’s not going on properly but persevere (don’t keep going over it, just paint). Leave overnight and do second coat which should adhere to the first, then leave overnight and do the third (should be final coat). Make sure each coat is very fully dry before doing the next.

We’ve never done a second mist coat, ones always been sufficient! Have you got a dehumidifier? We’ve just had a whole house plastered and the plasterer said to use one