RSSPainting Plaster Brings Old Walls Back to Life
If you are doing cosmetic remodeling or your old home don’t be surprised if you find plaster walls under layer upon layer of wallpaper. If you are wondering if you can paint plaster walls instead of wallpapering again the answer is a possible yes.
Step 1: Remove any wallpaper or wallpaper glue residue. You can either use a wallpaper paste remover in liquid form or you can use a steamer. Steamers are simply machines that you fill with ordinary tap water. The steam is pumped through a hose to a rectangular dispenser. You hold the dispenser against the wall long enough to saturate the area. The wallpaper will begin to bubble and peel as it becomes saturated. If you are working with several layers you may need to treat the area with either the steamer or the wallpaper paster remover several times. Steamers can be purchased from your local home improvement store or you can rent them.
Step 2: Repair any plaster damage by using a plaster repair compound. Using drywall compound will not work correctly. Drywall compounds are designed to work with drywall covered in paper. Your plaster walls are porous and need a compound designed to bound with a porous surface.
Step 3: Use an oil based primer. Oil based primers average about $35 dollars per gallon. They are more expensive than later primers. An oil based primer will prevent the plaster from bleeding through your newly painted walls. Plaster walls primed with a latex primer run the risk of show spots.
Step 4: Paint the walls. Painting oil based primed walls with latex paint is acceptable.
Charity is the owner of House Plans Online, For more information on common house repairs and building new homes please visit our site.