Application of Paint on Lime Plaster: Essential Dos and Don'ts To Consider
Lime plaster, a traditional building material, is not just aesthetically pleasing but also requires special care when it comes to painting. Here's a guide to help you navigate the process, ensuring a flawless finish on your lime plaster surfaces.
Firstly, it's essential to understand that clay-based paint is the recommended choice for lime plaster due to its breathable nature. This quality prevents moisture from getting trapped, a common issue with non-breathable paints.
One such clay-based paint is Earthborn's Claypaint, which offers exceptional ultra-matt coverage and is fully compatible with lime plaster. Earthborn, a company specialising in eco-friendly paint, also boasts a colour expert named Bailey Oates. According to Oates, Claypaint is an ideal choice for painting lime plaster.
If your plaster is flaky or powdery, a primer like Earthborn's Silicate Primer can be used. This primer is suitable for surfaces including lime plaster and allows walls to breathe.
Limewash paint is another popular choice for lime plaster. Known for its breathability, eco-friendliness (containing no VOCs), non-toxicity, and mould resistance, limewash uses a different formula to standard paint and gives off a more translucent and subtle finish.
However, it's crucial to wait at least four weeks for lime plaster to fully cure before painting. Painting too soon can lead to adhesion problems and bubbling or flaking. Using the wrong paint will also produce similar issues.
Smaller paint producers like Farrow & Ball and Little Greene have specialist paint designed for lime plaster. There are also specialist emulsion paints suitable for lime plaster, such as Edward Bulmer's natural emulsion and Mylands Matt Emulsion.
Preparing and painting lime plaster requires careful consideration. If your plaster has hairline cracks or small holes, they can be filled using lime putty or an interior all-purpose filler. For larger repairs, remove loose plaster and reapply the plaster, ideally using the same type of lime plaster to avoid cracking issues.
The drying process of lime plaster is different from gypsum and cement plasters, taking longer to dry and cure. It's also important to clean the lime plaster surface before painting, removing dust, dirt, grime, grease, and any stubborn marks or unwanted ridges using a brush, wet sponge, fine sandpaper, or sandpaper sponge.
A mist coat, the first coat of paint that goes onto new plaster, provides a base and better adhesion for the following coats of paint. To apply a mist coat, mix the paint with water in a ratio of eight parts paint and two parts water or a seven parts paint and three parts water mix. Before applying, moisten the surface with a water spray bottle or a paintbrush and flick clean water onto the surface. After applying the mist coat, leave it to dry for at least a couple of hours, ideally longer, before adding a full strength coat of paint.
The environmental conditions can affect the drying time of lime plaster. Always consult guides such as 'How Much Paint do I Need?', 'Painting a Wall', and 'How to paint a room' for more information. With the right prep and paint techniques, you can achieve the best finish on lime plaster.
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