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How To Paint Your Plaster Walls and Ceilings and Achieve Elegant Results
by Donald Thomas
Home decorating can be an exciting time for homeowners and their families. I'm a home improvement contractor and I have been in this business almost a quarter of a century and I still get excited about starting a new project or just hearing about one that's about to begin. The planning, shopping and purchasing of new items to bring the interior of your home to life, as well as beautiful colors to accent your taste can really start your engine to racing and your emotions to soaring.
Welcome aboard, I want to share with you some of the knowledge and experience I have gained in the home improvement business in the past twenty-four years. I'm very confident that you will do a great job, after all, I believe in the old adage that says "having the desire to do the job puts you at an advantage from the start". So let's begin.
Whether your walls and ceilings are plaster or covered with drywall you can achieve beautiful results by painting them. However, in this article I will give you pointers on painting plastered walls, ceilings and trim, although it is not uncommon for some homes to have a combination of the two, that is, walls plastered and ceilings covered with drywall panels, or just the opposite; whatever the case, you can still do a great job. But we will be focusing on painting plaster in this particular article and we will address painting drywall in upcoming feature articles.
PAINTING PLASTER WALLS AND CEILINGS
If your plastered walls/ceilings are newly finished I suggest that you wait several weeks before you begin applying any type of coatings on them. Once the plaster is completely dry apply an alkaline resistant primer before painting. This type of primer can be purchased at most home improvement centers and is perfect for priming newly plastered walls/ceilings. Also, I use it on old plaster as well to act as a safety net; meaning, I just want to be sure that I won't have to worry about anything leeching through. I truly recommend using a quality alkaline resistant primer before painting plaster whether it's new or existing.
MINOR REPAIRS TO YOUR WALLS AND CEILINGS
Before you begin painting your walls and ceilings, first take a thorough look at them to see if there are any cracks, hairlines, dents or even holes;
PAINTING PLASTER CEILINGS
Now that you're ready to begin painting I suggest you start with the ceiling first and work your way down. After the ceiling then the walls unless you have some type of ornamental trim or crown molding, if so, paint the the ornamental trim or crown molding after you paint the ceilings but before you paint the walls. In most cases I like to cut in the perimeter of the ceiling with a good quality synthetic bristle brush that's firm and stiff enough for me; usually one with the bristles made of a combination of nylon and polyester blend and of course I recommend using a premium brand vinyl acrylic latex paint that has a flat or matte finish. This has proven to be a winning combination that has yielded positive results time and time again for me, however, you might decide to use a non traditional finish on your ceilings and go with a satin or even semi-gloss finish. There are several finishes available in most latex paints: matte, egg shell, satin, semi-gloss and gloss. You can decide which is more suitable for you but be warned that the higher the gloss the more it will highlight imperfections in the ceilings!
After cutting in the perimeters I usually roll the ceiling with a roller. I prefer using a high quality lambskin or sheepskin roller nap that has a 1/2" pile (thickness) and then I just methodically roll in a pattern to avoid leaving unpainted spots or areas. Be sure and take your time to avoid skipping areas that leave your work looking spotted. Continue rolling in a pattern until you cover the entire ceiling. Once that is done I generally wait until it dries and then I put on a second coat to give the ceiling a uniform and finished appearance.
PAINTING ORNAMENTAL TRIM OR CROWN MOLDING
Painting your ornamental trim or crown molding requires patience, patience, and more patience to acquire a quality finished look that's elegant and symmetrical. Here I can't emphasize enough the importance of having a quality brush to work with. Painting straight lines comes from having a steady hand for sure, but even with a steady hand without a fine high quality brush your ability to do beautiful work will be severely challenged to say the least.PAINTING PLASTER WALLS
When painting plastered walls I also cut in around the perimeter, just like I do when I'm painting plastered ceilings, or most any type of ceilings for that matter and before it dries I roll the rest of the wall with a roller using the same techniques as I described earlier about the ceilings. And remember to roll methodically in a pattern as I stated above, the only difference is instead of painting over head you are now painting directly facing the substrate. This should be much more comfortable to do and require even less exertion.However, roll in a uniform pattern and avoid missing spots that can leave your work looking less than desirable, and don't hesitate to apply additional coats to get a uniform and even look on your walls. In essence, painting requires patience more than anything else. You don't need as much talent as you do patience I believe. Just take your time and be surprised at the quality of work you are really capable of doing. Just be amazed!
PAINTING DOORS AND TRIM
Whether the trim in your house is made of plaster or wood or some other synthetic product that is paintable, remember to take your time and do a good job. If you need to use blue masking tape to help paint a straight line, then by all means do so. Be diligent when it comes to observing your own work and note your strong points and your not so strong points as well, and try to strengthen areas where you are weak and exploit areas where you are strong. There is no one way to paint and you are encouraged to find your own technique and develop your own fundamentals so that you can become comfortable painting the way you like to do it.
So start your engine and I wish you all the success in the world. I salute you.
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Disclaimer: The author of this article assumes no responsibility or liability for any and all injuries that may or may not occur due to the content of this article and any and all other articles written by him. This article is written for the sole purpose of informing and entertaining. Please contact a reputable contractor near you. Thank you.
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