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John,
What kind of look do you want for the walls? You can prime with about anything with no problem, but you can also get some unique finishes on plaster if you’re into that kind of thing. If the walls are smooth, try a patch of orange shellac and sand it back slightly for a fantastic smooth-as-can-be, gentle, old look. There’s a lot of other stuff that is also neat that can only be done on plaster (or veneer plaster). But if you’re wanting a standard opaque, single color wall, I’d agree with Joe on the oil primer, but disagree on the latex. You already have a brush that’s gonna need cleaning, why not do the whole process in oil paint and have a scrubbable finish that will last as long as you want it to? Much smoother than latex and a variety of sheens available including eggshell which is lovely on walls.
Replies
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John,
What kind of look do you want for the walls? You can prime with about anything with no problem, but you can also get some unique finishes on plaster if you're into that kind of thing. If the walls are smooth, try a patch of orange shellac and sand it back slightly for a fantastic smooth-as-can-be, gentle, old look. There's a lot of other stuff that is also neat that can only be done on plaster (or veneer plaster). But if you're wanting a standard opaque, single color wall, I'd agree with Joe on the oil primer, but disagree on the latex. You already have a brush that's gonna need cleaning, why not do the whole process in oil paint and have a scrubbable finish that will last as long as you want it to? Much smoother than latex and a variety of sheens available including eggshell which is lovely on walls.
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John,
Joseph Fusco
View Image
*Painting theory is like the last threshold for black magic -- dominated by superstition. Latex primer should be fine. Oil primer offers vapor barrier protection but little else, though it does have a wonderful texture like heavy cream. Oil as a topcoat is mostly important when a gloss finish is desired -- latex should be fine here for ordinary purposes, and the performance of modern latex has improved remarkably while oil has been stagnant.I'm interested in the shellac option and have started experimenting with the Zinssner and Kilz primers as an alternative primer system.
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My 80-year-old Tudor Revival has a third-floor room that has never been used except for storage. The original owner went to the expense of installing oak flooring and plaster walls, but he didn't prime or paint the plaster. It's in beautiful shape, though, so I am planning to paint the room and use it.
Any ideas on what kind of primer I should use? Are today's alkyd or latex primers compatible with
yesterday's raw plaster?
Up by the attic, waiting patiently for knowledge...
*John,
Joseph FuscoView Image