May 11, 2011 Patch cracks or holes using patching compound for plaster walls and joint compound for drywall surfaces. Spackle works well for both. Apply the compound with a putty knife and allow it to dry according to the manufacturer's instructions. Sand patched and/or.
Written by Mona Culberson; Updated December 14, 2018
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Old plaster walls are more temperamental than drywall so you have to put a little more elbow grease into the preparation work before you paint. Don't take short cuts on the prep work or you may find yourself doing repairs later. Fix damaged areas of the walls with a patching compound recommended for use on plaster and apply an oil-based or shellac primer to seal out moisture. Follow with a top-quality latex paint to give your old plaster a new look.
Move the furniture to the center of the room. Cover the floor with drop cloths. Take the pictures and switch outlet covers off the walls, and remove the nails with the claw end of a hammer.
Inspect the walls for damaged areas of plaster and use a scraper to remove crumbled, flaking pieces. Spot-prime the areas you scrape to ensure that the patching compound adheres.
Fill the holes and large cracks in the plaster with plaster patching compound, using a putty knife. Cut a piece of mesh tape the appropriate size to fit and place it over the patched area. Use the putty knife to apply a thin layer of patching compound over the tape. Allow the patch to dry completely. Sand the patched areas using a fine-grit sanding block. Apply a second layer of patching compound, allow it to dry and sand it smooth to the surface. Remove the sanding dust with a vacuum or clean cloth. Use a caulking gun to apply a bead of latex painter's caulk to small cracks.
Sand the walls with a fine-grit sanding block to smooth and dull the surface. Wash the walls with soapy water and allow them to dry completely.
Wipe the dust from wood trim and facings with a clean, damp cloth. Mask the crown molding and baseboard trim with painter's tape.
Pour primer into a paint pail. Cut in (outline) the perimeter of the walls with primer using a 2-inch, angled paintbrush. Cut in the corners where two walls meet and everywhere else a roller can't fit.
Insert a medium-nap roller cover onto a roller handle and place a paint pan liner in a paint pan. Pour a manageable amount of primer into the pan. Submerge the roller into the pan and roll it back and forth over the grid lines to distribute the primer evenly on the roller. Apply a coat of primer to the walls. Allow the primer to dry for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer and repeat the procedure to apply a second coat of primer. Allow the primer to dry completely.
Clean the primer from the paintbrush and paint pail. Use paint thinner to clean up oil-based primer or denatured alcohol to clean shellac. Refill the pail with paint. Use the angled paintbrush to cut in the perimeter of the walls with a smooth line of paint. Dab the paint into crevices.
Discard the paint pan liner used for primer and place a new liner in the pan. Insert a new, medium-nap roller cover on the roller handle. Pour a manageable amount of paint into the pan and load the roller evenly with paint. Apply a coat of paint to the walls, rolling over the brushed cut-in line. Allow the paint to dry for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer and apply a second coat of paint. Allow the walls to dry completely before replacing outlet covers and wall hangings.
Things You Will Need
Drop cloths
Hammer
Scraper
Primer
Plaster patching compound
Putty knife
Mesh tape
Fine-grit sanding block
Vacuum
Clean cloths
Caulking gun
Latex painter's caulk
Painter's tape
Paint pail
2-inch, angled paintbrush
Medium-nap roller covers
Roller handle
Paint pan liners
Paint pan
Paint thinner
Denatured alcohol
Paint
Tip
Latex primer can be used but alkyd primers are recommended for best results on plaster.
Use trisodium phosphate (TSP) to clean heavily soiled walls.
Use a paint pole to extend the reach of the roller.
Warning
Do not sand walls painted before 1978 as they could contain lead.
Primer and paint emit fumes; ventilate the area accordingly.
Solvent-based products are not volatile organic compound compliant in all areas. Consult your local and state regulations or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to determine if the product that you are using complies with VOC regulations in your area.
Resources (2)
About the Author
Mona Culberson began working on the assembly line at a large manufacturing company in 1983, where she worked her way up into several positions of business responsibility. In 2005, she began a career in roofing, interior design and remodeling. She works daily as a professional painter/home remodeler/handywoman while lending her husband's roofing business a helping hand in her spare time.
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Culberson, Mona. 'How to Paint Old Plaster Walls.' Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/paint-old-plaster-walls-35562.html. 14 December 2018.
Culberson, Mona. (2018, December 14). How to Paint Old Plaster Walls. Home Guides | SF Gate. Retrieved from http://homeguides.sfgate.com/paint-old-plaster-walls-35562.html
Culberson, Mona. 'How to Paint Old Plaster Walls' last modified December 14, 2018. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/paint-old-plaster-walls-35562.html
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