Plastered wall paint finish

[scoobydoo]

I have some walls I need to paint in a small downstairs bathroom in a 200 year old cottage.

The walls that look like they've been made with odd shaped stones, and someone has plastered over the top to make a smooth finish that shows the shapes of the bricks behind. They've then painted the plaster a dark red paint in the past, and since painted over it with a white paint but they've not managed to hide all the dark red paint - so I'd like to give it another coat of this white paint.

The problem is that the white paint (I assume an emulsion?) has an almost glossy finish to it - almost as if someone has put lacquer over the top to seal it. There is a basin and toilet in this room - have they coated the emulsion to protect against damp? Or, is that a type of paint I've not seen before?

So I'd like to give it a second coat of white, but:

a) I don't know how to mix / make / buy this paint, and
b) do I have to key the surface to make any new paint stick?

Any advice very gratefully recieved!

 

[Lady_Mari]

Sounds very much like bathroom/kitchen paint which is sold as recommended for these rooms at any diy store.
However, I think it is probably a bad idea where you need walls to breathe.
It has been used in my bathroom & I think the previous owner has left the tin in the shed, I'll have a look tomorrow & if no-one has posted by then I'll see if there is further info about it.

 

[Becka]

I'd like advice on a similar problem, my bathroom was at some point painted with a shiny, dark purple paint (must have looked delightful! i suspect this was the same era in which the hall was painted bright orange) I gave thi swhat I thought was a good sanding (tho maybe wasn't thorough enogh) before repainting with F&B estate emulsion and the effect is best described as crackle glaze.. is there anything I can do about this? It's not awful, but looks a bit odd and wasn't quite the effect i was hoping for.. :O/

 

[CHRIS]

Sounds like you have Vinyl Silk - if it is semi gloss! This is what Sunday DIYers buy at HOME&^%$ and slop over their kitchens and bathrooms and is horrid. I found by knocking down the entire plaster board wall covered in the stuff and rebuilding and using reedboard and clay plaster fixed it!!!!!!!!!

This may be a bit extreme so using a steam paper stripper, a nice sharp scrapper and getting as much off as you can followed by G40 sand paper on an orbital sander (use a mask) to get a good key. I think this is because Vinyl silk is flexible were as matt is not, so causing cracks.

I would then go to a Dulux trade centre and talk to the bods behind the counter and ask advice, I would find the oldest one as they like to rabbit but they can give good advice with regards to modern paints, but I suspect a Vinyl Matt may work. It all depends on what you can get off without damaging and original walls etc but getting a key is critical.

 

[Becka]

on a paint related note, just wondering, is it only old white (or pale) shades that contain lead? I have uncovered some beams painted (probably some time pre-1950) with a chocolate brown gloss that fortunatly hasn't adhered that well to the limewash underneath so flakes off quite easily but i just wondered how careful i need to be about breathing in the dust?

 

[CHRIS]

Becka

I would not worry about too much but to help the dust get one of these plant pump sprayers and keep it damp. Remember all dust is not good for you but some is worse than others!

As long as you are not breathing it in every day for years and years like our miner friends did you should be ok.

What will happen is this.

Get mask and glasses, reach above your head and start scrapping, get hot and bothered, steam up glasses, pull off mask, put glasses on top of head, get stuff in eyes, rub eyes (even though your mother said not to), get annoyed at mask and throw it away and resign yourself to it being a pain. finally spend ages cleaning up.

enjoy

 

[Becka]

thats more or less exactly what happened sunday afternoon! couldn't stand tha mask so just decided to hope it was not too bad in smallish doses.. it mostly scrapes off in chunks if done carefully so I'll just take my time over it i think

 

[Lady_Mari]

Have been to the depths of my shed & found the Kitchen & Bathroom paint. The one I have is Dulux & says it is moisture & stain resistant & described as soft sheen.
I also found this info on their site in the faq which may be of help to Becka

http://www.dulux.co.uk/advice/questions/faq/faq_001.jsp

Question
Can I paint matt over silk?

Answer
The answer to this is yes, but only when the wall has been thoroughly abraded. Unless you are fully prepared to sand the surface to remove all traces of sheen, we would not recommend that you attempt it. Failure to sand thoroughly will result in your paint cracking.