Shed Distemper

[TheHat77]

Hi all,

In the house we’ve just bought, we have a 2 section shed (1st section being the outdoor loo), circa 1880. It was pretty unloved & the plaster had blown from all the internal walls. Now the plaster has been removed, I’m left with the brick underneath, all painted with powdery, baby-blue distemper.

The distemper isn’t neat enough to keep. I’ve tried using sugar soap & elbow grease, & I’ve tried the wallpaper paste trick, but I’m getting nowhere getting rid of it.

I’m just looking to use it as a shed & plasterboarding over it would reduce the space too much. What are my options?

Should I just paint over it with more distemper? If so, is there a way of doing this at non-Farrow & Ball prices - & would the new coat be just as chalky?

Could I seal the interior, dividing wall between the shed sections with something like Zinsser Gardz then just paint over? I understand it seals distemper, but doubt its breathabilty.

Any thoughts gratefully received!

 

[Cubist]

I'd be tempted to try a couple of coats of lime wash with a little linseed oil added. A 20kg bucket of lime putty costs around £25 and unless you get into making your own renders and plasters you'll never use all that, but it does last for years.

Coincidentally, the other day I made up about 2 litres of lime wash the other day to tidy up a few bits and pieces around here and probably used less than a kilo of the putty for that. Always surprises and pleases me too how good the coverage can be once it dries.

 

[Stevers]

You could look into Contract Emulsion as used on new plaster. Usually only available in white or magnolia, but cheap as chips. The chief damp proof wally for my basement walls was happy for me to use either F&B Estate Emulsion or Contract Emulsion, and both have lasted well.

 

[RBailey]

I'd second the vote for Lime wash, cheap easy and very breathable.
When applied over a rough surface it helps smooth it out as well and gives a pleasing (in my eyes) rustic look.
It is now my default for any odd locations.

p.s. We are talking about proper limewash made with putty, not a white paint called limewash as some brands do.

Cheers,
Richard B.

 

[TheHat77]

Thank you for the replies.

If I went down the line wash route, would that work over the distemper? I understand there’s not a lot that adheres to it.

Thanks again

 

[Cubist]

Thank you for the replies.

If I went down the line wash route, would that work over the distemper? I understand there’s not a lot that adheres to it.

Thanks again

Try a small area to check it out. If its genuine distemper paint theres unlikely to be any kind of chemical reaction between it and the lime wash and you'll soon seen if the wash fails to bond to the the extant surface.