
5 easy DIY projects to try this weekend
Joy Archer
Paint a newly plastered wall like a professional
To the uninitiated, a ‘mist coat’ might sound like something you’d wear in a light drizzle.
In fact, a common DIY brick wall even a seasoned home –renovator might hit is the question of how to treat freshly plastered walls and ceilings. Before you can apply that amazing final paint colour, you’ll need to apply a mist coat – a layer between the plastered wall and the topcoat – and you’ll also need to have mixed it to a perfect mist coat ratio.
To the uninitiated, a ‘mist coat’ might sound like something you’d wear in a light drizzle.
In fact, a common DIY brick wall even a seasoned home –renovator might hit is the question of how to treat freshly plastered walls and ceilings. Before you can apply that amazing final paint colour, you’ll need to apply a mist coat – a layer between the plastered wall and the topcoat – and you’ll also need to have mixed it to a perfect mist coat ratio.
Before starting, it’s worth knowing that getting to the décor finish line with a freshly plastered wall is a little trickier than painting an ordinary wall. It’s best to approach this task with a bit more patience and caution.
But don’t worry, your Exceptional Homes Team is here to share top tips for mixing and applying an ideal mist coat, with some professional pointers from trusted painting professional Artur Soszynski of Prime Projects, London.
Soszynski is a decorating expert who has been working on interiors for 20 years and specialises in bespoke and non-standard finishes including limewash, structural paints, Venetian stucco, etc. One of his latest painting projects featured on NBC’s Open House.
Soszynski suggests that a sprayer may be used instead of a paint brush or roller, though you will need to be confident using the tool. Soszynski uses a Graco GX21 Airless Sprayer. For this task, paint sprayers are best left to professionals who have lots of experience with this tool, so only use if you are very confident in your sprayer skills.
You do not need to use white matt emulsion to create your mist coat. You can also use a matt emulsion paint in a shade closer to your final topcoat colour.
A mist coat is a layer of watered-down matt emulsion paint which is applied first, and directly, to dry plaster. Fresh plaster is highly absorptive. If you applied your favourite topcoat paint directly to a freshly plastered wall that hasn’t had a mist coat, the paint would dry very quickly. Your wall would be covered with irregular brush strokes and have an uneven finish. Eventually the paint would peel and chip off the wall.
Mist coat paint seals your plastered wall. It gives the bone-dry plastered wall something to absorb so that your topcoat paint can stick to the surface.
Your fresh plaster will need to be completely dry before adding your mist coat – this will be a minimum of a week and can be up to two weeks. To slightly speed up drying, you can try using a heater or keeping your window open. When plaster is fully dried it won’t have any dark patches and will have a consistent colour. If paint is added to plaster that isn’t completely dry, the surface may develop damp from the moisture trapped in the plaster.
Soszynski advises that there are no shortcuts to drying your plaster. If you heat the room too much, the plaster may crack. The room must not be too cold either. Too low temperature (below 15°C) significantly extends the drying time.
For the novice mist coat painter, there are typically two options for applying your mist coat – you can use a brush or a paint roller. The roller will be quicker and gives a more even finish, but due to the runny consistency of the mixture you might find the task to be messy. A paint brush cuts down on the mess but the process of painting your wall will take more time.
If opting to use paintbrushes and want to know which brands offer the best value check out ‘The best paintbrush sets we’ve tested‘.
A standard paint job is messy. Applying paint mixed with water? This calls for tactical thinking around protecting your furniture and décor. While you are waiting for the plaster to dry, you can leisurely put down dust sheets to protect your floors and to tape up any surfaces where necessary.
You also need to protect yourself. At the very least, wear old clothes you don’t mind getting splattered with paint, and make sure your arms and legs are covered. Wear safety goggles to keep the mixture out of your eyes.
To achieve a professional paint finish, go over your dry plastered wall very gently with a scrapper to remove any excess plaster.
Once done, run your hand over your plastered wall lightly. You’re checking that there are no imperfections or bumps. The good news is that if any imperfections have slipped through your initial inspection, the mist coat will reveal these before you apply your topcoat.
Hire a professional plasterer for the best results
If not undertaking the job yourself, hiring a top-notch plasterer is your best bet for walls that look crisp and professional when painted.
A high-quality plasterer will ensure they sand your wall and check and correct any imperfections in their work before it gets to the mist coat paint stage.
No one on the internet can seem to agree on the ultimate mist coat mix, and that’s because each paint is formulated differently.
Some paint manufacturers helpfully give guidance for ratios needed for using their brand of matt emulsion for mixing your mist coat.
If the brand you prefer does not have this information, a good rule of thumb is for thicker (and usually more expensive, for example, Little Greene) paints, the ideal mist coat ratio is 50/50 – 50% paint to 50% water. For , thinner matt emulsion paints (for example, Dulux), try a mist coat ratio of 70/30 – 70% paint mixed with 30% water.
Depending on what the top–coat paint brand will be, Soszynski creates a mist coat using that same brand of paint. He suggests that Armstead or Leyland paints work well, and typically uses a 50/50 mist coat ratio.
Give your matt emulsion paint a stir using the stick or stirrer for 20-30 seconds
Be careful adding a mist coat around any sockets and switches – these may need to be removed. It is best not to have wires live when the plates are removed – if necessary, turn off the power at your fuse box.
Since the mist coat is so runny, it is important to take care of any streaks or drips as quickly as possible. If they are allowed to dry, they could prevent you from achieving a professional finish.
Let the mist coat paint dry for 2-3 hours. Check there are no damp spots before applying at least two topcoats of your final paint colour.
If you feel that you would like to give mixing your own mist coat a miss, you can always opt to use ready-made products.
Soszynski recommends Tikkurila Optiva Primer or No Nonsense Trade Bare Plaster.
Written by Joy Archer
Published:
Joy Archer is an Editor for Home Passions at Saga Exceptional. Always the intrepid adventurer, Joy arrived in London with little more than a backpack and a dream to live a gorgeous life. This plan first took her to the City of London where she applied her professional journalism qualification to creating digital and print publications for Thomson Reuters.
Yet her passion for interior design could not be ignored. After a two-year bohemian adventure in New York to feed her creative senses, Joy returned to London and enrolled at top interior design school, KLC. She went on to work on a dizzying array of design projects for high-profile clientele served by top studios, including Godrich Design Collective, Louise Jones, Tala Fustok and Dragons of Walton Street.
Joy has also completed a wide array of solo residential and commercial projects in the UK and internationally – House and Garden named her as one of their favourite traditional interior designers and her recent work has featured in 25 Beautiful Homes and on NBC’s Open House TV show.
Never straying far from her pen, Joy’s recent journalism includes pieces highlighting the ins and outs of the evolution of Forbes Monaco; interviews with the creme of social media superstars; intimate insights from Ukrainian political activists and developments in sustainability within built spaces.
Having a geeky obsession with earning expert status on every aspect of construction, Joy’s idea of a good time is pottering about in builder’s yards – she has been known to go to unheard-of lengths to get her hands on particularly fetching samples of marble.
Joy Archer
Joy Archer
Sarah Harley
Sarah Harley