Sand In Paint

[sumar]

I heard somewhere that sand can be added to emulsion as a cheap and easier alternative to plastering. Does anyone please know if this is a fact and if so do i use a particular sand as i would hate to waste a tin of paint. Thank you, sue.

[treetops68]

I wouldn't have thought that you could do that with modern emulsion paints. I believe it was originaly (back in the '50s & '60s) a way of texturing the old water based emulsion paints.

[The Builder]

It's an old trick that is usually used with exterior paint. In fact, "Sandtex" paint has it already added.

Not a very pretty finish used internally I would have thought. I guess you're trying to improve pock-marked plaster. Maybe cracks and bits missing?

Try spreading fairly wet Polyfilla over the area with a plastering trowel/artex scraper/wide scraper. After it's dried a little, but still workable, flatten it with a large damp sponge. The smooth type of sponge that you get from cushions etc.

[atalanta]

Please don't do this. My son has bought a house with just this on many walls. It is beginning to flake off and looks dreadful. The worst flakes are over the cracks which the stuff was obviously intended to disguise. Now it all has to be scraped off - a huge effort, or a huge expense. or both.

[atalanta]

P.S. - if you fall or slip, and put out a hand to save yourself, and your hand hits a wall with this sand-crusted covering, you will get a bad graze which will hurt like ***.
Probably worse still for a child.

[sumar]

Thank you all very much. I do actually remembering doing something like it in the 60's and didn't know it's not now water based. Yes it is to cover bits and bobs and will definitely try the polyfiller one.Thanks again, Sue