Fao Builder

[jennyjoan]

Hi Builder - I got the ceiling of my kitchen plastered on Wednesday morning can you tell me when I can start the painting of it.

Thanks

[Zacs-Master]

When it's dry.

[Togo]

//There is no definitive answer to this question as all walls and ceilings will dry out at different speeds. With a normal centrally heated house you can be pretty sure of safely painting after 4 weeks but it can take as long as 6 and with extra heat in the room it may be ready in 3.
The reason for not painting before the wall is completely dry is that most paints will simply form an air tight skin over the wall. The moisture from the new plaster is then trapped behind this skin and cannot evaporate off. The damp then either retreats back into the wall where it develops mould growth or reacts with the salts in the wall to become Efflorescence. Either way you have a problem on your hands that is incredibly difficult to deal with.//

Think I would give it a couple of weeks at least Jenny. When the finish is almost white rather than deep pink is when I have always done it.

http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/paintnewplaster.htm

[jennyjoan]

OMG - I so wanted it done this week so I can carry on with other work.

[theshedman]

If it has just been reskimmed then it should only take a couple of days to dry out. In this weather it shouldn't take very long as long as you have a good air flow blowing through the room. You will see when it has dried by the colour. It should either be a very light brown or light gry colour depending on which one was used. Make sure a couple of good mist coats or thinned down coats of emulsion are used before the top coats. This will ensure the ceiling is sealed first and this will prevent the paint from peeling.

[jennyjoan]

thanks all - I won't be painting the ceiling - too much for me. But it is turning light grey so will contact the painter in the next cuppla days. thanks again.

[jennyjoan]

I did ask the plasterer - oh can I paint this in a cuppla days - oh no he said give it a good week.

[The Builder]

There's not a great thickness of plaster on ceilings, Jenny. You'll know just by looking at it. Any patches that are still damp will be quite noticeable. There's a hollow floor void above the ceiling, so it should be getting there already.