Painting rough plaster

somuchjackson · 07-20-2011, 07:18 PM

These are pictures from the top floor of a 1920s home I bought with what I believe is the original plaster. We scraped all loose paint and this is what we are left with.

Can I just use joint compound on the exposed plaster and sand so that it blends with the adhering paint! I'd prefer to not do a full skim coat bc I have no experience and don't have the time to learn that now.

Can I expect a decent finish by just speckling?

Also, can I use a latex paint regardless of what paint is on the wall now?

Ron6519 · 07-20-2011, 07:58 PM

From the close up, you aren't ready to paint or spackle. Any loose paint will contaminate the spackle phase by having pieces constantly breaking off and dragging through the compound. You need to remove all the loose flaking paint.
I'd tape all the cracks if you only want to do this once. Any compound only cracks will telegraph through in a short time.
If you don't know what paint category is on the wall, I'd prime the whole room first.

somuchjackson · 07-20-2011, 08:27 PM

Thanks. I've struggled with what it means to scrape flaking paint.

The fact is, if I try hard enough I can scrape all the way down to the plaster. But do I just need to get the LOOSE paint? How do you draw the line? We're painting the whole house so I'm trying to do enough to do a decent job but not so much that we're painting for 9 months!

So I guess my question is: how do you define LOOSE?

Ron6519 · 07-21-2011, 06:38 AM

Loose paint isn't adhered to the surface. If you compound over loose paint, it will lift off the surface as it dries.
Try an experiment. Compound a spot you think is ready. If it lifts, re-evaluate your process.

somuchjackson · 07-21-2011, 07:18 AM

Good idea, so I could expect it to lift the spackle in a day or two if it is too loose?

chrisn · 07-21-2011, 03:41 PM

[quote=somuchjackson;690274]These are pictures from the top floor of a 1920s home I bought with what I believe is the original plaster. We scraped all loose paint and this is what we are left with.

Can I just use joint compound on the exposed plaster and sand so that it blends with the adhering paint! I'd prefer to not do a full skim coat bc I have no experience and don't have the time to learn that now.

Can I expect a decent finish by just speckling?

Also, can I use a latex paint regardless of what paint is on the wall now?[/quote]

From here it looks like oil based paint, maybe not , but you will need to find out before priming.
Get some Goof off, denatured alcohol, nail polish remover and see if it comes off.

havalife · 07-25-2011, 11:54 PM

Save money and DIY

Time tosee the pro

07-20-2011, 07:18 PM	#1
somuchjackson Newbie Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 16	Painting rough plaster These are pictures from the top floor of a 1920s home I bought with what I believe is the original plaster. We scraped all loose paint and this is what we are left with. Can I just use joint compound on the exposed plaster and sand so that it blends with the adhering paint! I'd prefer to not do a full skim coat bc I have no experience and don't have the time to learn that now. Can I expect a decent finish by just speckling? Also, can I use a latex paint regardless of what paint is on the wall now? Attached Thumbnails

07-20-2011, 07:58 PM	#2
Ron6519 Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 9,519	Painting rough plaster From the close up, you aren't ready to paint or spackle. Any loose paint will contaminate the spackle phase by having pieces constantly breaking off and dragging through the compound. You need to remove all the loose flaking paint. I'd tape all the cracks if you only want to do this once. Any compound only cracks will telegraph through in a short time. If you don't know what paint category is on the wall, I'd prime the whole room first. __________________ Ron "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." B. Franklin 1759

07-20-2011, 08:27 PM	#3
somuchjackson Newbie Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 16	Painting rough plaster Thanks. I've struggled with what it means to scrape flaking paint. The fact is, if I try hard enough I can scrape all the way down to the plaster. But do I just need to get the LOOSE paint? How do you draw the line? We're painting the whole house so I'm trying to do enough to do a decent job but not so much that we're painting for 9 months! So I guess my question is: how do you define LOOSE?

07-21-2011, 06:38 AM	#4
Ron6519 Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 9,519	Painting rough plaster Loose paint isn't adhered to the surface. If you compound over loose paint, it will lift off the surface as it dries. Try an experiment. Compound a spot you think is ready. If it lifts, re-evaluate your process. __________________ Ron "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." B. Franklin 1759

07-21-2011, 07:18 AM	#5
somuchjackson Newbie Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 16	Painting rough plaster Good idea, so I could expect it to lift the spackle in a day or two if it is too loose?

Painting rough plaster