Painting new plaster before it has completely dried is not a good practise doing. The drying time of new plaster is crucial in order to achieve the perfect finish.
In most cases, it will take at least four weeks for the plaster to be completely dry.
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What Happens if you Paint Plaster Too Early?
Painted plasters may look very different after a period of time, as the plaster undergoes a chemical reaction with the paint.
If the wall is painted too early, it will not have enough time to dry thoroughly, which will cause the paint to flake and crack.
If you are painting plaster, it is important to wait until the plaster is completely dry before applying paint.
If you paint plaster before it is fully dry, the paint will not adhere to the surface and will eventually flake and peel away resulting in a wall or room(s) becoming unsightly.
How To Know if Your Plaster is Ready for Painting?
If you are not familiar with plaster, knowing when it’s time for painting over fresh plaster can be quite difficult to know. When looking at the plaster on the wall, to see if it’s dry, there should be no dark areas.
As well as this, the plaster should look pretty much all the same colour across the wall or room. This means that no single area should stand out as a different shade from the rest.
How Long Does it Take for Plaster to Dry?
Prior to having them painted, your walls will need to have completely dried from the plaster. When the plaster is dry, it should turn from a dark colour to a light colour.
The time it takes to dry will change depending on things like the type of plaster used and how thick the layer is.
On average, it should usually take around 3-4 days for plaster to dry and then you can begin painting and decorating.
How to Speed Up Plaster Drying?
There are a few ways in which you can speed up the rate at which plaster dries. Increasing the ventilation in the area will ensure a quicker drying process.
To increase the ventilation, you should open as many doors and windows as possible.
Another way you can speed up the drying process is to install a humidifier. Humidifiers are great as they remove moisture from the air meaning your plaster can dry quicker.
How to Paint Over New Plaster?
New plaster is known to have a small layer of dust on the surface. Before beginning any painting, it’s important to get rid of any dust. This is important because it can help prevent uneven painting.
Firstly, you should paint one coat thinner than usual over the dry plaster, known as an undercoat. After this, usually, two layers of paint are required for full opacity.
Conclusion
Painting over new plaster before it has had enough time to dry can lead to a number of problems, such as the paint flaking and cracking.
It is important to wait until the plaster is completely dry before applying paint. If you are not familiar with plaster, knowing when it’s time for painting over fresh plaster can be quite difficult to know. On average, it usually takes around 3-4 days for plaster to dry and then you can begin painting and decorating.
If you are in need of a painter & decorator in Cambridge, contact us today.
