Thread: Painting plastered walls

Hi Guys, I just bought 2 years old house. The house is still unfinished just like when it has been handover from the builder. A family with many kids was living in there for 2 years.
I have washed the walls with sugar soap, patching up groves and damages to the walls and I then sand it down.

I would like to seal the plastered walls but I have been told by a painter that i don't need a oil based sealer before painting.

I would like a second opinion. Please advice.

Cheers

For new or existing plaster I would use acrylic sealer undercoat (waterbased). Easier to use, easier clean up, less odourous then oil based sealer and won't give you a headache, can have top coats painted over the sealer after 2 hours of drying.

The house is empty so odour is not a real issue. What are the adv and dis of the acrylic and the oil?

Prav,
If you are painting onto gyprock walls Acrylic Sealer Undercoat is fine.
If you are painting over crayon or felt pen stains or set plaster,ie decorative cornice or ceiling rose etc oil based would be best.
Regards,
Blocker

I think the key advantage is the ease at which the acrylic goes on and the clean up as keepontrucking and headpin have indicated.

If you do use oil based, one way to absorb the smell is to cut onions in half and leave then around the room. Don't know why - but you can hardly smell the paint odour.

I did our laundry in oil based sealer....it was a pain cleaning up...it's a pity the onions wouldn't clean up as well!

Originally Posted by DNL

I think the key advantage is the ease at which the acrylic goes on and the clean up as keepontrucking and headpin have indicated.

If you do use oil based, one way to absorb the smell is to cut onions in half and leave then around the room. Don't know why - but you can hardly smell the paint odour.

I did our laundry in oil based sealer....it was a pain cleaning up...it's a pity the onions wouldn't clean up as well!

mmmm....can't smell the paint over all those onions I suspect.....

and I thought my wife was crying with because I did such an excellent job...!

If you need an oil based primer and are sensitive to paint odours,Zinsser have a product called Bulls Eye Odorless Primer which also dries as fast as water based products.
Regards,
Blocker

I have always only ever used water based acrylic sealer/primer/undercoat on gyprock.

My default position is to use water based products where possible as they are usually cheaper and easier to clean up.