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Can You Plaster Over Painted Walls? (Read This First!)

Plastering the wall is essential to make the wall strong and durable as well as make it long-lasting. Mainly plastering is done to make the walls smooth and perfectly plain. In this article, we will discuss if you can plaster over painted walls. 

Can you plaster over painted walls? 

It’s possible to plaster over painted walls, but there are a few factors that are needed to keep in mind. When you plaster over the painted wall, make sure that the paint is in good condition and the wall does not have any cracks. This will help you to create a smooth and even finish on the walls.

Applying plaster is an ideal solution to make the walls more durable and strengthened. Plastering over painted walls will save you money and time. Because you will not have to prepare the walls for plastering by priming them.

But before plastering the painted wall, some factors are required to keep in consideration. Generally, the wall you will be plastering should have no damage or any cracks on it.

In addition to that, the paint on the walls should be in good condition. You can simply use a sponge and soapy water to clean the painted wall before applying plaster to it. Below is a brief discussion on if you can plaster over different types of painted walls: 

Painted exterior walls: 

Yes, it is possible to apply plaster over the painted exterior wall. But before that, you need to take the proper preparation to make the wall ready for plastering. Otherwise, the plaster will not stick to the wall properly. 

Painted brick walls: 

Generally, before plastering the painted brick walls, it is important to go over the bricks with a scrapper so that you can remove anything loose. Otherwise, the plaster will not stick to the wall.

For this, you can use bonding plaster as a base coat on the brick walls. This is highly efficient and will help to stick the plaster to anything. Is better to coat the wall with PVA and water with a mixture of 1:2 for better adhesion.

Can you plaster straight over painted walls? 

It is possible to plaster straight over painted walls if the walls are in good condition. By good condition, it means the wall should not have any type of damage. In addition to that, the paint on the wall should be in fine condition as well.

Before plastering straight over painted walls, you need to check if there is any type of dirt or debris accumulated on the surface of the wall. Dirt or debris on top of the wall surface will not let the plaster stick to the wall properly.

As a result, your plaster will not be long-lasting. That is why it is important to clean the wall before plastering and make sure the wall has been prepared for plastering

Can you use any plaster over painted walls? 

When you plaster over painted walls, make sure that the walls are prepared to apply plaster on them. Otherwise, the plaster will not stick to the wall properly and it will not be a long-lasting solution.

In addition to that, different types of plasters are available in the market that you can apply on the painted walls.

When you apply different types of plasters on the walls, you need to make sure that the specific plasters suit the wall. Below is a brief discussion on the use of a different type of plaster over painted walls: 

Skim plaster: 

Skim plaster is a highly recommended option when the painted wall does not require any type of maintenance. The application of skim plaster is quite simple and easy. It is also considered an efficient and convenient option.

Lime plaster: 

It is possible to apply lime plaster over painted walls. But before that, you need to make sure that the wall is clean and damage-free. It is not recommended to mix the lime plaster with paint. Simply use them separately.

Hardwall plaster: 

Hardwall plaster is mostly popular for its durability and impact resistance. It also has a quick-drying ability.

Gypsum plaster: 

It is possible to apply gypsum plaster on painted walls, but the painted walls must be clean and fully prepared to apply gypsum plaster on them.

Before applying the gypsum plaster, you need to make sure that the walls are fully cleaned and do not have any accumulated dirt or debris on the surface.

Do I need to remove paint before plastering? 

When you consider plastering over painted walls, you need to make sure that the walls are fully clean and prepared to apply plaster on them.

In addition to that, when applying plasters over painted walls, you need to ensure that the paint is in good condition and the wall does not have any damage or cracks.

Generally, you should not need to remove the paint before plastering if the paint is in good condition.

But in case your paint is flaking, you should not apply plaster on the painted surface because that will flake from your wall as well and damage the plasterwork. That is why when plastering over painted walls, check the paint on the wall properly.

If the paint has been damaged or flaking from the wall, remove all the flaking or loose paint to avoid any type of damage after plastering.

Do you need to prime painted walls before skim plaster coating? 

Yes, it is recommended to prime the painted walls before applying skim plaster coating. Plastering is sensitive work. That is why you need to put your full concentration when doing the job.

It is important to prime the painted walls before you apply the skim plastering because it will make the plaster long-lasting on the wall. The application of priming the wall is very simple.

You need to apply the first coat of primer before you apply the first skim coat. The second coat of primer should be applied over the final skim coat. This will ensure proper adhesion of the plaster.

Priming the entire wall before applying the plaster will help to seal any type of damage on the wall and provide you with a nice and even finish. In addition to that, make sure to dry the primer before applying the skims plaster coating on the walls.

When can you plaster over painted walls? 

You can plaster over painted walls only if the walls are fully prepared to apply plaster on them.

Otherwise, the plaster will not stick to the wall properly. So. That is why when plastering the wall, clean the wall properly and make sure it is dried. A brief discussion is given below on when to plaster over painted walls: 

When the wall is dry: 

You need to clean the wall before applying plaster to it. So, apply plaster on the wall when the wall is dry after cleaning. 

No sign of damages: 

If you can make sure your wall does not have any damage or any loose paint, it is OK to apply plaster.

No dirt on the wall: 

No dirt or debris should be accumulated on the surface of the wall before applying plasters on it.

How to plaster over old painted walls?

Plastering over old painted walls is a time-saving job if the walls are prepared. The first thing you need to do when you plaster over painted walls is to clean them thoroughly. In some cases, dirt or debris can start to grow on the surface of the wall.

So, you need to clean that up before applying plaster on it. It is very important to clean the dirt and the debris from the painted walls, otherwise, the plaster will not stick to the wall properly.

In addition to that, some preparation needs to be done before plastering the walls. Simply follow the steps below to apply plasters over old paint easily: 

Apply a base coat: 

It is important to apply a base coat over the old painted wall to prevent the paint from flaking and help the plaster stick to the wall properly.

A base coat helps to increase the durability and impact resistance of the plaster to make it long-lasting.

Apply the plaster: 

Once your base coat dries up, you need to start applying the plaster on the walls. Use a towel to flatten any type of marks or bumps. 

Apply second or more layers: 

Depending on the thickness you want to apply on your wall, it is recommended to apply multiple layers of plasters on the wall. But make sure to dry the previous layer before applying another on top of it.

Final Thoughts

It is possible to apply plaster over painted walls, but you need to make sure that the walls are fully prepared and cleaned. In addition to that, the paint on the walls should be in good condition and does not flake. Otherwise, the plaster will not stick to the walls strongly.