How to Paint Over Old Plaster
It's not overly difficult to splash new paint on old plaster. However, a new paint job won't hide plaster problems. When painting over old plaster, prep work is just as important as paint coverage.

Things You Will Need
- Chisel
- Putty knife
- 150-grit sandpaper
- Shop vac
- Patching plaster
- 200-grit sandpaper
- Painter's tape
- Paintbrush
- Medium-nap roller
- Latex paint
When painting old plaster, you need to patch existing blemishes and use the right type of paint to for an even, smooth painted finish.
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Remove flaking plaster by hand or chip it off with a chisel or putty knife. If portions of the plaster are on the verge of falling off, it's best to remove them and patch the area.
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Use 150-grit sandpaper to smooth out any rough edges around cracks, holes or freshly chipped-off plaster.
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Vacuum up any plaster dust around the workspace using a shop vac or a regular vacuum hose attachment. You don't want to wipe up plaster dust using water, as this can damage exposed plaster surfaces.
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Apply patching plaster to any holes or cracks using a putty knife. Patching plaster is malleable and gooey, much like thick mud, and it spreads easily.
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Smooth the wet patching plaster using a putty knife. Wait for the new plaster to dry.
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Sand the new plaster patches with 200-grit sandpaper until it is flush with the existing plaster wall surface. Now that you have evened out the old plaster surface, it's ready to accept paint.
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Tape any trim with painter's tape. This protects it from stray brush strokes.
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Paint the edges of the plaster surface with a paintbrush, and paint main surfaces using a medium-nap paint roller. Plaster surfaces accept new paint even without primer, but you may require two coats if you're going from a dark color to a light color or vice versa. Regular latex paint works well on most old plaster. However, some old plaster walls are really rough and unstable, even after extensive patch-work. If your plaster wall is very callous, use an elastomeric latex paint. Elastomeric paints provide less coverage per gallon, but these thick paints offer smooth coverage even over a rough plaster surface.
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Peel off any painter's tape after the paint has dried.
References
- “Stanley Complete: Complete Painting”; Larry Johnston; 2007
- “Creative Homeowner's Ultimate Guide to Home Repair and Improvement”; Michael McClintock and John Wagner; 2006
Writer Bio
Richard Kalinowski began writing professionally in 2006. He also works as a website programmer and graphic designer for several clients. Kalinowski holds a Master of Fine Arts from Goddard College and a Bachelor of Science in education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
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