DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

I recently helped a friend with some decorating. We found the surface plaster had blown. so stripped it all off and had a plasterer redo it. He did a lovely job with the finish. and it's incredibly smooth to the touch.

He said to leave it a few days to dry, at which point it would be a fairly even pale colour, before then sealing it with PVA mixed in a ratio of 1:8 with water, so we left it a week and then did this. We then waited a further two days before applying Crown Silk-finish emulsion (2 coats, 2 day apart).

A week later, and the paint seems, however, to be very easily damaged, and can be peeled off the wall in a skin. We had a small piece of masking tape on the wall to mask off a corner when painting the skirting board, but the masking tape pulled the paint off into a bubble!

Is this likely to be a problem with the whole wall, and what can be done about it?

Why has this happened at all - we followed instructions from the plasterer to the letter!

Please help

I think the plasterer gave you the advise he thought was correct. I think if you asked a decorator he would have given you different advise.

I personally do not like Silk applied to new plaster , I would apply a diluted coat (10 - 20 % depending on brand ) of contract emulsion then silk on top. If you have applied neat coats this will cause the problem .As to pva I think it is an excellent product for sealing walls prior to plastering but not before painting.

I hope someone else will offer some advise here as I am not sure how you an recify this , you could spot over the damaged areas and if the you are having trouble with the edges lifting try some undercoat.

sorry Pablo