Plaster

Previously Painted/To Be Painted

Surface Preparation:
*NOTE: If lead is suspected in the paint, do not attempt to remove paint or scrape, sand, use heat gun, etc., which might put lead into the environment, but rather contact a contractor qualified for lead paint assessment and abatement

very carefully remove any loose or peeling paint by gentle scraping; take care not to dig into or gouge the surface under the paint
feather sand edges of remaining paint using fine grit (#220) garnet paper
treat any mildew with a 3:1 water:household bleach mixture, leaving it on for 20 minutes and adding more as it dries; wear eye and skin protection; rinse thoroughly
remove all dirt, hand prints, airborne cooking oil, etc. by scrubbing with detergent and warm water; rinse thoroughly

priming not essential if surface is clean, sound, and any gloss has been dulled; but any exposed plaster should be primed
priming the entire job will provide best adhesion, uniformity of finish coat
use high adhesion stain blocking primer if surface has been hard to stick to or there is surface staining
otherwise use PVA latex wall primer

Staining or Clear Coating:
- for best dirt resistance, durability and cleanability, use a top-of-the-line interior latex wall paint in flat, eggshell or satin finish, depending on appearance desired
- a satin finish will provide best dirt and stain resistance
- a medium line, dead flat latex wall paint will do well for hiding irregularities in the surface, and will touch up less noticeably than a paint with more sheen