Last month, Marius Stols, a Pretoria handyman with many years of experience, described how to prepare a wall for painting.  This month, he describes the important steps to cover if you want to have a high quality finish to your wall. 

It is very important to be sure the plaster is completely dry.   Time to cure may vary depending on weather conditions – it will of course take longer to dry in rainy weather.

The next step is to prepare the wall with a good primer paint for the first coat, and by that I mean one with good sealing qualities. I personally prefer to prepare the wall first with a bonding liquid, which is usually  colourless and thin as water.  This will ensure that the wall is properly sealed and that no residue comes loose during the primer painting process, which will interfere with a smooth finish.

There are a number of primer paints you can use.  One of my personal favourites is filler primer that comes in different sizes and granules (from very fine to coarse), which will fix any minor imperfections in plaster.

Also keep in mind that there are different rollers for different primers.  You’ll usually find instructions on the wrapping that will indicate the type of roller you should use depending on whether it is to be used on smooth or coarse surfaces, and whether it is intended for use with a solvent or water-based paint.  Using the correct roller can make a huge difference in the outcome, as well as to the amount of effort required in the actual painting of the wall.

Finally, you need a good quality paint that is suitable for the room where it is used, whether a kitchen or bathroom, other rooms, or on outside walls.  Always ask for advice from the salesperson before making your choice.  Two or three coats should give the wall a good finish.

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