Should I treat new plastering.

October 3, 2008 10:06 PM

DIY Filter: I've just had my kitchen walls replastered following damp proof injection and am about to take delivery of new kitchen units. What should I do to the plaster where the units are to go? Seal it, paint it or leave it bare.

It's a 180 year old brick built house with solid walls and prone to cold/dampness. I've read that you should leave new plaster for xx weeks in order for it to dry out, but can it be left indefinitely in its untreated state.

posted by xla76 to Home & Garden (2 answers total)

I'm not too familiar with new plasterwork (about 1/2 my house is plaster but I mostly just maintain it), but I would say that the safest course would be to leave it unsealed. I have an old brick home as well and when in doubt I try and leave paths for moisture to escape - plaster and brick can hold huge amounts of water, and it sounds like by sealing it you would be leaving no escape path on either side. I'd just put the units in and then seal or paint around them.
posted by true at 5:29 AM on October 4, 2008

Leave it for a while, certainly - you should never seal plaster until it is reasonably dry. Obviously in a warm kitchen the plaster will dry more quickly.

However, provided the plaster has turned a nice pale colour, you can fairly safely prime it with half-and-half water and white emulsion. That should be enough to protect the new plaster whilst letting it breathe sufficiently to dry fully (albeit somewhat more slowly).

Might as well save the paint if the wall is going to be hidden anyway.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 9:34 AM on October 4, 2008