How to paint decorative plaster with your own hands step-by-step technology

Any room can benefit from decorative plaster’s distinct texture and charm, but the correct finish is necessary to fully showcase its beauty. It can be a satisfying project to paint decorative plaster yourself because it gives you total control over the finished appearance.

You don’t need to hire a contractor to get professional results if you have the right equipment and are patient. This tutorial will take you step-by-step through the procedure, making it simple to follow and give your walls a gorgeous finish.

The technique is crucial, regardless of whether you’re going for a soft, polished appearance or something angular and textured. Let’s get into the specifics so you can expertly and confidently alter your plastered walls.

Step	Description
1. Prepare the surface	Clean the plastered wall to remove any dust or dirt. Make sure the surface is dry and smooth before starting.
2. Apply primer	Use a primer to ensure the paint adheres well to the plaster. Let it dry completely before moving on.
3. Choose your paint	Select a paint that works well with your decorative plaster. Consider using water-based or acrylic paint for better results.
4. Start painting	Use a brush or roller to apply the first coat of paint evenly. Work in small sections to avoid streaks or uneven coverage.
5. Add a second coat	Once the first coat is dry, apply a second coat for a richer, more even finish. Let it dry thoroughly.
6. Final touches	Inspect the wall for any missed spots or uneven areas. Touch up as needed, and enjoy your beautifully

DIY decorative plaster painting may be a fulfilling project that gives your house a unique flair. You don’t need to hire an expert to accomplish a professional-looking finish if you follow a straightforward, step-by-step tutorial. In order to enhance the texture and color of the plaster, the process entails choosing the appropriate tools and paint, prepping the surface, applying the base coat, and adding finishing touches. A little perseverance and attention to detail can make anyone’s walls into a breathtaking feature.

Is it possible to paint decorative plaster

Venetian and Moroccan decorative plasters are examples of smooth coatings; textured coatings are identified by the pattern’s volume. A coating is already present in Venetian and Moroccan plasters due to their manufacturing process. It is not necessary to paint the decorative plaster a different color in this instance. Usually, textured ones require painting.

Prior to use, the plaster solution is typically painted with a variety of pigments. Also, ready-made mixtures in the chosen color are available for purchase. Plaster walls can also be painted to add color. Plaster that has been decoratively applied is a finishing material that readily takes paint, varnish, and wax applications. Obviously, you need to use appropriate paint compositions and adhere to certain rules if you want the paint applied to the plastered surface to lie smoothly, not be rejected, hold firmly, not crack, not fade, and retain its appearance for a long time.

Paint for decorative plaster

Painting compositions are created using a variety of methods and categorized according to their intended use into:

• facade;
• for interior work.

The "tolerance" of these two classes of paints and varnishes to the environments they must function in is different.

Compositions intended for outdoor use must be able to tolerate variations in temperature as well as exposure to wind, hail, rain, and solar UV radiation, all while consistently shielding the plaster layer from harm.

The following are ideal for work on facades:

1. moisture-resistant acrylic,
2. very elastic durable silicone,
3. perfectly washable silicate.

The richness of the palette is astounding, and they create a long-lasting film coating while letting the walls breathe. The majority of facade paint compositions that are sold commercially are white, but tinting makes it simple to change to any other color.

Paints that are appropriate for painting interior spaces:

• based on water-emulsion dispersion (require two-layer application, form a matte film),
• acrylic (a water-soluble composition of copolymers – vinyl, silicone and styrene can withstand frosts down to -30 ° C without cracking). There are three types: glossy, special and glyphthalic. The most popular are glyphthalic ones, which contain acrylic resin;
• latex (do not contain the above copolymers), water-soluble on latex binders. Dry faster than acrylic, but have disadvantages that they do not have. They are afraid of sudden temperature changes, have application features, are less durable, but are much cheaper than acrylic.

It’s crucial to consider the acrylic’s percentage composition when buying paints to prevent mixing it with latex. This is the proper way to do it: Latex composed only of acrylic.

Tinting

Prior to use, the purchased plaster mixture—which is white or somewhat gray—is frequently tinted. Using this technique, the entire wall surface is uniformly colored throughout the entire area and layer thickness. As a result, even with minor chips and scratches, the plaster coating’s color is retained, making minor flaws less obvious to the naked eye.

The plaster mixture is tinted by adding one or more coloring pigments in the quantity required to achieve the desired color. A mixer is used to stir the mixture.

The plaster solution typically gets lighter as it dries. Thus, before adding color, it is best to verify the color of the working mixture with a test painting.

Using a computer program, tinting can be done in-store. The color and pigment content can be chosen. It is best to prepare as much one-color plaster in advance as needed to cover the entire surface.

Tools

The paint layer application technique will determine which tool is used.

The following equipment and tools might be required:

• brushes (of different shapes and sizes – flat, maroon, long-haired);
• rollers (with different fur for different surfaces, taking into account the depth of the relief depressions);
• foam sponges;
• spray gun (for painting large surfaces);
• masking tape (to limit the area to be painted and protect adjacent ones);
• trays for coloring compositions;
• mixer;
• scaffolding for painting facades, or a stepladder;
• containers;
• rags.

Preparing the surface for painting

It is necessary to properly prepare a dried plastered wall before painting.

This is carried out for various reasons:

• reduce material consumption by clogging the pores of the decorative coating,
• ensure the coordinated work of the paint and plaster coating,
• create conditions for the correct application of varnish or paint, which ensures high quality and long service life of the finishing layer.

Dust and tiny plastering pellets must be removed from the wall surfaces before painting. A sponge or rag can be used to clean walls that have a weak relief and are smooth.

If the relief is more noticeable, these products will not work. The vacuum cleaner performs better.

A dust-free wall needs to be primed. Consequently:

1. a cheaper primer than paint fills numerous pores of the plaster coating,
2. roughness is formed, which is necessary for greater adhesion (bonding) of the wall and paint film,
3. adhesive substances of the primer additionally bond the surface of the plaster and protect it from possible cracking.

Given that the work involves paints, precautions must be taken to prevent paintbrush strokes and drips from reaching the floor and adjacent wall, platband, window sill, and ceiling areas. A film is used to cover the floor, and masking tape is used to seal off nearby wall sections.

How to paint decorative plaster with your own hands

You can use one of several techniques, depending on the desired painting outcome and the texture of the decorative coating:

1. painting the wall in one color,
2. two-color painting,
3. using a "dry brush",
4. lightening, by removing paint,
5. creating a Venetian effect.

Learning any of these techniques is not too difficult. You can paint the walls with your hands by using them. Details on every technique are provided below.

In one color

The most straightforward and well-known technique is painting in a single pass. Using a brush, roller, or spray gun, an even layer is applied to the wall. They attempt to conceal the excess paint that has been applied at the same time.

When using a roller, vertical rolling is used to transfer the paint composition, overlapping adjacent tapes by roughly 3-6 centimeters. The excess is then shaded by the roller rolling horizontally. Additionally, a paint layer is applied using vertical brush strokes, and any excess or drips are covered with horizontal strokes. In this manner, section by section, the entire wall is painted uniformly.

Painting decorative plaster in two colors

This method is more frequently applied when one color is needed for the relief’s nooks and crannies and a different color is needed for the pattern’s projecting sections. Decorative plaster painted in the style of a world map is created using this technique.

A "two-color" wall can be achieved in a few different ways.

1. First method. A paint and varnish composition of a different color is applied to the decorative plaster painted with a color using figured rollers or a stencil. Usually, this method is used for a smooth plaster coating.
2. The second method is also used for a painted plaster coating that has a texture. Using a foam roller, only the protruding areas of the relief are painted with a composition that differs in tone or color. As a result, the relief is emphasized by the tone. The same operation can be done using a sponge, which is used to paint the protruding details of the relief.
3. With the third method of painting, the depressions of the textured plaster layer are first painted with the first color. If they are deep, then a roller with long-haired sandpaper is used for the first pass. It is used to treat the entire surface, leaving no unpainted areas. After two hours, apply the second color with a foam roller (or sponge) in the same way as in the previous method. As a result, the wall surface is two-colored.

Dry brush technique

A unique "dry brush" painting method is applied to textured plaster in order to increase the "depth" of the surface. As a result, lighter paint is used to highlight lighter tones on indentations and recesses. This approach differs only marginally from the third approach outlined previously.

A colorant in the intended hue is added to the white paint mixture. The tone of the tinted composition should be dark since the relief’s depressions must be marked with a darker color. Apply the chosen color to the entire surface using a roller equipped with a long-pile fur coat. Let the paint dry on the surface after application.

Assemble the second color’s composition. Use less dye than you did with the first to achieve this. It should have a tone or two lighter than the last one. The raised areas of the design are painted with the second coat using a brush or roller with short hair. When applying paint, it is important to collect a minimum amount of the paint on the tool to avoid it flowing into the recesses. Go over any surface to remove any excess paint before pre-drying the tool.

To the second paint mixture, you can add powdered mother-of-pearl or metal. This produces a noble, slightly aged surface that works very well.

Removing paint for lightening

First, a single coat of light paint is applied to the entire wall. A brush or a roller with a long pile is used for this. A new layer is applied in the same manner, painting the entire surface with a darker composition and leaving no gaps after this layer dries. After applying it, use a rag or sponge to remove the undried mass from the coating’s exposed areas. It is not entirely gone; the dark color is still present in the depressions and the light color is still partially present on the plaster bulges. The convex areas are lighter in this instance.

This second version of the method is a variation. On colored plaster, it is applied. Sandpaper is used to smooth the dried, one-pass painted surface. Consequently, the coloring agent is limited to the nooks and crannies, leaving behind colored, freshly plaster protrusions between.

The effect of Venetian plaster

Preparing a flat wall is necessary for coloring compositions that mimic Venetian plaster. In order to increase the adhesion of the paint film to the plaster and fix the top layer of the plaster coating with a primer, the wall needs to be properly primed in addition to being leveled.

The approach "for pennies." Making marble for interior painting projects for pennies using water-based paint. Two paint compositions—one white and the other brownish—are required. Japanese spatulas, small, round-cornered stainless steel trowel.

Don’t forget to routinely remove the working material from the trowel and spatulas.

1. Apply a base coat (first coat). To do this, apply two paints at the same time (little by little with a small spatula) to the trowel. The first one – white – is applied along the entire edge of the trowel, the second (brownish) is applied on top of it, but its quantity is taken smaller. Transfer the paint mass to the wall with multidirectional (cross to cross) movements, similar to how plaster is applied to the wall. The mass that falls on the wall, when the tool is passed again, is washed out at the borders of the colors.
2. Apply the second coat with a Japanese spatula, on which only a little bit of only one brownish paint is taken. First, it is transferred from the spatula to the wall with small individual strokes. When the spatula is empty, shade the previously applied short strokes with it. After finishing applying this layer, you need to wait a little.
3. Also apply the third coat. This is done with white paint. A very small amount is applied to a Japanese spatula. Since the brown has not yet dried up, a small amount of mass of mixed color is formed on a spatel through a few movements. It needs to be removed and thrown into the third container.
4. Already at the end of the third layer application, the layer in places becomes glossy. The final gloss is still on the raw coating. This is done by a kelma. The coating is ironed. It is not necessary to press very much so that there are no dark spots left. The pressure should be small. Gradually, during ironing, the coloring of the coating becomes darker. At the end of the work, the surface has a mirror gloss. Places that you do not like can be fixed by laying locally and looking at another layer of paint.

The "two colors on a spatmer" method.

1. The first layer is applied in the same way as in the previous method with a sliding.
2. Having reduced the amount of color in the paint composition, apply a second layer. This achieves lightening or darkening of the previously laid layer.
3. Veins or cracks are painted with a thin brush.
4. After drying, wax or varnish.

Technique for making imitations with a brush and cloth

1. Water emulsion is tinted in the desired tone. Apply it to the selected section of the wall with a brush or roller. (usually a section of the wall up to 3 m2 is processed).
2. A rag soaked in water and well wrung out, which is kept in a crumpled form, is drawn over the fresh paint in a wave-like manner (in the direction in which you want to get marble streaks).
3. After applying the main streaks, they are shaded with a soft brush to create a gradient transition of colors.
4. Paint the next 2-3 m2 as in p.1 and continue according to the description given.
5. After the first layer has dried, you can apply the second in the same way, continuing to develop and deepen the pattern. For effect, you can add a different dye, a little metallic or mother-of-pearl to the paint mass.
6. A glossy polishing effect will be given to the resulting “stone” by a coating of acrylic varnish.

How to repaint decorative plaster

It is not difficult to change the color of the decorative plaster if you decide to change the interior and do not need to remove the previous coating. After that, painting the walls with a primer made of white acrylic is sufficient. The ornamental plaster can be painted utilizing any of the previously mentioned techniques, and its texture will remain intact.

Don’t forget to paint a test piece to see what new color works best.

It is covered with a white pearlescent glaze with an acrylic base if you need to turn a dark Venetian plaster lighter. The glaze turns halfway transparent after drying. Through it, the old Venetian plaster is visible.

Wetting it first and leaving it wet for a while is how the old coating is removed if it is not suitable. Using a steam generator will make this task much simpler. The wall surface is dried before repainting following the removal of the previous layer and priming.

If none of the aforementioned techniques work, you will need to use abrasive materials (sandpaper, brushes, and specialized tools) to mechanically remove the coating. There’s a good chance that this will harm the primary plaster layer.

Wax

Wax is one of the last coatings used when painting ornamental plaster. It adds luster and brightness to the tones while shielding the plaster finish from moisture and making it more ornamental. Paint over the nooks and crannies of the relief surface, or alter the color scheme of Venetian or Moroccan paint, with tinted waxes. Natural or synthetic wax can be used in wax compositions. There are various waxing techniques. Using a rubber spatula, sponge, or soft cloth, wax is applied, depending on the coating’s texture and consistency. After application, the wax film can be modified in four hours.

A fulfilling project that gives your walls a unique touch is painting decorative plaster yourself. Following the correct procedures will help you achieve a stunning, polished finish.

Set up your tools and select the appropriate paint for the type of plaster you are using. To ensure that the paint adheres well and lasts longer, priming must be applied. When painting, take your time and work in small sections to keep the finish uniform.

Don’t forget to wait for each coat to dry completely before applying another, and take your time finishing touches. A gorgeous, hand-painted plaster finish can completely change your room with a little perseverance and attention to detail.

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