painting plaster walls

[KarenNT]

My 1950's house has lath and plaster walls. In some rooms the plaster has many fine cracks in it. Nothing is peeling, it just has a very uneven texture. Can I sand that down smooth before priming, or would I cause problems underneath?

 

[Ioana]

From what I hear, your plaster wall is already affected. Painting a plaster wall will lead to damages through drying shrinkage. Best to use lining papers, displayed either horizontally or vertically and then fix it all with a coat of emulsion paint. That ought to do the trick.

 

[dovetail]

Don't sand or disturb plaster from that era without having it tested for lead and asbestos. If it tests positive bring in a professional to handle the project for your own safety.

 

[David Reyes]

plaster walls are more temperamental than drywall so you have to put a little more elbow grease into the preparation work before you paint. Don't take short cuts on the prep work or you may find yourself doing repairs later. Fix damaged areas of the walls with a patching compound recommended for use on plaster and apply an oil-based or shellac primer to seal out moisture. Follow with a top-quality latex paint to give your old plaster a new look.