Plasterboard Painting in Windsor

New plasterboard absorbs paint at a different rate than older decorated walls. The board paper, the skim coat, and the taped joints each have different porosity. Applying topcoat directly causes patchy absorption and uneven sheen.

The correct approach is a diluted sealing coat applied first, allowed to dry fully, then lightly sanded before topcoats. For a full overview of our interior work, see our interior painting page.

A sealing coat is a thinned-down emulsion applied to raw or newly plastered surfaces. It soaks into the board and skim without sitting on top. This binds the surface and prevents the topcoat from sinking in unevenly.

Your decorator applies sealing coats by roller for large areas and by brush at all edges and reveals. The coat must be fully dry before sanding back lightly.

In new-build and extension rooms, first fix refers to the stage before skirting, architrave, and door linings are fitted. Second fix is after. We can work at either stage, but second-fix painting is more common.

For ceiling painting in new-build and extension rooms, see our ceiling painting page.

New extension rooms present specific challenges. Plasterboard on the extension walls often sits next to older decorated plaster in the original room. The two surfaces absorb paint differently and need different treatment.

Your decorator assesses both surfaces during our first visit and primes each area as appropriate. For similar work in bathroom extensions, see our bathroom painting page.

Not all plasterboard surfaces are in perfect condition when we arrive. Dents, popped screws, and damaged tape joints need attention before any paint goes on. Your decorator fills, sands, and primes each repair before applying topcoats.

Where tape joints are lifting or bubbling, we re-tape and feather the repair with joint compound. This takes time but prevents the defect from reappearing through the final finish.