Painting after plastering - how long?

[roadrunner]

The hardwall plastering is being finished this week.
How long should we leave until we can start painting inside?

 

[neady]

Normally you should wait about 6 weeks to make sure its completely dry.

 

[roadrunner]

Was hoping to start after 3 weeks - but will hold off if thats the time it takes.

 

[Simeon]

No harm waiting six weeks. Generally when the skimcoat turns peach from brown/pink, or limestone grey from grey/dark blue it is OK to decorate. You will see mid wall sections changing colour after 24 hours. All the moisture is out by then. Plenty of ventilation is the trick. Damp/rainy conditions without much wind delay things.

 

[wheeler]

I have builders in at the moment plastering over cracks. They plastered a substantial amount on some walls. They painted one day later. What will be the effect of this?

 

[Simeon]

Assuming that the cracks were from earlier settlement, that the background was fully dried out and that the skimcoat was dry (in warm conditions simcoat can be dry in 24 hours) there should be no problem. However, if either the background or the skimcoat is still retaining moisture the result can be peeling, paint drag, efflorescence and, in general, a shoddy result. In this type of weather there is no way that skimcoat could be dry in that time without some kind of heating help.