Dreaded Distemper | Plasterers Kryptonite

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

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[@MadHalflingInventor]

I'm not a plasterer, I'm a factory engineer on an old site, folks are decorating in downtime to tidy it up a bit, I skimmed a wall for them and the plaster fell off, it didn't last long at all, the wall looked just like this, Thanks a lot for this video - I now understand what happened!!! Learn a new thing every day :)

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Thanks for the feedback on the video. Glad you found it helpful. Fingers crossed you spot it early next time.

[@MadHalflingInventor]

@@AlexMorleyPlastering No problem :) I think I'll be asked to help scrape it all off and start again next time they aren't using the room LOL

[@bluevanmani]

Plastered on distemper many times takes four coats of unibond two weak coats and two strong coats but your right by the time you’ve done that you might as well board the ceiling. We’ve just finished a house unfortunately had ornate coving so overboard wasn’t an option

[@baileyhawkins6532]

I came across distemper and used blue grit and it worked perfect fine customer still has a lovely home

[@neiletheridge38]

Hi Alex Great video as always. When I come across distemper I apply a full coat dulux stainblock/primer that completely seals in the distemper. Then apply the PVA as usual. It's never failed me yet. Keep the very informative videos coming. All the best

[@NiktheEnglishGreekCypriot]

Just sat down on the bog after a hard day of prep and voila, a video to watch, cheers mate!

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Glad to be of service. 😂😂

[@rich69694]

I'm watching this on the toilet too and just saw this comment 😂

[@billyt9921]

@@rich69694 cos it's the only place we can get a moments peace n quiet

[@rich69694]

@@billyt9921 😂😂

[@744shinryu]

had this problem, used a drywall sander with 24grit and a hoover attachment, ceiling was plaster ready in 2 hours

[@dogblessamerica]

Previous occupants used this in the bathroom, Farrow and Ball casein distemper in "calamine" colour. Found the old can in the cellar and have used it to touch up the paint (it smells foul). No idea why they used it. Possibly to cover up hairline cracks?

[@jasonbrown825]

Big up Alex good to see you back

[@Bananaskin101]

At last a video that shows me distemper 🙂, unfortunately my ceilings have it . Overboarding it is, thanks for the educational tip 👍

[@ryaneclarke]

I have a couple of distemper ceilings in my house I’m currently renovating. Paint is peeling from it where I have used a steamer to remove wallpaper from the adjoining walls. What are my options to reapply the paint/ make good? Everything I have seen is in relation to plastering but I only have a few small areas to cover. Can’t find anywhere what to do in relation to decorating distemper. Any help much appreciated! 🙏

[@GBPaddling]

I had a similar, but very unusual experience. I PVA'd an old wall to just over skim, but someone had already over skimmed over some old lining paper!!!! As I applied my first coat, the lining paper seemed to expand and become pliable, and started coming away in chunks. Luckily it was only in certain sections, but it just goes to show with all these jibs, there can be hidden horrors awaiting.

[@alexhawes6690]

I wish I watched this video earlier, I plastered 2 walls and returned the next day to find the plaster had detached from the wall, the substrate was white and chalky which seemed stable after 2 coats of PVA, I removed all the fresh plaster and sanded the white coat and replastered and it behaved normally this time round

[@dominicdurso3672]

If I’m on old job like that one I’ll pva with sbr with grit in leave over night, sorted 👍👍never had one fail.. plus fibres in the plaster 🤘🤘

[@brendanosullivan3664]

Thanks Alex about this

[@dontforgetthisone22]

There are other options. I use Artex Stabilex to first prime the distempered paint surface, then Cementone stabalising primer, a coat of PVA and it's ready to skim.

[@SomaticSamurai]

You can use a stabilising solution on it

[@martinolowe6516]

Which solution would you recommend?

[@israeladesanya4596]

​@martinolowe6516 it's just called stabilising solution

[@davidmcmanus1094]

Thanks for the vid. I've never come across it (yet) but I have seen the videos

[@damstv8717]

hi alex thanks for the video i have learnd somthing today

[@dec-spec3874]

Alkali Resisting Primer

[@hupra72]

Very educational! Thank you very much Alex.

[@gavinrackett3707]

Hi Alex, have you got to pva a distemperd ceiling and let it dry to do the finger test or can you tell its distemper before you pva? Thanks

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

No you want to test it before any PVA is applied. It will come away on your fingers as it’s very powdery.

[@paulnaylor6035]

Yep alot of spreads who only do new builds or site work don't know what distemper is and yes blue grit or green doesn't work either I had it happen on an artex ceiling that I had to let go off completely then overboard as it started to get massive air bubbles and it makes a hell of a mess and I green gritted first nightmare

[@JJPlastering]

Blue grit/pva mix worked on my walls. Wouldnt try on a ceiliing tho based on some of the comments here

[@davidfoley8189]

Come across distemper a lot over the years.It’s a nightmare.You are right,overboard or scrape back.No other way to do it.Or politely say thanks but no thanks

[@JJPlastering]

Have it on the walls in my house. Put a blue grit/pva mix on and it worked a treat.

[@waynehendry9782]

I dustless sand it off. It only takes an hour. Seal and skim. Bubbles and lifting along cracked emulsion in a 1960s or before house has distemper on.

[@evanmunro7026]

Im training up as a plasterer just bought my trail and was planning on doing my room as my first proper bit of plastering and found the walls and ceilings are distemper haha

[@stickemuppunkitsthefunlovi4733]

Did you skim your bedroom bro?

[@evanmunro7026]

@@stickemuppunkitsthefunlovi4733 yes mate haha, went better than I thought it would

[@stickemuppunkitsthefunlovi4733]

@@evanmunro7026 nice. There are levels to this shit mate. If its your house you want it to be prefect, same for a nice middle class good paying customer. If its some scruffy land lord who's housing 6 Africans in a 2 bedroom house that stinks of piss, you don't give a sht about distemper lol

[@petersleight134]

Been a spread for 40 years don't take risks always over board

[@CheckFred]

Not just yellow - Blue and Green as well ..... Walls were also commonly distempered in the 30's - 50's but due to the constant re-decoration in most homes for the walls - it has been washed away with each wallpaper strip ..... You could have spent an hour or so with soapy water to get the distemper OFF of that ceiling rather than go with the over-boarding .....

[@martindonaton3603]

Alright smart arse

[@CheckFred]

@@martindonaton3603 😂😂

[@rockyslack799]

Can't u scratch up the ceiling for a good key before skimming??

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Definitely not I’m afraid. It’s a run and hide job sadly. Biggest nightmare for spreads.

[@boeingbwoy]

not worth the hassle

[@JPPlastering93]

What would happen if you gritted the ceiling? Would it still peel off??

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Afraid so. Once the moisture from the plaster seeps through the blue grit it will pull away.

[@matthewedwardfield]

Yep..i learnt the hard way years ago...on my wet trowell stage the whole ceiling just flopped off. I basically worked for nothing that day.

[@JPPlastering93]

@@AlexMorleyPlastering cheers, thank you for your reply!

[@JJPlastering]

@@AlexMorleyPlastering Put a blue grit/pva mix on my distemper walls and theyre fine. Not sure id try on a ceiling based on what you and others have said mind you!

[@richardcootes5840]

Good stuff Alex just a quick one are still using plastic on your last past and carbon the whole way threw ?

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Probably 50% of the time. There is no doubt it is the best finish on a dry pass, but I have been skipping the dry pass a bit recently to shorten the day due to the big hits we have been doing.

[@leewalsh3945]

Alex just a quick question what’s your take the marshalltown permflex ? Thinking about getting one cheers buddy

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Was going to a review on it. We bought the 18”. It’s without a doubt the best and worst flex we have ever used. Incredible finish, but ours is already a dudd.

[@leewalsh3945]

Cheers thanks mate

[@NiktheEnglishGreekCypriot]

@@AlexMorleyPlastering what’s happened to yours? Mines amazing, don’t plaster every day though so can’t say much on its longevity

[@bluevanmani]

@@AlexMorleyPlastering that’s my issue with super flex trowels you do get a great finish but for the money they don’t last I’ve pretty much gone back to the old days apart from using a plastic trowel last trowel up

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

@@NiktheEnglishGreekCypriot it rippled in the middle so badly that it leaves marks when wet troweling. Happened after 3 weeks of use.

[@NikNakGB]

Have you not heard of stabilising solution? If you rub your hand over the surface & it's chalky then use stabilising solution, leave for 12 hours then SBR

[@leeholke9851]

U can get a sealer for that . Tried and tested

[@richardfinal3169]

Just use any alkali resisting primer. Job done.

[@bee8583]

The “offending” ceiling 😆

[@boeingbwoy]

this happened to me went with a bang

[@R9K7]

Just blue grit it/pVA with a few handfuls of sharp sand. Easy.

[@davidblakey8992]

Seal the Krptonite with Zinsser Gardz and you can plaster straight onto it! 👍🏻

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

Glad that work for you. That’s a no go for us. As the sub straight is still not fit to take the weight of plaster. The risk is too high.

[@mightyconker3903]

Substrate

[@clarkey1977]

Sugar soap wash the ceiling.

[@Tom_Prendiville]

Yeah goodluck 🙄 our old farmhouse had this and I thought the same "wash it" the amount of time wasted washing it could have been better spent elsewhere so the rest of the house was overboarded

[@sidneyharp]

I don't get it. All you need to do is wash it off with a sponge. Distemper is temporary paint made from glue and chalk and is soluble in water. Yes, an extra step to wash it off the wall, but then it's gone and you can plaster as normal.

[@johncarr3855]

Lead. Content.

[@tallpete9956]

Can also make a decorator cry too! 🤣

[@gorringeman]

If enough plaster falls on his head then maybe not :)

[@thomasmcgarry8571]

its nightmare🤦‍♂️🤣🤣

[@russandemm]

Dry line it😂😂

[@ollielake7421]

Give it a coat of sbr

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

It had PVA and SBR on it. The issue with distemper is that the plaster moistens the distemper as the water from the plaster seems into the wall. Hence why using a “sealer” doesn’t work, as they all are effected by a wet product being on them for 3-4hours of a set time.

[@ollielake7421]

@@AlexMorleyPlastering yeh I mean I’ve just put pva on them before and you get the big bubble and then the lot just comes down lol fun times but pva is water soluble so the last few I’ve done with neat sbr and they have been fine as sbr is not water soluble. May be was just luck and the next one will bubble on me 👍

[@giggsy2022]

Sbr it

[@jasonlaws1274]

Awful microphone mate.. very tinnie

[@AlexMorleyPlastering]

I know. Sorry bud. I have bought another, no idea what happened to it. Very annoying

[@jasonlaws1274]

@@AlexMorleyPlastering no worries buddy. Keep up the good work