JĘZYK / LANGUAGE / ЯЗЫК
PROPER PRIMING AND PREPARATION OF SUBSTRATES FOR PAINTING, DECORATING, AND PLASTERING
The substrates should be stable, dry, thoroughly cleaned and degreased. Before commencing work, evaluate the condition of substrates and perform all necessary repairs.
I. WHAT TO CONSIDER PRIOR TO PAINTING – NEW SUBSTRATES:
Cement-lime plasters – apply only to stabilised and dry plaster. 3 to 6 weeks after application (depending on drying conditions), follow the application procedure: finish coat plaster, primer, paint or other material.
Gypsum-carton boards – mesh on the board joints, filler compound to fill the gaps between the boards, finish coat plaster over the whole surface to avoid colour variations and to synchronise the remaining part with the boards. When dry (after one or a few days, depending on the ambient temperature and humidity), prime and paint the substrate.
In order to reduce substrate absorbency and make it uniform, thus improving paint coverage, apply MFA Classic priming concentrate, diluted 1:4 with H2O for paints and 1:3 for plasters.
Gypsum finish coats and Carton-gypsum boards do not always require preparation as various interesting decorative effects can be created directly on cement-lime plaster. Examples: Beton Art, Beton Marmo, and Beton Micro concretes, Natural Travertine, Grassmarmo, Muriston Opal, Buciatto E. This enables you to make considerable savings and finish the renovation more quickly while creating fashionable effects on walls.
II. I. WHAT TO CONSIDER PRIOR TO PAINTING – OLD SUBSTRATES:
check whether the substrate is stable and free of cavities. In the case of cavities, fill them and prime using MFA Plus that penetrates the structure of the substrate and improves its properties,
priming may not be sufficient for loose substrates. In such cases, old layers must be removed to reach stable surface. Recreate the layers and prime using MFA Classic,
if the substrate is locally damaged by micro-organisms (fungi, moulds, moss, lichens) – first, identify the cause as using fungicidal agents solves the problem temporarily. Our experience proves that construction defects of buildings are often the root cause. Possible causes: improper ventilation, external protection, protection of chimneys and terraces, or water from the ground penetrating the walls (no proper insulation). Such defects must be removed prior to painting the interior. Next, clean the walls with fungicidal agent, wash, and dry – after that you can start painting.
Oily walls – remove layers to reach dry substrate, restore stability of layers, and prime using MFA Plus.
Substrate (paint or plaster) goes off – remove (hack off) if you can hear a thud when striking a spot with a hammer. Clean the substrate with a wire brush to remove small unstable areas of the surface. In the case of cavities, prime the substrate and fill cavities with new plaster.
Chapped and visibly cracked substrate – fill the cavities with elastic filler or mortar. When heavily cracked, cut at an acute angle, enlarging the cavity to join both sides of the substrate. Prime with MFA Plus and attach plaster mesh or plastering tape to elastic compound. When ready, apply primer again, apply filling compound, and level the surface.
Peeling paint – remove from the surface using a scraper, putty knife or wire brush. Prime with MFA Classic or MFA Plus and fill cavities using filler compound. When dry, grind the surface using sandpaper and apply primer again.
Checking durability of old paints – whether you need to remove old layers of paint or you can paint directly on them depends on the number of layers and the quality of products applied to the surface. Check adhesiveness using a putty knife, in particular where blisters are visible. You can also wet the surface with water to see if it swells or apply adhesive tape and remove it with a quick single motion. Bear in mind that if the surface is absorbent, low-quality paints are very likely to have been used. Such surfaces require priming.
Substrate coated with adhesive paint – before applying new dispersive paints, previous coating must be removed by washing (using for example soft soap) and the substrate must be dried.
Wallpapers – check at joints whether the wallpaper does not go off wall after painting. Some adhesives are moisture-proof and do not cause any problems. However, most are not and they require checking whether the wallpaper remains glued to the wall. If not, wet the wallpaper with water or adhesive-solving agent – perforate the wallpaper, apply the agent and leave for recommended time. To remove paper wallpapers, wet the surface using warm water with detergent or use a water-vapour wetting tool.
Apply primer using a brush/wide brush prior to painting as walls coated with finish plaster or other coatings may have been ground. Remaining dust (often not visible) reduces adhesiveness of subsequent layers significantly. A brush or a wide brush blends the residue with the primer.
Properly applied primer:
reduces substrate absorbency, making it uniform; facilitates application of subsequent layers to avoid stains resulting from absorbency differences,
increases paint coverage and stabilises, binds, and improves adhesiveness of subsequent layers.
We recommend two professional types of primers compatible with all kinds of paints and plasters:
1. MFA Classic indoor and outdoor primer intended for all mineral substrates, cement-lime plaster, concrete, fibre concrete, finishing coat plaster and plaster putty, carton-gypsum boards, screed, new and renovated/preserved substrates.
2. Deeply penetrating and very effective MFA Plus indoor and outdoor primer intended for stabilising the substrate. Manufactured using a new technology. Based on a fine-grained water dispersion. Thanks to its formula, the primer penetrates the plaster up to 10 mm deep. It is necessary to enhance weak surfaces of the walls and protect them against moisture.
Paint may go off the wall during or after painting due to the following reasons:
using inappropriate or expired gypsum finish coat,
substrate layers may have been coated with chalk paint. This type of paint should be removed from the wall by washing prior to application of gypsum coats or subsequent paints,
inappropriate, low-quality primer or applying no primer at all,
applying paint to loose substrates without priming,
old paint did not bind sufficiently with substrate layers. Due to application of a new layer, the old substrate absorbed moisture and cracked. Flakes prove that the old paint does not have a stable substrate, however, the new layer of paint adheres well to the old one.
III. PROTRUDING WALL ELEMENTS WHAT TO DO AND WHAT TO CONSIDER THEN USING MASKING TAPE:
Prior to painting, remember to prepare all adjacent surfaces and fixed elements adjacent to the surface such as window frames, door frames, and skirting as they require cleaning before attaching tape. Remove all elements attached with screws such as sockets, curtain rods, radiators, skirting boards, lamp brackets, lamps, halogen lamps, etc. Fresh paint is easily damaged and does not achieve its full adhesiveness even after over a dozen hours. While attaching tape to prepared substrate, bear in mind that multiple tape manufacturers are present on the market and their products differ in strength and quality. We recommend using professional tapes as they have sufficient strength and line sharpness. Moreover, they do not vulcanise quickly. In such cases, purchased tape is too strong – it damages or tears off the coating. It can be weakened easily by adhering it for a while to dusty surfaces such as window ledges, wardrobes, or any other seldom cleaned surfaces. Another problem may arise when a visibly different colour gets under the tape on a surface joint. In such a case, apply a small amount of acrylic or paint (the same as under the tape) onto the tape on the joint. The same should be done on the ceiling-wall joint line. Ecorson offers paints and decorative compounds with perfect properties for creating sharp colour lines.
IV. BASIC APPLICATION PRINCIPLES WHERE TO START, ORDER OF APPLICATION:
It is recommended to begin painting from the ceiling. A small brush (or an angular one) or roller will be a perfect tool for painting hard-to-reach areas. When painting walls, one rule applies: first paint hard-to-reach areas such as window recess, corners, areas behind radiators, around sockets, etc. Before commencing work, it is a good idea to plan the order of application. Smooth surfaces are applied first as sharp colour lines look best on them. Textured layers are applied last since they can be precisely separated from smooth areas to provide an aesthetic finish. All layers should be applied by two people using telescopic rollers to improve the coverage and the final effect. One person should apply the paint while the other distributes it over the surface. Start the process at a window and proceed into the room. The first layer of paint should be applied parallel to the wall through which light "enters" the room, while the following one – perpendicularly. Apply paint onto layers overlaying by edges, starting from the corner. When applied in stripes to a surface, distribute the paint immediately using another roller (preferably) in order to create an even and uniform surface. To produce a uniform surface – work quickly and in one go so that wet layers overlay. Large areas can be easily painted using a good quality 25 cm roller (using a paint brush requires slightly more strength and experience if you want to avoid leaving brush marks). The paint should also be distributed in two directions during application.
Spraying – the paint leaves the gun nozzle through small holes in the middle (round stream) or on the sides (flat stream). It enables you to produce a thin and uniform coating. If the room is large and a single colour is being applied, this method guarantees quick and efficient application. The speed and precision depends on the type of the spray gun and compatibility of the paint with the nozzle. We recommend checking the effect on a small area before commencing the main part of work.
Subsequent layers can be applied when the first layer dries, i.e. after approx. 5-8h, depending on the paint and temperature/humidity during application. Information on drying time and conditions is included on the packaging and on technical sheets available on the website. Ensure optimal parameters, such as temperature, humidity, and drafts, while painting as they affects the appearance and are essential for the final effect. Too quick (drafts) or too long (excessive humidity) drying process may cause cracking of layers.
Based on the intended use and needs, select appropriate type of paint and apply it to dry, clean, and primed substrate. ECORSON recommends:
Murillo – for indoor use, matt, top technical parameters,
Eco12– for indoor use, slightly satin, top technical parameters,
Fortuna – for indoor use, anti-reflective, also for ceilings,
Murimal 200 – for indoor use, excellent quality, perfect for large areas due to its cost efficiency,
Tifmal – for indoor use, 2in1 (paint with primer), perfect for busy users who wish to cover large areas quickly,
Murisil F – for outdoor use, the only one we offer, but the best on the market,
Lumicenta Satinato – for indoor use, creates a surprising effect when lit up.
V. A SYSTEM OF BASES FOR DECORATIVE PLASTERS AND STANDARD FAÇADE PLASTERS:
For fine-grained (smaller than 0.6 mm) decorative plasters or textures created on decorative paints, we recommend using fine-grained quartz primer diluted with 20% of water in addition to MFA Classic to improve the adhesiveness of the substrate.
When applying plaster of larger grain (more than 0.6 mm), MFA Classic with Bucciato E plaster diluted with approx. 40% of water should be used.
VI. FINISHING ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE THE FINAL EFFECT AFTER APPLYING PAINT OR DECORATIVE EFFECTS:
for lime-based products, the corners should be levelled and smoothed thoroughly by grinding excessive compound,
if another colour or texture is to be applied, sharp colour lines should be created just under the ceiling in the corners,
applying acrylic to the corners,
using protective and improving finishes , i.e. Lumicca paints (1D and 4D, Antica, Broccato, Base, Gold, Multicolor, Pearl), in particular Lumicca Incolore, Silomal for outdoor use,
using proper masking tape which do not damage the surface, let the paint reach the substrate, or tear off paint,
providing optimal conditions while painting,
proper cleaning activities after work so as not to produce dust and to leave the workplace clean.
VII. STRONG HYDROPHOBIC PRESERVATIVE – SILOMAL
Silomal – for indoor and outdoor use, prevents water from penetrating the substrate which may result from different capillary absorption levels of construction materials that cause salt efflorescence and emergence of lime on the façade. The preservative is applied to improve the resistance of the substrate to water penetration and provide general protection against moisture, it allows the surface to "breathe". As a highly efficient preservative, it is recommended for various substrates (such as façades, paving stones, sandstone, clinker brick) exposed to acids present in the atmosphere, and micro-organisms of biological origin such as bacteria, fungi, seaweed, algae, moss, etc. Provides excellent protection of surfaces exposed to water penetration (e.g. in bathrooms), as well as of decorative plasters such as travertine, rust effect, etc. Hydrophobic coatings cannot be applied to surfaces with cracks and cavities larger than 0.3 mm. Prior to application, fill all cracks with elastic compound.
Preservation of brick walls – brick walls are not resistant to weather conditions, absorb moisture, and deter due to weathering. Silomal enables you to maintain durability of brick walls without affecting their colour characteristics. Recommended in particular for walls of historic buildings.
VIII. PROTECTION AGAINST LEAKS – ELASTOREN
Elastic paint intended for protecting roofs, ceiling structures, foundations, façades, etc. When dry, creates an impermeable coating, resistant to UV radiation. Elastoren comes as a liquid, therefore it penetrates the substrate and creates efficient insulation. Due to its excellent properties, it is used to protect and preserve various types of substrates such as ceilings, basement walls, basements, floorings, etc.
