ᐅ Lime-cement plaster – what now? Should you paint, wallpaper, or apply another layer of plaster?

Hello everyone,

I read in the scope of work description from our builder that all interior walls will be finished with lime-cement plaster.

Since painting and wall coverings are not included in the purchase price, we are wondering what additional work and costs we might expect.

1. Can lime-cement plaster be painted directly, or does it require special surface preparation?
2. How would you proceed if your walls were completely finished with lime-cement plaster?

Thank you very much for your help

They are NOT simply skim-coated but plastered with a lime-cement mortar. This plaster is quite rough and absorbent. A full-surface fine skim coat is necessary to avoid a barn-like appearance and achieve a smooth wall. On top of that, a primer layer should be sprayed on using a garden sprayer. Alternatively, textured wallpaper such as woodchip or similar could be used. A thicker fiberglass wallpaper could also be applied.

The question is about the quality in which they are produced. With Q3, you could already consider painting, with Q2 you have to like it ... basically, lime-cement plaster is good everywhere to start with. Gypsum plaster would be cheaper.

A primer/undercoat will still be necessary.

I also used lime-cement plaster throughout my house. The advantage is that it doesn’t matter to moisture, meaning there is no risk of mold. The idea that it’s always rough is only partly true. If, after applying and leveling, you smooth it again with a finishing trowel, it becomes smooth. In some rooms, after the plaster had started to set, I also went over it with a sponge float and then painted it with silicate paint to prevent the material from sanding off. This creates a textured surface.

I just tried to see if you could tell the difference in a photo, but both surfaces look identical. So I decided not to upload any pictures.

Nordlys schrieb:
They are NOT skim-coated, but only plastered with lime-cement mortar.

Alright – I guess I didn’t express myself clearly enough. I will try to be more precise next time. Unfortunately, I am a complete beginner.

Nordlys schrieb:
A full-surface fine skim coat is needed to avoid a rough barn-like appearance and achieve a smooth wall. After that, apply one coat of primer with a garden sprayer.

Is skim-coating absolutely necessary? Painting is unfortunately not included in the scope of work and therefore we have to bear the cost ourselves. I’m concerned that having a painter skim-coat the entire house could get quite expensive.

Nordlys schrieb:
Alternatively, textured wallpaper like woodchip or something similar. You could also glue on a thicker fiberglass wallpaper.

Is skim-coating still required before wallpapering, or can wallpaper be applied directly onto the lime-cement plaster?

Alex85 schrieb:
The question is about the quality of the finish. At Q3 level you could consider painting; at Q2, you’d have to accept the look... In principle, lime-cement plaster is a good base everywhere. Gypsum plaster would be cheaper.

However, a primer coat will definitely be needed.

Thanks for your answer. Unfortunately, the scope of work does not specify the finish quality. I will inquire about it.

Tom1607 schrieb:
I rolled it with a textured roller in a few rooms (after it had already dried) and painted it with silicate paint to prevent the material from sanding off. This results in a textured surface.

What exactly does “rolled” mean? Sanded? Are you satisfied with the appearance and feel?

My main goal is to get the walls looking white and presentable as cost-effectively as possible.

First, you could wallpaper the surface after applying a primer or sealer.
Alternatively, you could simply fill the damaged spots with filler and then deliberately apply a pigmented silicate coating with a slightly sandy texture. This look would be intentional.
In our case, the cement-lime plaster was only used in the bathrooms. The painter, my brother, a master painter, fully skimmed the surface. Then I sprayed primer onto it. After that, he applied fiberglass mesh, which I painted with latex paint. The result is excellent—smooth and attractive.