Can You Use Acrylic Paint On Plaster?
Acrylic paint is famous for various reasons. You can use the paint on different surfaces, and mix it with other elements to increase its consistency and change its texture.
The vibrant color makes your painting more lively and attractive. But when you are talking about painting on plaster, you must consider other factors besides its vibrant color and adaptability to different materials.
While you can use acrylic paint on plaster, without the proper procedure and steps, it can become flaky and troublesome. As plaster tends to bond with paint by absorbing the water into the paint, you need to understand how the water component of your paint is reacting with the plaster surface.
Here, I will discuss how acrylic paint can be used on plaster surfaces to make it look beautiful and stick to the surface without any problem.
Does Acrylic Paint Work On Plaster?
Acrylic paint is quite famous for its versatility and ability to stick on various surfaces. With proper care and methods, you can even paint on plaster using acrylic paint.
The plaster surface is smooth and can be a great canvas to paint on. But the tendency to absorb water and the smooth surface can make the process tricky to continue painting on it.
If you want to paint on plaster, water-based acrylic paints work better. As the plaster tends to absorb water from the paint, thin layers of acrylic paint are most suitable.
But you can also use heavy body acrylic paint or other thick paint if your surface is prepared and you give them enough time to dry.
If you want to create a DIY project, you can use student-grade acrylic paint. But to get a high-quality and long-lasting result, you can use artist-grade acrylic paint.
Acrylic Marker
For creating detailed work, the acrylic marker is a good medium. But it is better not to use it on the plaster directly.
Heavy-Body Acrylic Paints
If you are considering painting using heavy-body acrylic paint you need to be careful. The plaster needs to have a good coat of primer and a base layer.
High-Flow Acrylic Paints
High-flow acrylic paints work very well on plaster. As the water content is quite high, you can even directly use this paint. But make sure not to use this paint on the wet plaster layer.
What Other Kind Of Paints Can You Use On Plasters?
You need to be careful while choosing the right paint to paint on the plaster. As plaster sucks water out of the paint, you need to dilute the paint to help it create a strong bonding with the plaster and not create a flaky layer.
You can use latex paint or water-based acrylic paint for plaster. Before buying paint, make sure that they are suitable to paint on the plaster layer.
Read the instruction on the back of the paint to ensure that you are buying the right one.
What To Use On Plaster Before Painting?
Before painting your plaster, you need to prepare it so that it does not make the paint flaky or dry too fast.
The paint needs to settle on the plaster layer to create a smooth coat. For preparing your plaster it is better to apply a layer of mist coat on the dry plaster layer.
Mist coat is watered-down paint that creates a thin layer of paint to help other pain to sit on plaster. Don’t use PVC or Vinyl paints to create your mist coat or primer.
How Long Do You Need To Wait Before Applying Acrylic Paint Over Plaster?
Plaster is prone to absorb water. If your plaster is not completely dry, you cannot paint it properly. After applying plaster on a wall or artwork, you must let it set.
How long it will take depends on the thickness and consistency of the plaster layer. If you want to paint on new plaster, you must give it a few weeks before starting the painting work.
If you are in a hurry, you can try painting after a week. But before you dive into doing the paintwork, paint on a small area to observe the result.
If you are going to work on old plaster, you do not need to wait for weeks to let it dry. After cleaning the surface, you can apply primer and start painting immediately.
How To Use Acrylic Paint On Plaster?
Dry The Plaster
Before you start the process of painting, you need to drive the plaster thoroughly. If it is a new plaster layer, you need to wait for at least a week before starting the paint job.
You might need a longer if the layer is thick. For the old plaster layer, you don’t need extra time to dry it. You can skip this step and jump into priming your plaster.
Sand The Plaster
After the plaster is dried if you need there is any crack or hole, fill those areas with filler and sand it using 180-grid sandpaper.
Sanding will make the surface even and coarse and give the paint a more suitable surface to grip onto.
Apply Primer
After sanding, add a layer of primer. If you want to use acrylic paint you can use an acrylic primer. But for larger surfaces and plasters it is better to use a mist coat.
Paint On The Plaster
After you are done priming the surface, it is time to paint on it. Outline the design and start painting.
To get a smooth finish, you can use multiple thin layers of paint instead of thick paint. Choose the best acrylic paint for plaster that is the most suitable to your purpose.
Seal The Paint
If you want to seal the paint layer, you need to wait for it to dry and coat it with polymer varnish or acrylic varnish. The varnish will protect the paint layer from dust and the outer environment.
Whether it is a sculpture, art piece, or the outer wall, it is better to seal the paint for it to last longer. But sealing is not a must. Acrylic paint will last for a while even without sealing.
Sealing works as a protective shield and keeps the paint unharmed for a longer period of time.
How To Seal Acrylic Paint On Plaster?
Sealing your acrylic paint helps it to last for a lifetime. If you create a sculpture, frame or print using plaster of Paris and want them to stay beautiful for years, sealing the paint after it is dry is an essential step.
You can use polymer varnish with an ultraviolet light stabilizer. It’s better to use a waterborne acrylic polymer to keep the paint dust-resistant and protected.
Suggested Materials You May Need
To make your paint more effective and beautiful, you will need a few tools that will beautify your acrylic paint layer. Here are the products that will make your acrylic paint more stunning.
#1 KILZ TRIBUTE Paint & Primer : (Recommended Primer For Plaster)
Plaster needs to be prepared before painting. This KILZ TRIBUTE Paint & Primer matte paint comes in various colors.
So, you can choose the shade or base coat you want. You can use this paint to make your mist coat as well. This will give you a smooth and strong bond and help your paint to sit properly on your plaster.
This paint provides excellent coverage. So even if your plaster has an uneven shade, it will not be visible under this layer of primer.
#2 Golden GAC-100 Acrylic Polymer : (Recommended Sealer For Acrylic Paint)
After your paint dries, you will need a proper sealer to make sure it stays protected. This Golden GAC-100 Acrylic Polymer will seal the paint and keep it away from dust, moisture or any corrosion.
As a result, your paintwork will last a lot longer and maintain its original state. The sealer sinks in with the paint and creates a smooth protective layer. You can also protect the shine of the paint using this polymer sealer.
Over To You
Acrylic paint is a fun product to create any design or project. But it can become really difficult to work with plaster.
If you understand how acrylic paint works on plaster and what you should do, it will make the task a lot easier.
Now you know the answer to the question if you can use acrylic paint on plaster. Adding acrylic paint to plaster can also help you to create different and colorful results with the proper steps.
Let’s enjoy working with plaster and acrylic paint so that it doesn’t peel off and stick to the surface. Make your plaster projects more interesting and eye-catching with these answers. Don’t forget to show us your results. Enjoy your time.
Further Readings
Mixing Plaster With Acrylic
Best Paint For Painting A Plaster Sculpture
How To Paint New Plaster
