Project Overview
A customer in Manchester contacted TAB Home Improvement LTD after having a small box room recently replastered. The walls and ceiling had been skimmed approximately three weeks earlier, and the customer wanted advice on whether the plaster was dry enough for decorating.
The project included decorating the newly plastered room, painting the ceiling, walls and woodwork, and installing a custom MDF shelf above an existing bulkhead boxing.
Step 1 – Inspecting the Newly Plastered Room
Before any decorating work could begin, the condition of the plaster was carefully assessed.
Fresh plaster can often appear dry on the surface while still holding moisture underneath, so it is important not to rush into painting too early.
The room had been left to dry for around three weeks, and the plaster had largely changed to a pale pink colour, indicating that drying was progressing well.
Step 2 – Moisture Testing
To ensure the room was ready for decorating, moisture readings were taken from various areas of the walls and ceiling.
The average reading was approximately 12%, confirming that the plaster had dried sufficiently and was suitable for mist coating and painting.
Taking moisture readings before decorating helps avoid future problems such as poor paint adhesion, blistering or uneven drying.
Step 3 – Preparing the Room
The room was fully prepared before painting began.
This included:
- Protecting the floor area
- Inspecting all plastered surfaces
- Light sanding where required
- Removing dust and loose particles
- Preparing the room for mist coating
Proper preparation is essential to achieve a durable and professional finish.
Step 4 – Colour Selection and Decoration
The customer selected a beautiful sage green shade called Nature Lover for the walls.
This darker green colour added warmth and character to the small room while still maintaining a modern and welcoming feel.
The ceiling was finished in white to maximise brightness, while the woodwork was painted white to provide a crisp contrast against the green walls.
Particular attention was paid to cutting in around ceilings, corners and edges to achieve clean, sharp lines throughout the room.
Step 5 – Achieving Sharp Ceiling Lines
One of the details that separates an average decorating job from a professional finish is the quality of the cutting in.
With a darker wall colour such as Nature Lover, any imperfections around the ceiling line become much more noticeable. For this reason, extra care was taken when cutting in around the ceilings, corners and edges throughout the room.
Using a high-quality brush and taking the time to work carefully helped create crisp, straight lines between the white ceiling and the green walls.
The result was a clean and professional finish that enhanced the overall appearance of the room.
Step 6 – MDF Shelf Installation
As part of the project, a custom MDF shelf was installed above the existing bulkhead boxing.
The new shelf created a useful storage surface while improving the overall appearance of the room.
Once installed, the MDF shelf was primed and finished to match the rest of the decoration scheme.
Completed Result
The completed room features:
- Freshly decorated sage green walls
- Bright white ceiling
- White woodwork
- Custom MDF shelf installation
- Sharp cutting-in lines and clean detailing
The customer planned to install new flooring and replace the existing door after the decorating work was completed.
Customer Review
“Allan did an incredible job. The room was plastered just over 3 weeks ago and I wasn’t sure if it was ready for painting. Allan brought a moisture meter and tested everything before he started. He turned up on the day when he said he would, communication was great and he worked flat out for 2 days to get it finished. He also added an MDF shelf to the bulk head box in the room that sorely needed it. All in all, I would absolutely recommend Allan for any work you need doing.”
★★★★★
If you’re looking for a painter and decorator in Manchester, or need advice on decorating newly plastered walls, feel free to get in touch with TAB Home Improvement LTD.