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A client in Phoenix insisted I skip the primer on her old plaster walls
She stood in her living room, hands on her hips, and said 'my grandfather built this house and he never used that stuff.' I explained how the old lime plaster was dusty and would soak up paint, but she was firm. I ended up doing it her way on one wall to show her, and sure enough, the finish coat looked patchy and dull. Has anyone else had to prove a point like that before a client would listen?
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dianagreen2mo ago
Respecting history is one thing, but ignoring basic prep work is another. That personal connection doesn't change how old materials behave. The proof was right there on the wall she asked you to paint. Sometimes you have to show the result, not just argue about the method.
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derek_brown281mo ago
Read an article recently about how old lime based plasters actually need different prep than modern drywall. The homeowner probably didn't realize her great grandma's house was built with materials that react totally different to modern primers. That crack she was so worried about might have been trying to tell them something about moisture or movement underneath. Sometimes respecting history means knowing how the original materials work, not just keeping the same look.
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johnrivera2mo ago
Look at it from her side though, she's protecting her family's history. Sometimes the old ways work fine if you know what you're doing, maybe the paint mix was off. You gotta respect that personal connection to a house, even if it means a little extra work to get the finish right.
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