The paint itself felt a bit thinner, which made me second-guess skipping primer.
Man, I learned that lesson the hard way too. I tried one of those “earthy” paints on my popcorn ceiling (don’t ask why I still have one, it’s a long story involving a stubborn spouse and a popcorn-texture enthusiast from the ‘70s). Anyway, I figured, hey, it’s white on white—how bad could it be? Turns out, pretty bad. The first coat looked like someone had just sneezed milk all over the ceiling. Ended up doing three coats and still had some patchy spots.
But I will say, not having to air out the house for a week was a win. My dog didn’t even notice I was painting, which is a first. If you’re willing to put in the extra elbow grease, it’s not a terrible trade-off. Just don’t expect miracles with coverage, especially if you’re dealing with anything more textured than a pancake. And yeah, primer is your friend—no matter how much you want to skip it.
The first coat looked like someone had just sneezed milk all over the ceiling.
That’s such a perfect description—I’ve had nearly the same thing happen, only it was a “clay-based” paint on old plaster. I convinced myself the eco-friendly label meant I could skip the primer, but nope... the walls just soaked it up and left me with streaks everywhere. Ended up doing three coats, and honestly, by the end I was questioning my life choices.
But I’m with you on the no-smell part. The last time I used regular paint, the house smelled like a chemical factory for days. This time, even the cat didn’t care. Have you ever tried one of those shellac-based primers under the eco stuff? I’ve heard they help with coverage, but it seems like it kind of defeats the purpose if you’re trying to go green. Still, I guess there’s always a trade-off between coverage and air quality... unless someone’s found that magic paint that does it all?
the walls just soaked it up and left me with streaks everywhere
That’s exactly what happened when I tried limewash on my living room. Looked like a ghost had been fingerpainting. I’ve heard about those shellac primers too, but yeah, feels weird to go green then slap on something that smells like nail polish remover. Still, I’ll take three coats over that headache-inducing chemical fog any day.
Looked like a ghost had been fingerpainting.
- Had the same streaky mess with my first go at clay paint. Super absorbent drywall just drank it up.
- Tried a mineral primer (Auro brand) instead of shellac—less toxic, still seals well, but takes forever to dry.
- Agree, the smell from shellac is brutal. Not worth it unless you’re desperate to block stains.
- Three coats of eco paint is tedious, but at least you can breathe while you work. I’ll take that trade-off any day.
Three coats of eco paint is tedious, but at least you can breathe while you work. I’ll take that trade-off any day.
That’s exactly it for me too. I’ve got a 1920s place with plaster walls, and after one round with “regular” primer, I swore off the toxic stuff for good. The fumes just lingered for days, and I kept thinking, “I’m supposed to sleep in here?” Not worth it.
I tried the Auro primer too—took ages to dry, like you said, but it actually gave me a pretty even base. The patience test is real though. I ended up doing a coat in the morning, then just letting it sit until the next day. Gave me an excuse to step away and not rush things for once.
Clay paint is a whole different beast. My first attempt looked like a toddler’s art project—patchy, streaky, and somehow both too thick and too thin in spots. Turns out, my old plaster just sucked it up like a sponge. I had to go back and mist the wall with water before painting, which helped a bit, but it’s still not as forgiving as the synthetic stuff.
I do miss the convenience of modern paints sometimes, but honestly, I’d rather put in the extra effort than deal with that “chemical fog” feeling. Plus, there’s something kind of satisfying about knowing the walls are breathing along with the house. It’s not perfect, but it feels right for an old place.
Shellac is a hard pass for me now. The smell alone is enough to make me rethink my life choices. I get why people use it for stains, but I’d rather live with a little character than gas myself out.
Anyway, it’s slow going, but I figure these walls have seen worse over the last hundred years. A few streaks just add to the story, right?