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Plaster is denser, harder, and more porous than drywall, so it absorbs moisture differently. This means you’ll often need more prep work, such as thorough sanding, patching, and priming with a high-quality bonding primer. Additionally, you may need more coats of paint to achieve even coverage. While the process takes more time, it helps ensure a durable and professional-looking result.

While no-VOC paints don’t contain the chemical compounds that are toxic when they’re outgassed, they can still have an odor. This is because odors can come from other chemicals in the paint that aren’t classified as VOCs. Again, ventilation is key, especially if you plan to sleep in the room on the same day as you paint.

The best sheen depends on your needs. Satin and eggshell sheens are often recommended for siding since their lightly reflective finish can help hide imperfections while being relatively easy to clean. Semi-gloss sheen is a great fit for trim since it’s incredibly easy to clean and more durable and moisture-resistant than satin and eggshell, but if you use it for the entire surface, its more reflective properties can highlight imperfections. This is also why high-glass sheen isn’t a great fit for the entire surface.

Use a roller with a high nap to paint into the textured dips and cover the raised sections of your walls without leaving any sections uncovered. After applying paint using the high-nap roller, you use a paintbrush to cover any missed spots. Applying two or three coats of paint using this method should provide plenty of coverage.