How much does a loft wall cost? Three ways compared: loft cement, loft paint and mineral paint

3 ways to a loft wall: how are they different?

In Thai homes, a "loft wall" usually means a raw-looking cement-grey wall with a cloudy pattern and some depth, like the wall of an old New York warehouse converted into apartments. But there are several ways to get that look, and each one costs you differently, in money, time and effort.

Think of it like coffee. Loft plaster is grinding the beans and brewing it yourself: a strong flavour, but a messy kitchen. Loft paint is a coffee capsule: easy and quick, but up close you can tell it's not the real thing. Mineral paint is a good pour-over: you get the aroma and depth without buying an expensive grinder.

• Loft plaster: a thin cement-based material trowelled on. A real surface with depth, but heavy work that takes skill
• Loft paint: several shades of paint applied with a sponge or brush to imitate plaster. The surface stays smooth and looks like a pattern on the wall
• Limewash-style mineral paint: brushed on in criss-cross layers. A soft matt surface with deep cloudy movement, and no plastering

How much does loft plaster cost, and should you DIY or hire a plasterer?

Ready-made loft plaster kits sold in building supply and DIY shops in Thailand cost around one to two thousand baht a kit. One published example is a kit of around ฿1,400 for about 13 sq m of wall (2021 figures), which works out at a little over a hundred baht per square metre in materials. Current prices and coverage per kit vary by brand, so always check the box.

If you hire a plasterer, loft plaster is usually quoted per square metre including materials, and the price range is very wide, depending on skill, thickness, number of coats, the sealing coat, and the condition of the existing wall. Ask to see photos of real work, and ask whether a water- and stain-resistant sealer is included.

Before you try it yourself, know that loft plaster is trowel work that depends on rhythm. If the plaster goes on unevenly, hairline cracks may appear. A pattern you don't like is hard to fix: you have to sand it off or plaster over it, and the sanding makes a fair amount of dust.

• DIY: about ฿1,000–2,000 per kit in materials + trowels, sandpaper and sealer
• Hired plasterer: charged per sq m including materials, varies a lot; get quotes from 2–3 contractors
• Time: several days, including drying time between coats and sanding
• Risks: hairline cracks, an uneven pattern, hard to fix

Loft paint: cost, and the limits you should know

Loft paint means using two to three shades of grey wall paint: you paint a base coat, then blend a pattern over it with a sponge, cloth or brush so it looks like plaster. The main cost is paint and tools, closer to an ordinary paint job than to plastering, and there's no sanding dust.

The limit is that the surface is still as smooth as a painted wall. From a distance you get the loft look, but up close or in raking sunlight you can see it's a pattern on the surface, not real depth. And a pattern made by dabbing a sponge over and over can look repetitive if your hand isn't steady yet.

It suits people who want to try the loft look on a small budget, rented rooms, or walls that aren't seen up close.

• Cost: 2–3 shades of paint + sponges, brushes, trays and tape
• Skill: moderate; practise on a test board first
• Weak points: a smooth surface with no real depth, and the pattern easily looks repetitive

Limewash-style mineral paint: a sample budget for one wall

The third way is mineral paint brushed on in criss-cross layers, giving a matt surface and a soft pattern like an old European plaster wall. No plastering: it goes on over a primed plaster wall. One set of Voqe Mineral Finish comes in two tones of the same shade, Light Shade and Shadow Shade, applied in alternating directions to create depth. It covers 8–12 sq m per litre per coat. The system is 1 coat of primer and 2 coats of Mineral Finish.

A TV wall 4 m wide and 2.7 m high = 10.8 sq m. 2 coats makes 21.6 sq m. Divide by 8–12 to get 1.8–2.7 litres. Your options are two Set 2QT (฿1,180 each, ฿2,360 in total) or one Set 2GL (฿2,998), which leaves enough for another wall. Add a 0.946-litre primer for old plaster at ฿205, and the budget for this wall comes to around ฿2,565, or about ฿240 per square metre, not including brushes and tape.

If it's a wall that gets touched a lot or might get splashed, finish it with Mineral Sealer (0.946 litres, ฿1,400), which covers 145–155 sq m per gallon per coat, so one small bottle is more than enough for a single wall. The total budget then rises to around ฿3,965.

• 4 × 2.7 m wall = 10.8 sq m × 2 coats = 21.6 sq m
• Needs 1.8–2.7 litres: Set 2QT × 2 = ฿2,360
• Primer for old plaster, 0.946 litres: ฿205
• Total around ฿2,565 (about ฿240/sq m)
• Add Sealer for areas that get touched or splashed: total around ฿3,965

3 kinds of loft wall compared: cost, time, skill and risk

The price per square metre is only half the story. The other half is time, and the risk of having to do it again. A cheap job that has to be torn out once ends up costing more than a slightly pricier one that's done right first time.

Looking at the big picture, loft plaster gives genuine rawness but takes skill. Loft paint is cheap and quick but looks flat. Mineral paint sits in the middle: real depth from the layers of paint and brush marks, but still a painting job most people can learn in an afternoon.

• DIY loft plaster: materials a little over a hundred baht/sq m, high skill, several days, lots of dust, hard to fix
• Hired loft plaster: the highest price per sq m of the three, depending on the plasterer's skill
• Loft paint: cost close to a paint job, moderate skill, quick, but a flat surface
• Mineral paint: around ฿200–370/sq m based on the example, moderate skill, 1–2 days, can be touched up with the same two tones

Which loft wall should you choose if...

There's no single answer that's right for every home. Try answering three questions: how close up will the wall be seen, how much time do you have, and are you ready for dust? The answers will point the way.

If you'd like the mineral paint loft look but don't want to pick up a brush yourself, Voqe's Supply & Apply service comes with painters already trained in the two-tone technique. Send us photos of your wall for an assessment.

• If you want a real plaster surface that feels rough to the touch, and you're ready for the dust: loft plaster, from a plasterer with a portfolio
• If your budget is very small, the room is rented, or the wall is seen from a distance: loft paint
• If you want real depth and a soft matt surface you can do yourself in 1–2 days: limewash-style mineral paint
• If it's a condo where drilling or sanding walls is awkward: mineral paint or loft paint, with no heavy sanding
• If you want a warm loft, not a cold warehouse feel: choose a sandy grey or stone beige instead of a cool grey