RP-04Adjust your technique for the surfaceOn solid brick or block walls under plaster, the surface is hard — you can scrape firmly without much risk of damage. On plasterboard (whether it's fixed to timber studs, metal studs, or stuck on with dot-and-dab), be gentler: dig too hard and the scraper will tear through the paper facing, not just the paint. With dot-and-dab plasterboard specifically, avoid heavy pressure — the board can flex against the air gap behind it and crack the skim coat. Lath and plaster ceilings and walls are the most fragile: work in small, light strokes, support the area with your other hand where you can reach, and expect old, badly cracked patches to come away down to the bare lath — that's normal, just fill it later rather than forcing more paint off.