Priming walls

georgeo

For new drywall.
Before using bullseye primer 123, should i shine a light at all
angles on the wall/ceilings and smooth out all imperfections?

Painting contractor says, not needed because after
putting on primer, primer will fix minor stuff and you just
have very little sanding to do.

If i see fish eyes and lines or streaks on walls, should
this be completely fixed and smooth out before putting on primer?

Thanks

Gymschu

Well, good luck finding any problem areas without primer on the walls. Since drywall is gray and joint compound is white, it can be really, really difficult to see any imperfections. It's best to apply the primer and THEN look for problem areas, etc. Repair those and then sand, wipe off dust, and apply primer to those spots you fixed. What I like to do after the primer dries is mark areas that need fixed by circling those spots with a pencil or attaching some blue painter's tape next to the spots so you remember where they are.

Nailbags

use a high quality PVA primer SW make a great one. that way your drywall does not fuzz up

ToolSeeker

If you can see the imperfections before the primer by all means fix them first. Then after the primer check again. sand, spot prime repairs. check again. Your painter is correct really only if you are using a high build primer. A regular primer is not thick enough to fix any imperfections.

chrisn

you keep recommending this,why?

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Grants Painting

Try to get the walls the best you can before a prime. The light would be overkill but look at the walls from all angles. The pinholes are called pocks. These are caused from drywall dust getting balled up in the mix and then sanded down to. You really just waist your time looking for the mistakes when they will be easy to find and easy to fix after the prime.

georgeo

here's some pics i took of the walls, there is no primer yet...

Attached Thumbnails

         

 

Grants Painting

OK so Im assuming from the lines that those are pretty close up. Unless there was an eighty grit sandpaper used...

Either way. It needs a skim coat on some of that or else there will be too much to fix later.

I wrote an article on patching that could really help you. Its more for patching holes but it will tell what to use to fix what you cant get to with the skim.

Faron79

No primer on Earth will help fill/smooth those pits/scrapes!!!

Yep....do further skimming & light sanding.
* PVA-class primers are adequate. That's all the further I'll go with that.
* Better choices are primers like C2-One, Zinsser123, or Gripper.
* Applied correctly...meaning NOT PUSHED TOO THIN...this class of primers seals a wall MUCH better than a PVA film.
* IF you're fussy, consider TWO coats of 123/similiar. Let dry a day, then LIGHTLY scuff-sand with a 220-ish sanding-screen, and remove ALL dust.
* Priming DOES slightly "fuzz" the paper. If you scuff-sand HALF a primed wall, & not the other...you WILL see a difference.

Faron

jsheridan

George, unless those pics were shot through an electron microscope, you're sandpaper is way too heavy. 220, or 180 at the most, is all the grit you need. You're fingers are rough enough to sand compound. Don't feel bad, I've had pros come on my jobs that I've caught using way too heavy grit for sanding, that's when it gets fun.

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Gymschu

Wow, that's some serious sandpaper damage.

Grants Painting

Yup yup and yup. Interesting fact that will help...
I use a pva primer from PPG Speedhide line that doubles as a surfacer. Without getting into the hem haw of it. Basically you can use a drywall knife to putty in some of that primer into those lines. It wont work magic and fill in pits but it will fix those lines. Plus then its already primed. Only do this with a PVA so it will sand down knife marks made with paint. But a thicker Acrylic primer like Gripper or another +$$$ primer with a heavy nap like 1/2+ might do alot for you in this situation. Is it going to be flat, egshell or higher?


Thought for the day... Im sure he could do without microscope jokes.

Grants Painting

JSheridan
Your throwing 404 errors on three out of 4 links in your signature line.

jsheridan

Thanks Grant, I fixed the links. I only found two broken ones on outside web sites.
Hey, microscope jokes , it's a rough crowd. I went to the same high school as Rodney Dangerfield, after we sacked the quarterback, we went after his family.

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ToolSeeker

I might suggest a skim with the new ultra lite mud. Thin just a little and pull tight. Easy to work with and easy to sand with 220 screen not paper.