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Wall primer not smooth.

10K views 15 replies 10 participants last post by  chrisn 
#1 ·
In our new home the drywaller primed the walls. For some reason the primer is not smooth but has a slight pebbly tecture which is noticrable in some light and places. Even with two coats of paint the walls are not smooth. Are there any products available that would smooth out the walls?
 
#6 ·
John Kuryloski;1069794[COLOR=red said:
]In our new home the drywaller primed the walls. For[/COLOR] some reason the primer is not smooth but has a slight pebbly tecture which is noticrable in some light and places. Even with two coats of paint the walls are not smooth. Are there any products available that would smooth out the walls?

Because tha "drywaller" did not clean the walls before priming, then did not sand after priming. Drywall guys hang drywall, painters paint.:whistling2:
 
#7 ·
A lot of new construction painters are not the most conscientuous. I've seen guys go through with sprayers prior to cleaning the sub floors and just blow floor debris all over the walls along with the primer/finish.
I would take some eighty weight paper and sand them down. You might use a sanding pole, but I think it's more effective to take a full sheet of paper, fold it in four, and go to town by hand. Now you're right on top of the wall where you can sand and feel your results as you go, and you can adjust the pressure to what's needed. A sanding pole keeps you at a distance. Whenever you're sanding anything, one hand sands and the other is constantly feeling for what needs sanding and the results you're getting. IMO, a sanding pole is good for general scuffing and hitting here and there spots without the need for a ladder, not this type of work.
 
#4 ·
^ all of that- a bit more explanation. If the primer was just sprayed on it would hang on the dust and the sanding and be rough. If it was rolled on it would also raise the nap of the wallboard paper a little, particularly where it was sanded. It in both cases needs a pole sanding before finish coats.
Usually all it takes.
 
#9 ·
Sanding drywall is becoming a long lost art. Like everyone has said, applying the primer actually raises the "grain" of the wallboard and when it's dry it is fairly rough. Many old-fashioned paint companies had their painters actually sand the walls BY HAND with 220 grit paper. Tedious for sure, but highly effective. After sanding the walls were then vacuumed to remove the dust......again very tedious but it left the walls smooth as a baby's bottom. After the first coat, sand and vacuum again. Thankfully, someone invented the pole sander and the circular pole sander which speeds up the process considerably. For fussy clients I have even used the electric sheet sander.

Of course you can limit the roughness of the wallboard by brooming off the drywall dust BEFORE priming. You still have to sand after priming but at least you have removed about 80% of the dust on the walls.
 
#12 ·
Sanding drywall is becoming a long lost art. Like everyone has said, applying the primer actually raises the "grain" of the wallboard and when it's dry it is fairly rough. Many old-fashioned paint companies had their painters actually sand the walls BY HAND with 220 grit paper. Tedious for sure, but highly effective. After sanding the walls were then vacuumed to remove the dust......again very tedious but it left the walls smooth as a baby's bottom. After the first coat, sand and vacuum again. Thankfully, someone invented the pole sander and the circular pole sander which speeds up the process considerably. For fussy clients I have even used the electric sheet sander.

Of course you can limit the roughness of the wallboard by brooming off the drywall dust BEFORE priming. You still have to sand after priming but at least you have removed about 80% of the dust on the walls.

I am glad I never had any clients THAT fussy.
 
#15 ·
I just finished a townhouse repaint that had been HO painted a few times.
You could lacerate your hand running it over the Behr semi infested walls, covered with boogers ( technical term..) and roller fuzz.
It wasn't the client but me that made me get out my porter cable electric sander and trim that stuff down.
Couple of coats of Ultra spec lo luster ( they wanted to save money, i wouldn't do Behr..) and was looking pretty tidy .
 
#16 ·
Don't you just hate those jobs where " I painted this myself" is stated proudly, as if you couldn't tell already?
I am working on a job right now where this old lady did all the painting of the trim. It is passable( sort of) but fortunately she only did as high as she could reach( bad back). Unfortunately, she stands right behind me and watches. She did get FPOE in oil for me to use:thumbsup:
 
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