[corndogggy]

Ok, so I'm somewhere in between the DIY crowd and the pro crowd. I'm obviously DIY but I used to be on a painting crew for a university so I'm not a total newbie. I know how to physically paint, but not how to make things look good in terms of picking out products and colors. We just always used the cheapest commercial paint possible. I have no idea what looks nice in a home, yet I need to paint my new home. I've never dealt with knock-down ceilings, had to worry about dampness in bathrooms, scrubbability in high traffic areas, etc. We just made sure it was cheap and white.

So anyway, multiple questions here:

1. Do I have to prime knock-down ceilings? My drywall guy sprayed with primer then put knock-down up. Do I have to prime again, or just take off with ceiling paint?

2. My drywall guy said he would spray primer and ceiling paint for cheap, but my designer said if I ever have to repair anything and I roll primer over that spot, it will never match. She was pretty adamant that this is a bad idea, that I should just roll the whole thing. Is this a valid concern or is she being a drama queen? We used to always roll everything at the university so I've never had to deal with mixing the two.

3. Is the expensive paint really worth it? I mean, the contractor grade at Sherwin Williams is what, $25 a gallon? Emerald is listed at $60, can get it for $49, but still, that's twice as much as the contractor grade. Worth it if you were talking about your own house?

4. Is a paint and primer mix really a valid issue with new construction? I've got my framing contractor saying to get these products especially for my sky blue ceiling. However I've never seen a finish on other people's houses that I particularly like. They always look shallow and chalky, not deep and wet, if that makes any sense. Even the semi gloss colors were more flat than they ought to be and just looked boring and cheap for some reason. I'm skeptical of them because of that but maybe I'm just being dumb.

5. If there's any favorite products that flow really well without costing too much please let me know. I've got 3,400 square feet to do. I'll probably get a little sloppy so something that is a little forgiving would be nice. Yes I realize that real painters shouldn't have this concern. I'm not the best trim painter though.

6. Is a high end primer really necessary? We're doing a beach house with lots of blues and sea green. Would a high end primer help with this look or is it just a waste? Sherwin Williams has a premium $40 a gallon primer that is supposed to be really smooth, but I can't figure out what it would gain me.

 

[Brushjockey]

Spend a few minutes reading here. It will give you a clue.

 

[Gymschu]

Like BJ said, do some searching and reading on here. Most of these questions have been answered hundreds of times. I'll answer one of your oft asked questions.........Is high-quality, high priced paint worth the cost? YES! Quality primers and paints have longer lasting ingredients and pigments that keep the paint looking new for years to come. Either you pay now, or you pay later. I would rather use quality paint that gives me 8-10 years of service over cheap paint that gives you 2 or 3 years of service and then you have to do it all over again.

 

[Brushjockey]

I'm sorry to say, but by your comments there are lots of DIY with a much better understanding of the what and why's of paint than you show.
Not a bad thing, because you came here to learn.
But because you slung some crap paint on in college does not put you in the almost pro catagory.

First- determine what you want out of the paint.
Have Kids, dogs ( aka- does the paint need to be able to be washed?)
What sheens do you like, where and why?

There is a point to both the drywallers approach and the decs to the ceiling.
Very common practice to just blow the ceiling- but a high quality contractor will back roll it for the reasons your Dec said.

Lots of info here about primer & paint combo. You will see a trend..
You will see a search function above in the black stripe.

You say you think other paints look dull. Quality primers seal the wall helping the paint to come to full sheen. And then quality paints look richer. You get what you pay for- or not.

Painting isn't rocket surgery- but there really is quite a bit to understand about how things work and interact with each other .
And it is a system of products and procedure that make it work.

 

[jsheridan]

Let's see Corn, it sounds like you're building a house, a 3,400 sq. ft. house, a 3,400 sq house at the beach, and you hired a designer to assist you in decorating your 3,400 sq ft beach house. Why, may I ask, after all that high end outlay, are you looking to cut corners now? You're doing the labor yourself, probably a savings of about 15k, just say. And you're at a decided disadvantage because you lack the high end skills, so you're going to put yourself further behind the eight ball with low end products and skipped steps?
I've seen this movie all too many times, and it ends sadly. The tile, the granite, the upgrades, drain the paint and painter budget, till it's almost an afterthought. Low end paint/painters are a real disservice to a high end project, trust me. It looks cheap.
The paint is what gives the project its elegance, its stately look, the ambience. It's the wrapping. Paint is the backdrop of the decor. If you're putting cheap furniture in there, put some cheap paint and effort into it. I've seen very expensive pieces of art hanging on walls among the roller fuzz and lap marks, and it looks just like it sounds, like crap.
I hate to sound like I'm breaking your stones, I'm not. I'm trying sarcastically to get you to see the bigger picture.

 

[Nailbags]

1. Do I have to prime knock-down ceilings? My drywall guy sprayed with primer then put knock-down up. Do I have to prime again, or just take off with ceiling paint?
Yes he primed the dry way for the vapor retarder now you have to prime the knock down.
Paint and primer in one. = big time PT Barnum a fool and his money is soon parted. new construction you better prime that drywall with a proper primer or your cheap corner cutting is going to cost you big time. I would use for my house new construction, SW has a great new PVA primer that puts their drywall primer to shame. I would then at the very mim use Cashmere from sherwin williams. Don't use the Emerald interior SW not that great Duration and harmony or Cashmere is better.

 

[jsheridan]

What happened?