[dsconstructs]

Definitely do your prep work before just texturing. Make sure all the tape joints are good and solid/no loose tape. Float over any scrape marks you may have gotten from your blade. I always float more over all the tape joints and nail heads. They know when they are going to spray acoustic that they don't need to have it finished quite as well as regular textured walls.
*I also like to give the ceiling a bit of a sand down before even beginning any of the floating. It helps to keep from having that stuff dragging in your mud while your floating.

Once you've floated and sanded to the point you think it's ready, prime the entire ceiling and recheck it all. If need be you can touch up the floating some more and prime those areas again.

Then you should be ready for texture.

 

[suncowiam]

Thanks for your reply.

Sorry but I'm a total beginner here. What do you mean by float?

What kind of primer should I use?

 

[dsconstructs]

Ah sorry.......by float I mean using a wide drywall blade and sheetrock compound to spread a thin layer of the compound over the problem areas and the existing taped sheetrock seam lines. Part of what you'll want to avoid also is ending up with a ridge on the outside edge where you're floating. You can apply a little extra pressure on that end of the blade as you slide it along, and carefully sand your new compound after it dries. Be sure when you are sanding that you don't rough up the surround paper front of the sheetrock too much. What you're really after is a smooth surfaces that appears flat so the gouges and lines don't show through the texture. How much prep yours will actually take before the texture will depend on what your ceiling looks like now after removing the acoustic. I've heard some guys swear they can strip acoustic and immediately texture without some floating with great results, but I've yet to see it.

I've been using "wall and woodworking" primer through ICI paints (they just changed names to Glidden Professional. Great product.....but I'm about to switch myself, not doing business with them anymore. I've seen some other suggestions on here in other threads that sound pretty good though I don't have personal experience with them yet. Whatever you do, stay away from PVA primers....everyone is right about that.

 

[stoner529]

Definitely do your prep work before just texturing. Make sure all the tape joints are good and solid/no loose tape. Float over any scrape marks you may have gotten from your blade. I always float more over all the tape joints and nail heads. They know when they are going to spray acoustic that they don't need to have it finished quite as well as regular textured walls.
*I also like to give the ceiling a bit of a sand down before even beginning any of the floating. It helps to keep from having that stuff dragging in your mud while your floating.

Once you've floated and sanded to the point you think it's ready, prime the entire ceiling and recheck it all. If need be you can touch up the floating some more and prime those areas again.

Then you should be ready for texture.

I agree with everything here with the exception of priming. It is just unecesarry to do until after the texture goes up.

I do all my ceilings this way and they always turn out fine.