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Thread: Anyone have a drywall primer suggestion?

  1. #16
    If you don't have deep scratches/gouges, a hi-solids dry wall primer can solve many problems. Has 3x to 4x more solids than standard primer so the price will match. Best sprayed on but can be rolled on.

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
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    Modesto, CA, USA
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    I often buy the returned mis tinted paint in a color close to the finish color. this makes good primer and costs less then most primers. A damp sponge or paint brush can also be used on the mud job.
    Bill D

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Starkville, MS
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    Here is my trick. Get yourself a bag of powdered drywall texture and instead of mixing it with water, use cheap PVA primer. Mix it the consistency of gravy, then roll that on with a short-nap roller. Don't try and overroll it. Roll on about 2 sq ft at a time, then reload your roller. It will give your wall the same texture as a 90 year old nudist's skin (sans the wrinkles). It is just enough to hide some of the mudding imperfections without making a real "textured" wall.
    Doyle

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    San Diego, Ca
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    Some people doing their first "mudding" job use the wrong compound. Some people have even used rock-hard "spackle". I use a bedding compound with tape first. Then after it dries and shrinks I start using a topping compound. When dry it is soft and easy to sand. I use a 3M open mesh sanding media on a flat pad. It is not really all that hard to get a nice finish if you take your time.

    I live in southern Ca. and down here most builders use a splatter finish or a "knock down" splatter finish. It hides a lot of things. Harbor freight sells a low cost texturing machine. When texturing, you are looking to only do a partial cover of the drywall, rather than a full flood coat.

    I drywalled, "mudded" and textured my 800 square foot workshop and it came out great. It was my first significant sized job. But I have also watched professionals and learned a few things.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Birmingham, MI
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    As Brice said there a two different compounds that should be used when applying compound (bedding and topping). The topping doesn't have the glue (or is as thick) that the bedding needs for the tape. Most people (myself included) use general purpose compound and it makes it harder.

    A PVA primer is made to bond and fill the pours of drywall paper and provide a better/harder surface to apply a topcoat. As mentioned you can get varying degrees of solids in a PVA primer. The higher the solids the more expensive more forgiving. The other big reason to use a drywall primer is to provide an even top coat. Using a general purpose primer or paint instead of drywall primer will allow the tape joint/board contrast to bleed through. This is evident when you walk into a painted garage where they cut corners and you can see every tape seam and nail cover right through the paint.
    Hope this helps. Let Us know what you do.

    Carl

  6. #21
    In answer to Carl's "let us know what you do", I may have made a series of mistakes. I decided to prime even though I knew my drywall mudding wasn't very smooth in places. Frankly, I was willing to sacrifice perfection for completion. I chose Zinsser's 123 based on research on a bunch of drywall forums. However, I think it might not have been the best choice for me. Frankly, I had a hard time figuring out what was a drywall primer and what was just a general purpose one. They all said suitable for drywall. The 123 wasn't as thick as I thought; I don't think it has a high enough solid component to smooth some of my rougher areas (I realize no primer would solve all my issues but thought some of the minor ones would blend in more). It occurred to me after the fact that since I was looking on forums frequented by experience drywall folks, the primer I selected might be better suited for those who had done a better job mudding than I had. I suspect the primer I used is perfectly functional (it was a very popuar suggestion on the drywall forums), just maybe not the best choice for me. Anyway, I'm going to sand down a few spots in the mudroom section, touch up with joint compound and prime again. I'm less concerned about the garage; prior to this, my garage had only two walls with drywall and the builder had only done what appears to be two thin coats of mud on the joints and that never bothered me. Even with my mediocre job, it's a step up.

    Thanks for the advice, even though I might not have used it as effectively as I would have hoped. Live and learn.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    Okotoks AB
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    I don't think a primer exists that will smooth the rougher areas. What any paint or primer will do is make it virtually impossible the sand out those imperfections. Once it's been painted, you need to skim coat everything to get it smooth. But if it's only a garage, who cares?

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