OT- painting

Re: OT- painting

David Yoho

Perhaps not but one coat on new drywall isn't going to do the job. You'll need an additional coat or coats.

Re: OT- painting

John K Jordan

I'm not a painter so my amateur opinion is just that. We prime drywall before painting. Unless the finish paint will cover in one coat (might depend on the paint) a coat of primer might be less expensive. Also, you can always go over a primed surface and fix any little bumps or irregularities before the final coat of paint.

Re: OT- painting

C John Hebert

I would never-ever paint drywall without a sealer if it's the first time it's being painted. If the walls have been painted before...no problem

Re: OT- painting

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

When we painted our new construction it was apparent that we would need two coats of the desired color. Rather than paint primer followed by two coats, we just painted two coats of the regular paint. I saw no disadvantage to this approach nor did the painter that advised us. If you could get by with one top coat for color I suppose you could save a few pennies using a primer coat. And then if one top coat didn't work those pennies saved would be spent on a second top coat.

why

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

What does the primer coat do that a top coat won't?

Re: OT- painting

Mike Circo

I find that most paint and primer in one paints to be mostly just extra thick and sticky. They also do not cover as much per gallon as normal paint does.

My pro guy indicated that a real primer will absorb into the drywall paper and mud to better seal and set it in. Then regular paint after that. All the work he has done for me is hard, smooth and durable so I'm not about to argue.

Personal experience using all in one paints for jobs I did myself is that that stuff is difficult to spread and unless you are PERFECT at 100% coverage, you will need a second coat anyway so just go with the regular stuff.

my $.02

Primer *LINK*

Clifton C

High dollar paint can hide some dry wall sins. I just find it's easier to start with a good primer, I use something called First Coat. As John K said, fixing blemishes is easy over primer. A flashlight raked across the wall shows everything. A taped, sanded joint is smooth, drywall isn't, it has a texture or "grain" and the difference can sometimes show thru. I don't mind saving a dollar, but I don't like making excuses either.


First Coat

Re: OT- painting

Don Stephan

Painting contractor years ago told me primer and topcoat were designed for different purposes, and that topcoat adhered best to primer. I first saw all-in-one paint advertised by a big box store, and many chain stores now own the brand of paint they carry. This might be other brands matching hype rather than educating the public.

Hopefully someone can inquire to tech support at an independent paint manufacturer to get their input.

Experience and disadvantages

Jason Roehl in Lafayette, IN

Primer over new drywall is a good thing. With flat paints, it will make successive coats much easier to apply, even years down the road when you repaint. Also, two coats of paint over new drywall won't really cover the difference in texture between the mudded/sanded areas and the areas of bare paper. With eggshell and shinier paints, they won't adhere properly, especially in bathrooms and kitchens, and will damage more easily.

Prime, sand (just a quick once-over with 120 or 150 grit), then two topcoats of a quality interior paint (doesn't have to be the most expensive).

Just a few things I learned in about 20 years as a painting contractor.

Jason

My take

Jack Guzman from Maine

Good discussion on this subject. I will continue to use drywall primer when painting fresh drywall. I am convinced that it has properties necessary to preparing the surface. It is also cheaper if you consider that more than one coat of the more expensive finish coat is necessary without it. ---Jack

Re: why

C John Hebert

A sealer coat does exactly what is implies. Seals...especially over joint compound usage. If you just use regular paint and 2 coats....it won't be enough to hide. Especially a little off to one side (at an angle to the wall) it's really noticable, and also coating the screw holes.

Re: My take

Jerry Roberts

Ever use Benjamin Moore? I went to the store a few years go and told the dealer I was going to repaint inside house and wanted a good primer first. He laughed and said this BM paint isn't necessary to use primer. He was right. I found out.

Repainting different from fresh drywall surface