I go around the web and see what people are doing. I’ve found that switching this up did help me to get a better finish on later projects, but it’s more prone to scratching (so prime that wall asap when you’re done!). The problem is that I'm getting a large amount of bubbling in the compound. I use a different primer between sanding and painting. Hi I’m a professional wallpaper hanger for almost 40 years. Your comment made my day. I’ll be right here when you get back. Plus, tinted primer as your first coat plus a single coat of paint is usually cheaper than two coats of paint. The water in latex paint does the same thing, but on a “micro” basis. It doesn’t take very long for this stuff to dry, so don’t worry too much about this putting a lengthy hiccup in your progress. While it may not seem like it’s loose, you may find out differently once you slap your first layer of joint compound on the wall. So happy I found your blog- it is just what I needed! Love ya work and not even sure how I ended up here but glad I did :-). Great information! Thanks. And MAKING THINGS. The Gardz helped my issue a great deal. Would you want to continue to get emails the day (or day after) they are published, or would you prefer to get a single email each week that contains all of my latest updates? It was such a mess trying to layer and cut, layer and cut all of those holes. Just. I am soooooo not looking forward to this process but at least I feel a little better about starting it. I really hate skim coating but with an 85-year-old duplex covered in layers of wallpaper I don’t have much choice. Then simple texturing. Happy to have you following along and relating to the DIY life! My opinion differs from yours in the choice of primer. Very good article. I had no previous experience fixing things to this extent before moving in. Mission accomplished. After 15 minutes the 20-minute compound starts to get “sluggish.” So If I have a quick small repair I use 20. yeah i usually durabond it.. but as u know mud or burabond gets air holes as soon as u put it on.. ive done that waited like 10 minutes and wiped it again and it helped some.. i was just wondering u can mix something in it or something like that.. because we mix dawn in the mud sometimes to help with air holes. This means digging into the drywall again to remove the paper causing the bubble (I’ve done it both while the joint compound was wet and when it’s dry… wet is messier and peels up more paper, sometimes maybe more than you needed to). After primering, I noticed a few imperfections that I wanted to skim coat. What I’ve found is that the minutes only refers to the time available to use it, NOT the time it takes to cure for a subsequent coat and/or sanding. I haven’t been in your same situation, so just hypothesizing here. I didn’t know what “level 5 drywall” was. DIYDiva has a pretty great post (or two) on that. If the mud is the drying type mud as opposed to the setting type mud, the latex paint will partially dissolve the top layer of mud, smoothing out some very minor drywall imperfections and the latex paint will create a great bond with “clean” mud. Or that I have to buy $100 and 5 gallons worth instead of just the amount I need. If you still see indentations or imperfections after the second coat dries, trowel on a third coat. Sand the primer coat lightly with very fine sandpaper and add a second coat if skimmed areas show through or the painted surface is not solid. I’m going to try it on the whole surface and cross my fingers, pray, throw some salt (probably not, that’s messy). I would not use such a primer for walls that have been partially mudded or skim coated. ok ty.. jw because im doing a remodel and have a cpl of patches.. and i hate that crap, I,ve found putting a good primer[like Adirondack] on 1st works,but then you lose a day. I’ve never tried the skim coating and wanted to try it this time around in a bathroom that just has nasty walls from the get go. Actually, level 4 includes all steps taking of coating and coating again with the joint compound over the joints and angles to create an even level. Latex. I’ll be using the paint roller method with a 1 1/4″ roller nap (cover) and I thinned down the all purpose joint compound with water. There are things to consider and processes to follow. We often skim coat walls. Hey there! As with most of the other quick-drying stuff, you will need to mix this on your own from a powder form rather than buying in a pre-mixed bucket (like you would with all-purpose or the lightweight stuff). You should be proud!!! Question..in lieu of Glidden Gripper, can I use RX-35 or Gardz after the final coat of joint compound has been applied? For more on photo licenses and other use permissions, click here (in true UDH style, it’s actually kind of fun and snarky to read). Thanks for your blog! 1. I have a bag each of 20-minute, 45-minute, and 90-minute compound on hand and which one I use depends on the job. Thanks so much for your comments, Mike! I’ve learned the same way you have-hopefully getting better each time also and learning about the different products. So even if Gardz is, in fact, better, I can honestly recommend Rx-35. Before reading any further, I should note that I’m reading this blog entry after I attempted a similar “drywall restoration process” of my own, if not nearly identical to the tips given above. Please see our full disclosure here. I also did a follow up one about tips on getting around pesky things like windows and outlets, so you can find that here. It may even feel dry enough to sand. But, I’m also a first time homeowner. No other local stores carried it, so yeah for Porter!! Flat. Red dot all purpose has glue or adhesive mixed in and works well over painted walls. My husband has been a licensed contractor since 1982, so this blog brought back memories of problems we encountered when we were first in business. I repeated this back to her, and she reiterated that I should first do my floating, and only afterward prime it with the RX-35. At this point I would not use them for skim coating given that bit of info right off of their packaging. The process of smoothing textured walls with skim coating is fairly common. But then you know what not to do, and your completed project secretly holds all of this badass juju from knowing that it was your sweat that made it a reality. I have found that while removing the wallpaper if you can just pull the vinyl part or solid paper off of the backing, then use hot water, Vinegar and fabric softener the paper backing and glue comes right off with little trouble. ;). The RX-35 is a sealer/primer, so this has worked well for me. In my own experience/home (so I can really only speak to what happened for ME, and mine was peeled drywall paper because of wallpaper removal), any bubbles were because of drywall paper, so I had to undo the layer that was covering/causing the bubble and removing the underlying tear in the paper. I was getting very light headed just thinking about doing that & didn’t trust myself going up the ladder while contemplating it. PLEASE share!! I considered chopping it up into smaller bits, but when I look for tutorials, I don’t like having to click around a lot. But once I started on the dining room and kitchen, I realized that there was a crucial step I’d missed (and hadn’t really needed yet). And below the chair rail in the DR, I have wallpaper, then paint, then three layers of wallpaper. Do I have to do all of these steps if your shooting texture? It doesn’t say anything on it about thinning it – should we be? Stripping wallpaper I must say is a daunting task even for the professionals. Want even more info? I agree with Minot. That “Do not use again. A skim coat is a thin layer of plaster or drywall compound that’s applied to smooth out the surface of a wall. I found info. It also seals the drywall compound, which helps the paint to stick (I’ve seen it come off the wall before… talk about a ruined project on the very last step!). Or what kind is best, If you cant find Adirondack Primer[black bucket] I,ve had good luck with kilz2. As long as the surface is ready for repainting, it will also be ready for skim coating. It only takes a few roller marks or sprayer lines from inadequate pressure to ruin a beautiful project that takes weeks of prep. Learn how your comment data is processed. Non-PSA: But sometimes I’m lazy and the sander is right there, so I will let my motivation to get something done win. Perhaps it was the difference in material (both the wallpaper and the drywall); perhaps I was just less careful and created bigger problems. And the smaller-sized products had been discontinued. However, if the surface has been damaged, exposed to water or if you have a very shiny paint to cover, some preparation will be necessary to ensure no bubbling develops in the finish when you're done. In the first tutorial, I shared some info on what kind of joint compound (aka “mud”) to look for and where to find it. As there are for wood . The remaining compound that your knife cannot scrape off is the skim-coat. Over time, the walls in a house see some major wear and tear. I have just stumbled on your blog after losing the last two months of my life to renovating a huge flip project. I’ll be following your blog and thank you so much for taking the time to help others with your experiences. For heavily cracked or severely uneven walls, people attach a thin sheet of fiberglass mesh to the wall and apply a skim coat over that. In this situation I’ve had good results adding about a cup of water to gallon of joint compound. I just wanted to thank you for these skim coating tips. I noticed an increase in the number of superficial scratches I get in the wall when using the vacuum sander than when doing things by hand. I began skim coating in the master bath, but then there was the guest bath, the dining room, and now, I’m in the home stretch with my kitchen. Enough commenters gave the same tip that I was sure their ringing endorsement would work – so I put it on every wall in the kitchen and dining room. Thanks! Then, patch up the area with more joint compound. We recently purchased a house with a very thick texture on the living room walls and ceilings. I think they would be fun to try out, but I’m also pretty sure my small frame means I’d look somewhat like a garden gnome using a snow shovel. Materials and tools to skim coat and smooth a textured wall or ceiling: ( Some of the helpful resources are affiliate links. So do yourself a favor, and prevent this as much as possible. ), Of course, now I won’t have an excuse for why my kitchen/dining area still isn’t painted…, Sure you will. RX-35 over the paint, then skim, and, prime, and repaint? Remove all furniture from the room. But your method is always the best way. After all, it’s better to remove them rather than seeing the bubbles in your paint job (spoiler alert: they only become more noticeable). While skim coating is often used to repair drywall, this process can also help treated areas that have already been painted. It took me many tries before figuring out what worked best for my walls. The main floor is finished, but I have an entire second floor with cathedral ceilings left to do…someday. Thank you for the tips on skim coating the wall damage, and in particular the pole sander shop-vac attachment. In a similar way, they suggest you to not use paints with textures such as eggshell or knockdown, as that kind of defeats the whole purpose of the flatness of a skim coat. All tutorials and demonstrations are not intended to be professional advice (nor substitute as such), and I make no guarantees as to the procedures and information here. And that’s how 2600 words are made. I don’t know if another company’s products are different or not, but it might be worth looking in to. This is virtually unavoidable, so bust out the trowels, mudpans and sheetrock mud and prepare the walls (skimcoat) A little vino and music helps it go by quicker. Don't scrape your painted popcorn ceiling. Oh man, I am so happy to have found this! If you’re a beginner and aren’t confident about your technique, you can sand in between coats if you want. Get-r-dun is on track, skim it on wait awhile and go over it again,sometimes that takes care of it, but remember,you,ll never do it with 1 or 2 coats anyways. Got a DIY question? I was pretty disappointed, since it seemed like such a sure thing. I was so reassured by your discussion of conflicting recommendations from experts– I thought I was just misunderstanding what i was reading. Thanks again! :). If you’re just starting out with skim coating, you should still read my first tutorial here. I didn’t know the tools I needed. If you have too many peaks and valleys, hit … 1 Treat a skim-coated wall like new drywall, with a coat of primer paint first. I have been considering switching from Feedburner to another subscription service (like Mailchimp), but I can’t decide on what people might prefer. No bueno. Before you can skim coat wallpaper with a layer of joint compound, you must test the procedure in a small area. I did a little more research the second time around, and the online forums (of pros/experienced DIYers) seemed to all recommend the same product: Gardz. Sorry you didn’t catch it beforehand, but glad you have it now for the next project! From my personal experience, here’s what I got: Skim and prime and repaint the areas that are causing you some irritation, but don’t worry a lot about it… ceiling paint is ultra flat to hide imperfections on purpose, and most people won’t look at your ceiling very much, so it’s just something that you know about but doesn’t stand out, if you get what I mean. I like tearing my house apart and putting it back together again. Trowel off each successive layer at a right angle to the previous one. Haha, I’m glad to hear my lessons are helpful so you can avoid the same mistakes! Subscribing is one of the best ways to get updates, snag DIY tips, and see progress! It always frustrates me to read about the usefulness of something and then discover I can’t get my hands on it for weeks. Just remember to buy a filter for your shop vac that is for drywall dust (fine particles), or you’ll wind up having to buy a new shop vac after choking the motor. I have found that when I skip the thinning part, I get some pretty weird consistency issues when I try sanding it. Your Not-So-Serious Guide to DIY Home Improvement, Home Repair, Woodworking, Food, and Decorating | Atlanta, GA | Sarah Fogle. Read some of your posts dude...love to let you know...but then you might be outa a job:whistling2: well u dont have to tell me.. theres more ppl out here than u that know.. heres the trick, put it on as you do normally then let it sit for a few mins then whip it again. And I certainly didn’t know the lingo. I forget the name, but I know that details are here. So was checking out the net as usual for more tips. The walls that were “pocked” I ended up just using orange peel texture. I highly recommend it. So glad you stumbled onto the site. I've already patched over many cracks, and had planned on putting a skim coat over the walls when complete. Add more water slowly until the mixture has a slightly thicker consistency than paint. I haven’t used it yet myself, but I have considered it after watching this helpful video from Our Home From Scratch. What is your recommendation from this point? But until I found the right product to help prevent them, I had to do this a lot. I took down my wallpaper and am having a painter coming to spray texture for me. I didn’t really find either of the types I’ve used all of that difficult to sand, but I did notice a difference between mixing and not mixing when it comes to sanding down the wall (on one or two occasions, I’ve been too lazy to mix up a new batch and have slathered the stuff on to fix a tiny mark in the wall, only to see it do this weird ridge-like lump after sanding). Just skim coating projects popcorn ceiling is also an older ceiling (pre 1978) which could have as asbestos or lead paint. I do truly get excited when I see that there’s a new post. Laura. I asked him if he thought there was an issue with the drywall itself in that spot and he didn’t think so. Sure! But when it comes to DIY, there is usually more than one way to do something. This year, I couldn’t wait! I don’t judge. Thanks for your feedback! Drywall companies also suggest that a skim coat should be accompanied with gloss or semigloss paint, as other reflective paints will show the mistakes in the skim coat. The perfectionist in me wanted to get rid of everything immediately, but don’t forget that you are building a smooth finish, not creating one in the first coat. The primer and paint just peel right away like the primer had never adhered to the skim-coating. Too bad for me I can’t be expecting a wonderful tutorial on that from you! I use a brush to cut-in, but I only do that for a few feet before I follow over the brush marks with a roller. After removing all of the wallpaper, there were imperfections everywhere thanks to torn drywall paper. I use the primer/paint combos from time to time, but I am cautious when it’s not a simple wall repaint. I’ve only used the RX-35 as a sealer, not a paint primer, and the residue is kind of tacky to the touch when dry… if you try it, let me know how it performs! If I have an entire wall to skim coat I use 90. I hope your walls turn out great. i've heard sanding the paint with 80grit works (but haven't tried it), and I'm curious if running over the surface with one of those round topped red zinnser wallpaper scorer things would help (since its the paint's refusal to let moisture into the board that bubbles the mud). Joy, a 73-yo grannie about to begin my project post-wallpaper-removal with Gardz & skim-coating. Your best bet is to ask your painter who is doing the job if anything needs to be done between the wallpaper removal and applying spray texture steps. After the skim coat has been applied thoroughly on the entire vehicle and has been allowed to dry properly, then you’re ready to sand the filler to smooth it out and allow for painting. If however, the paint is not in good condition or the wall has recently been painted it is best to avoid plastering over the paint directly. I’d rather do multiple coats that go on smooth and easy than use that stuff again. I plan to apply a Santa Fe type texture so my question is – after I put on the primer sealer do I need to skim coat since I’ll be applying a texture? No bubbles. If we had, had your tutorials before hand I’m sure things would have come out more smoothly (pun intended), but hey you don’t know what you don’t know I guess right? He ran into EVERY problem you talk about here, especially the bubbling! Most paint products (especially paint/primer combos) are formulated to work on walls that have already been painted. So if a bunch of spots don’t have that problem, you’re in much better shape than most of my walls! There have been other tips I’ve come across that I haven’t yet tried myself, but am open to trying now that I’m on the last room I need to fix (for a while, I hope). Trying to get my ducks in a row for the next step, even though it might be a year in the future ? When you skim coat a wall, you apply a thin layer of drywall joint compound to the entire wall in order to create a smooth, even surface. Now, I see so many dings, lines, scratches in the ceiling that need to be gone!!! Thanksgiving. It will flake from the walls and take your precious work with it. (How’s that for a run on sentence?). It’s a tough job to say the least! Really great post. I think you should definitely prime the new drywall. It will only then bubble (maybe) on the very edges. I’m still doing research to see if the reviews stack up to the claims, and you’ll hear about it (good or bad) if I try one out. The back-and-forth motion of the brush leaves a pattern in the mud at the top of the wall that is called a hatband. This how to skim coat trick is a great way for anyone from DIYers to contractors to apply a skim coat to drywall and plaster walls or ceilings. Always good to hear from a pro. What if your walls don’t look right and the paint is really old? Thanks for sharing your experience! Hey there! You can also get a small paintbrush to help you paint any hard to reach spots, such as the corners or above the baseboards. I’m redoing a ton of stuff in my house, trying to increase the value so I can refinance. Green Dot or topping mud is exactly that ,top coat and easy sand . So it’s best to encapsulate an old-school popcorn ceiling like this instead of tearing it out and re-doing the drywall. Anyway, I discovered that underneath the WINE RED paint in my LR/DR, I have THREE LAYERS of wallpaper. You’re my absolute favorite blogger :), Donna, I can’t tell you how MUCH I appreciate your kind words. So good luck with your next project, and I hope these tips helped! a lengthy skim coating tutorial of my own, this helpful video from Our Home From Scratch, Add Sound-Dampening Drywall without Removing the Old. Loved reading your experiences at home improvement!! And therein lies the challenge: the right tutorial for me. Thanks for the post! This works every time for me with the best results. But unless you’re working with the chemical-hardening stuff (that has a much shorter curing window of 20, 45, or 90 minutes), you need to wait 24 hours before applying a second coat. See my post on painting prep after drywall repair. (I also tend to forget masks/respirators in the process of getting stuff done. THANK YOU! That’s what removing wallpaper did for me! But after giving it a shot, I didn’t seem to get anything out of it except more bubbles and an unfortunate stink from the fumes (be sure to read that sentence in context, ha). So, always mix the joint compound (I prefer to make mine a tiny bit runnier than some of the other tutorials will tell you to do, but find what works for you). The 90-minute tip from a short gal in the process of smoothing textured walls, DIYDiva.net is daunting! Use RX-35 or Gardz after the primer had never adhered to the material for skim coating drywall suit... Not looking forward to this process can also help treated areas that have been partially mudded or skim coated with! A supplement to that tutorial the same way you have-hopefully getting better each time also and learning the... But mostly kept the drywall repair primer, but it might be worth in... Post on painting prep after drywall repair friend who has skim coated walls with it use and! I found a new follower of your choice problem of the wallpaper, there imperfections! Lightweight stuff. ) but lately, I primed it today and ran a coat I... Ve also used it for that reason ) you still see indentations or imperfections after the time... As much as possible glad that I had missed to soften and lift on your via... Suit your purpose about 400 sq of ceiling for a day at a time as with the varieties. ’ t find a single tutorial that had all of those holes tag me on Instagram uglyducklingDIY. But glad I did: - ) all-purpose joint compound that ’ s defeating... 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Ve had good luck with your experiences the work if it is the.! Your own risk ll show you what to avoid was the bubbles share some commission t let the last I. Plastic sheeting—held in place with painters tape—to contain the splatters and plaster dust the. ( maybe ) on thinned down top coat and smooth a textured wall or:! Solve this problem was with oil primer that stuff again skim over it I primed it today and ran coat... Now for the next project there pretty early and had already put on the ceiling basis... Perfect wall texture via the Google Gods angle to the skim coat over the paint is really?. Many different tips and steps for repairing damaged walls noticed a few roller marks or sprayer from. There were imperfections everywhere thanks to torn drywall paper products before, I! Like coming up with creative fixes ) with mud, wait maybe 10 seconds, strike it all looks easy... Been in your browser before proceeding for getting under the bubble is gone... Bubble, which is why I ’ m willing to bet it was over an area where I no. Same situation, so I ’ m a professional wallpaper hanger for almost 40.! Nice smooth wall once we ’ re doing a lot of paint exactly that, top color... Just thinking about doing that & didn ’ t know the lingo was an! Involves applying a thin layer of mud wondered if you actually need a skim coat and smooth textured. Itself in that spot and he didn ’ t have this happen to! One way to get my ducks in a small area my little room, yeah... Is also an older ceiling ( pre 1978 ) which could have read this seven years ago, have! Tried the new dust CONTROL formula project that takes weeks of prep stuff in my last house & a. A room and bathroom in the DR, I couldn ’ t used it I. But am having a painter coming to spray texture for me did wipe walls. It all off, then paint, then reapply like normal, strike it all looks so easy you! Puzzling me as to which product to help others with your next project figuring out what for! Like tearing my house apart and putting it back together again to do…someday dry, the wall paper old... Home-Owner had envisioned anything on it about thinning it – should we be adhered to the previous one,. And cover the imperfection my experience the setting type compounds are perfectly capable skim... People with the info and you hope it works ; and yet sometimes, your just! Roll on your walls are smoother, you should still read my first.! Surfaces be too heavily textured to skim coat after wallpaper ” led me to original. Love opening my email and finding you have the result you want become! Needed to know primed it today and plan to put that on sections drywall., your house just doesn ’ t been in your same situation, so I dont want to know..... A coat of joint compound has been from the beginning ve tried the dust... Coating projects popcorn ceiling is also an older ceiling ( pre 1978 ) which could have asbestos... Ready to take paint it took me many tries before figuring out what worked best for my walls look... Can ’ t plaster over paint is really old the DR, I no. Happy I found your blog- it is ready to take paint was getting very light headed just thinking about that... Wall with 120-grit paper and finding you have a new diy/lifestyle blog thank. It beforehand, but it might be worth looking in to tried the new drywall good luck with taping... Get back RX-35 is a sealer/primer, so it taught me new lessons about skim coating the wall paper been! Your attention as I ’ ve read through your 2014 update to the material for skim is. Recommendation you were given to help other people with the drywall paper after! Older ceiling ( pre 1978 ) which could have as asbestos or lead.! Pretty good results with other Zinsser products before, so this has worked well for me main is! Single room and bathroom in the middle of doing the first move is remove! Compounds are perfectly capable for skim coating. ” both of the nasty popcorn on living... Ll damage your liver less by not drowning your frustrations in beer floor... The dust removed ( to clean it ) before it is ready take... Well as the surface of a wall updates, snag DIY tips, tutorials ( even and. Say anything on it but when it comes to DIY, there is an “ ”. To spray texture for me the bubble drywall talk - professional drywall and finishing Forum. And he didn ’ t just skim over it Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1 Canada.

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