OT: Priming drywall

[saichele]

I just finished taping a room I'm redoing, and was about to start painting with the paint we'd use as the 'final' paint. Figure it might be 2 or 3 coats.

The wife asks if I'm going to prime it with a special primer. Never did before, but I'm looking for an opinion as to whether there's any advantage to priming with something like Kilz or one of the other 'primers' as opposed to just having an extra coat of the regular paint.

Thanks
Steve

 

[webbie]

I read up on this quite a bit since I am worried about my sheetrock in an unheated slab area (new shop)......In general, the paint is fine (for you), but the special primers...and there are better ones that Kilz, make you use less paint and also help even out the look of the finished product because they make the paint go on evenly instead of taking differently to the bare rock and the taped areas.

I ended up not even painting this year, but I am going to use the primer when I do. So there is an advantage, but whether the advantage means much depends on the application .

Here is the product that I liked:
http://www.zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=27

 

[[email protected]]

Absolutely you should prime. Primer is cheaper and holds paint better. Have the paint store tint the primer with the same formulation as the finish coat, they should do it for free. It will make the finish coat look better. I own three buildings with 7 apartements and I always use a primer. Binz, Kilz, Zinser whatever.

 

[nshif]

Am about to have a 2000 Sq Ft house drywalled. Contractor said he recommended primer, especially this time of year, and would do it for 175$ I said do it, it will save almost that much in sucked up paint. Dont know what the primer is but Im sure its not Kilx.

 

[begreen]

Drywall primer makes a big difference. It levels out the surface between the paper and the joint compound so that when the top coat of paint is applied it looks smooth and uniform. Kilz, Zinser etc. are usually stain blockers - often alchohol based, though they've been widening their product line. Good products, but not necessarily the right stuff for this application. What you want is drywall primer. It'll say that right on the can and is made by most major paint manufacturers.

 

[MrGriz]

Ditto to the good advice given so far. Using a good quality primer, tinted for your final color, will make a big difference.

 

[DavidV]

Kilz 2. Latex . Great for interior drywall. IN FACT, I used some before putting a coat of paint on my support beam in the kitchen. Gonna need a second coat of paint but that's because of the color we chose.....and the fact that I let my kids help paint.

 

[restorer]

Definitely use a primer. The first use is to seal the surface. It give moisture protection and bonding for the top coats. Usually it costs about 3/4 the cost of the same top coat. Transfer of moisture is the most important issue to prevent. Kilz base white is the best to stop staining. I have used it on concrete before plaster to stop water penetration.

 

[Yogi]

I read up on this quite a bit since I am worried about my sheetrock in an unheated slab area (new shop)......In general, the paint is fine (for you), but the special primers...and there are better ones that Kilz, make you use less paint and also help even out the look of the finished product because they make the paint go on evenly instead of taking differently to the bare rock and the taped areas.

I ended up not even painting this year, but I am going to use the primer when I do. So there is an advantage, but whether the advantage means much depends on the application .

Here is the product that I liked:
http://www.zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=27

Better than Kilz?????? Oh please do tell

 

[restorer]

[quote author="Webmaster" date="1163920863"]I read up on this quite a bit since I am worried about my sheetrock in an unheated slab area (new shop)......In general, the paint is fine (for you), but the special primers...and there are better ones that Kilz, make you use less paint and also help even out the look of the finished product

Seal your dry wall. Moisture is the most damaging agent. If it deteriorates from no protection, you need to start over. Although some may dispute this, a coat of water proof sealer is as good as your final finish coat. If you want to wait, at least cover with KILZ.

 

[saichele]

Thanks. Had a 2 gal of Kilz around, so I hit it with that first. Does seemt o ahve done a nice job covering up some of the irregularities around the seams.

Steve

 

[drizler]

When I got my modular the finish sheet rock guy informed me that they should have used green sheet rock in the bathrooms. It was too late to change it so he recommended painting it with ZISNER or however you spell it primer for moist areas. Its a more specialized primer that forms something of a vapor barrier. I got mine at Grossmans but its available about anywhere. The stuff is thicker and seems to do its stuff. I have had no problems since 1995 with my baths. I am sure its no substitute for the green stuff but it does still serve as a decent vapor barrier. It should provide you with the little extra you might need.

 

[elkimmeg]

Hey Craig better get something on that sheet rock Exposure does not bode well on the paper facing.

 

[bruce]

do not use self priming paint!, it flat out sucks, the builders around the poconos spray one coat and go, not good but anything goes in the the pocono's

 

[saichele]

do not use self priming paint!, it flat out sucks, the builders around the poconos spray one coat and go, not good but anything goes in the the pocono's

If you need work done, call up Owen Gumbel (if you're near Paupack). Did a heck of a job on my parents cabin up there, and for about half of what it would have cost me in mid-Michigan. The electrician was smokin' something, but the carpentry and finishing were first rate.

Steve