# I can't leave it alone...when is drywall ready to paint?



## williamwiens (Nov 13, 2010)

prime it with a good primer/sealer.
Then look at it again.
Minor imperfections may be hidden by the primer.

After priming, go over any spots that bother you with a skim coat. Resand lightly and spot prime where required.

You may be surprised at the rsults you have after the prime.

If in doubt, take a flashlight in the dark and shine it down the walls. Any spots that require sanding will jump out at you.
Again, lightly sand, dont' take all the mud off that you just put on. Makes for far too much work..


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## drywallinfo (Feb 14, 2011)

*Drywall Finished?*

I hate to say this, but you are probably going to be very disappointed if you prime and paint now. If you can see mesh tape now, that tape will really stick out when the paint dries completely after a month or two. 

As the poster prior to me pointed out, use a flashlight, trouble light, or lamp with no shade held up to the wall at a low angle. You will see ALL kinds of things! 

How good is good enough? It depends on the finish. If you are not applying any type of texture, then you better have a surface that looks good under the "low angle light test". If you are applying texture, then scratches or drag marks (or a little tape showing) are OK provided the surface is not wavy. A wavy surface will show, regardless of the finish. Personally, I avoid textures - textures make any kind of repair a big headache.


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## fortunecookies (Jan 29, 2011)

Yeah, no textures. I think it will be too busy since it's in the bathroom. What I intend to do is tile from the floor up to wainscot height, and back splash behind the toilet and behind the sink. So in actuality there won't be much wall showing. So today I'll be back in there! I do take a true daylight bulb with the metal shade (well it's not really a shade, it goes around the bulb) at night to look for defects. 

I guess I have to get the mesh situation sorted out before I move on. I figured since I couldn't feel the tape it would be alright. Oh well!


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

If you can see the mesh now, you will see it better after paint on a smooth wall. Skim coat it, as said. Hopefully you used a powdered mix of setting compound on the mesh, at least for the first coat, in a bathroom... 
And, welcome to the forum, drywallinfo!

Gary


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## SuperHans (Feb 11, 2011)

Definitely get the tape 100% covered. Paint will only call attention to the imperfections, not cover them up. 

Once you've finished mudding and sanding, hit everything with some primer/sealer. Then take a second look at the surface, the primer helps reveal what you might have missed so you can go back with the compound and make touch ups. 

Before you're finish coat, go back and adequately prime all the touch ups you made, if you don't the paint won't adhere to the fresh compound and the color won't be uniform


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## fortunecookies (Jan 29, 2011)

GBR in WA said:


> If you can see the mesh now, you will see it better after paint on a smooth wall. Skim coat it, as said. Hopefully you used a powdered mix of setting compound on the mesh, at least for the first coat, in a bathroom...
> And, welcome to the forum, drywallinfo!
> 
> Gary


what's the advantage of using the powdered mix? It's too late since the pre-mix is already on there, but it would good to know for next time.


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

Setting type mud (chemical hardening) is stronger and required by the tape manufacturer; http://www.plaster-wall-ceiling-solutions.com/drywall-tape.html

http://gypsum.org/pdf/GA-216-2010.html
If you have any movement at the joint it will show through the mesh tape but be covered up by the paper tape except under extreme shifting conditions, then the edges of the paper tape will lift or buckle. 

Gary


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## fortunecookies (Jan 29, 2011)

Okay so earlier today I ran out of the pre-mix so I asked my husband to bring home some powdered compound. He is not the handy one so I was trying to explain what to get over the phone. So when he gets home he has this huge bag of 90 minute setting compound . So I mix up a batch and spread it and wow! It is sooooo much easier to work with! The pre-mixed stuff doesn't glide, it gets all clumped up, it mucks up my mud pan with crumbs and gunk...it's like it gets too sticky or something...all sorts of drag marks by the time I was finished fussing with it you could fry an egg on my head :furious:. I just finished tightening up my corners and I will barely have to sand. So much better. 

Thanks for telling me about it.


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## Jim F (Mar 4, 2010)

To the OP: You're catching on. I've used the premixed mud myself for convenience but the powdered is superior. My preference is paper tape over mesh. It requires less build up and feathering to hide since it is lower profile. There is a technique to setting tape then feathering it out to hide it. The tip about priming then touching up with lightweight, sandable mud is a good one. The premix in the blue lid container is good for this. The Durabond 90 that your husband brought home is good for prefilling the drywall joints prior to taping and some use it for setting the tape. I haven't tried it for tape setting yet, only the green lid. It sets up in 90 minutes.


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

http://www.nationalgypsum.com/resources/techtalk/revisiting.aspx

Gary


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## 95025 (Nov 14, 2010)

fortunecookies said:


> So I have done my finishing touches to the drywall but I can't leave it alone! I think I'm nit picking and fussing over very minor imperfections that's preventing me from finishing. I'm afraid that when I paint it every little tiny mistake I've made is going to be magnified to most (this point has been stressed quite a bit...errors will show up when painted).
> 
> The walls are level and plumb there aren't any high or low marks. In some spots I can see the mesh tape but I can't feel it so I don't think that should matter too much since paint will cover it.
> 
> Are there any other issues I should look out for? My husband says it looks fine but I don't believe him lol


If you can see the mesh before you paint it, you'll see it after you paint it. Skim coat it, and lightly sand it - maybe with just a wet sponge.

Also, I'd suggest adding a little "sand texture" to your paint. It will be subtle, but also hide a lot of imperfections.


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## chrisBC (Dec 28, 2010)

I believe another reason for powdered mud in a bathroom is that pre-mix is more likely to mould.

In the future with pre-mix mudd when using try adding a bit of water before spreading on wall, mix it around, mudd will become much more workable. Personally I like using the 20,30, or 90 minute mudd for the first two coats, then using pre-mix for the final coat, as I find it much easier to sand, for a final light sand, therefore much easier to sand away imperfections.


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