# best method to remove sanding dust from skim coated walls



## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

I am a beginner DIYer and just spent weeks skim coating and sanding my bedroom walls to get rid of their orange peel texture and create a smooth, flat, uniform finish. I went over the walls with microfiber cloths to remove some of the sanding dust and was hoping that would suffice, but now I am wondering if I have removed enough of the dust for primer to properly adhere. If I run my finger over the wall, it does still pick up some skim coat dust. 
How dust-free do the walls need to be for priming, and what is the best way to remove the dust from the walls? It is my understanding that I shouldn't wet the skim coat, and I don't want to potentially scratch it with a broom...it was quite a bit of effort to get them flat and as flawless as possible. But I also fear priming and painting and then having the paint peel off because I may not have removed enough of the dust. The questions never end! And here I was thinking that once I had a smooth skim coat finish I was home free....
Thank you!


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

Please wait for the pros, but I used a shop vac before priming. I hung 1,100 square feet plus ceilings.


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## z_rider (Aug 14, 2020)

I broom clean mine in a downward direction and have never had any issues damaging the walls. Soft brooms work best as the bristles bend sufficiently to make solid contact. A vacuume as stated above will also work but you'll have to use a bit more care but it's not difficult. The important thing is to make sure the entire room is dust free before painting and you will be fine.

I'd want to use a high quality Purdy or Wooster 5/16th inch 9" roller and apply a fairly uniform coat using an N pattern to keep from imparting any unwanted roller texture during both the prime and finish coats. 

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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

You don't have to get all of the dust off, just most of it. The primer will encapsulate what remains. Once the primer is dry, I sand it fairly aggressively with an round pole sander and sometimes my power orbital sander with 80 grit. For really fussy customers, I will HAND sand (ugh) with 80 grit paper.

Even if you would get all the dust off, the primer tends to create a slight bit of grit when it dries, so, you usually have to sand again. So, save yourself some time and don't get too fussy with removing dust.

A soft broom works well, a vacuum with a HEPA filter works better but you really need one of those soft bristled attachments to keep from damaging the new skim coat. I've even used an electric blower, opened up windows and doors and blew a lot of the dust outside, but, that may leave a layer of white dust on your windows, siding, and anything else within striking distance.


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

Thank you GYMSCHU!
Today I did prime the ceiling and it didn't come out as textureless as I would like it to be. Could that be caused by too much left over dust? I was hoping to not have to sand again, but I have seen others recommend sanding after priming. I didn't realize primer by nature isn't as smooth. I am surprised you sand the primer with such a course grit to end up with a smooth finish. I bought a pole sander but didn't have luck with that. Maybe my technique is wrong? It wasn't one of the circular pole sanders. I saw videos of painters using pole sanders and they made it look so easy.
I actually wanted to try using GARDZ on the skim coat but couldn't find it in my area - Los Angeles - so I just used Kilz All Purpose primer. I did add some paint conditioner to it, with the hope that it would lay smoother.
I had primed my celling some time ago, and then did some patching with wet joint compound and primed the entire ceiling again today and I see flashing where I patched. Do I need to skim the entire ceiling to get a uniform finish? Or will using a better primer help with the flashing?
I guess I will go ahead and prime the walls tomorrow. I hope it doesn't end up with a texture. I worked so hard to make the skim coat smooth.
Another question I have is after priming, what do I use to patch little imperfections, such a broken bubbles? Can I fill any indentations and then just prime over what I filled, or will I get more flashing? Or do I use a filler that doesn't need priming? I think I bought and used one of those in my initial efforts to fix my walls, before I ended up just skimming everything. 
Geez I have endless questions.
I tell ya, I have a whole new appreciation for a good paint job.


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

I use an electric leaf blower then a wipe with a damp rag.


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## z_rider (Aug 14, 2020)

evs said:


> Today I did prime the ceiling and it didn't come out as textureless as I would like it to be. Could that be caused by too much left over dust? I was hoping to not have to sand again, but I have seen others recommend sanding after priming.


It's possible excess dust caused the primer to dry out a bit faster in effect negating the conditioner you added causing a bit of texture. But it could also be the quality of your roller in addition to using regular kilz. Try a good PVA primer such as Kilz PVA or Behr drywall plus. They're inexpensive and work well on fresh drywall and topping mud.


> I didn't realize primer by nature isn't as smooth. I am surprised you sand the primer with such a course grit to end up with a smooth finish. I bought a pole sander but didn't have luck with that. Maybe my technique is wrong? It wasn't one of the circular pole sanders. I saw videos of painters using pole sanders and they made it look so easy.


 Round pole sanders are nice but you do still need to put in plenty of effort for ceilings. If you can find one nearby treat yourself and pick it up. 



evs said:


> I actually wanted to try using GARDZ on the skim coat but couldn't find it in my area - Los Angeles - so I just used Kilz All Purpose primer. I did add some paint conditioner to it, with the hope that it would lay smoother.


In general adding conditioner to primer is not recommended as it lessens the benefits primer provides.


> I had primed my celling some time ago, and then did some patching with wet joint compound and primed the entire ceiling again today and I see flashing where I patched. Do I need to skim the entire ceiling to get a uniform finish? Or will using a better primer help with the flashing?


Without having seen the surface but believing you when you say you have it dialed I'd say no to a new skim coat. Some sanding may be necessary but I think a better primer will do the job.


> I guess I will go ahead and prime the walls tomorrow. I hope it doesn't end up with a texture. I worked so hard to make the skim coat smooth.
> 
> Another question I have is after priming, what do I use to patch little imperfections, such a broken bubbles? Can I fill any indentations and then just prime over what I filled, or will I get more flashing? Or do I use a filler that doesn't need priming? I think I bought and used one of those in my initial efforts to fix my walls, before I ended up just skimming everything.
> 
> ...


 Patch and paint or drydex, sand and follow with a coat of primer should do. It sounds like you know it already but you'll want to get this base coat to have a consistent surface before painting. That could mean several coats of primer which may seem expensive but in reality will save , time and effort.

Best of luck!





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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I generally use a push broom [minus the handle] and a duster brush for the corners. You want the majority of the dust removed but it doesn't have to be spotless. Like @Gymschu I sand the walls after the primer has dried.


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## siffleur (Aug 19, 2013)

*Gardz for dust*



evs said:


> Thank you GYMSCHU!
> Today I did prime the ceiling and it didn't come out as textureless as I would like it to be. Could that be caused by too much left over dust? I was hoping to not have to sand again, but I have seen others recommend sanding after priming. I didn't realize primer by nature isn't as smooth. I am surprised you sand the primer with such a course grit to end up with a smooth finish. I bought a pole sander but didn't have luck with that. Maybe my technique is wrong? It wasn't one of the circular pole sanders. I saw videos of painters using pole sanders and they made it look so easy.
> I actually wanted to try using GARDZ on the skim coat but couldn't find it in my area - Los Angeles - so I just used Kilz All Purpose primer. I did add some paint conditioner to it, with the hope that it would lay smoother.
> I had primed my celling some time ago, and then did some patching with wet joint compound and primed the entire ceiling again today and I see flashing where I patched. Do I need to skim the entire ceiling to get a uniform finish? Or will using a better primer help with the flashing?
> ...


evs, you had the right idea with Gardz. Gardz is thin and will soak right through any dust and make it a permanent part of the surface. Wait a day for it to dry, then lightly sand to get rid of any nubs.

The problem with Gardz is that it is clear. When you prime a skim coat it is best to use a white primer/sealer. This allows you to more easily see all the little imperfections and pock marks left from bubbles forming in the skim coat material as you apply it, then get sanded in half when you sand the skim coat. All these imperfections are found using a hand held bright light at an angle to the ceiling or wall so that it will cast a shadow on all the dings and pock marks which you can then mark with something that will not bleed through the next coat of primer/sealer. This process is called pointing-up.

Luckily you are in the LA area and are near Scotch Paints:

https://scotchpaint.com/

Click on the link for Draw Tite:

https://scotchpaint.com/store.drawtite.html

The 2nd product down is #325-W Draw Tite™ Sealer/Primer White. You might try using this as it will both seal in the dust as well as give you a white surface that is needed for the pointing-up that I mentioned above. Good luck!

siffleur


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

Thanks everyone for sharing your expertise. 
I will buy a brush today to remove more of the dust before doing any more priming.
Yes Siffleur, I found out about Gardz from my research through older posts. Someone had hired a painter who left halfway through the work after being questioned about dust removal (or lack of) between coats. You recommended Gardz.
Thank you for the primer recommendation. I will go to Scotch paints and hopefully they will have #325-W Draw Tite™ Sealer/Primer White. Do you think it will cover the flashing on the ceiling?
It sounds like adding conditioner to primer is not a good idea, but buying a quality paint roller is. Do you have roller recommendations? Will I end up with less texture if I use a 1/4" nap? Foam roller? I don't mind spending extra time to get the best finish. 
I was hoping to not have to sand again, but everyone is recommending that. I will check for the circular pole sander at Scotch Paint.
I am so grateful I found this forum!


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## z_rider (Aug 14, 2020)

> Do you have roller recommendations?


I'd go with Purdy Dove or Wooster micro plush in 5/16" nap with a decent wooster frame and appropriate extension pole too. With smooth surfaces you need to be able to control the amount of pressure on either side of the roller well so you end up with a uniform application thickness = smooth.



> I was hoping to not have to sand again, but everyone is recommending that. I will check for the circular pole sander at Scotch Paint.


Applying material with a roller imparts some texture so it adds up. For very smooth walls sanding between primer coats and before finish is going to be necessary. On the bright side, it's not nearly as messy as the drywall sanding.


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

Thanks. I hadn't given a second thought to my roller frame, but did notice yesterday when I rolled that I was having trouble not creating edges with the ends of the roller. I was just using an old roller frame I had on hand. 
I purchased a higher quality roller last night. 

After priming, I will plan on sanding with 80 grit sandpaper. I am glad to hear it's not as messy. Can I remove the dust from the primed wall with a damp sponge? That seems easiest...


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

The dust from sanding wall primer isn't a big deal. The main thing you are doing when sanding the primer is to remove or highlight any defects in the finish or buggers in the drywall.


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## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

I skim coat walls all the time for wallpaper. I use this. It sucks the dust while sanding. They make a pole version of it too, but I've found it works a lot better just to use the handheld. You dont even need to wear a mask, as long as you have a decent shop vac, and dust bag. 

Gardz will make the wall bulletproof, but it doesnt have any build to fill in the sanding scratches, so the IMO, best way to do it is to do a coat of gardz, shine a bright light down the wall, fix any defects you see, then roll a nice good coat of 123 or another thick acrylic primer. Shine another light and look for more defects. Spot prime any of your fixes, then roll two coats of paint. Or, you can skip the gardz and go straight the the 123, and look for dings there. Forget the cheap drywall primer in this situation. It doesnt have much build. Thats why 123 is great for smooth walls, because it has some build. Strain your paint good, and pole sanding the wall is easy. you barely even need to do it. When I did commercial work, we just sprayed and backrolled all three coats without even pole sanding, and the walls came out great.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hyde-Dust-Free-Drywall-Hand-Sander-Kit-with-6-Foot-Hose-09165/100659771


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## z_rider (Aug 14, 2020)

mark sr said:


> The dust from sanding wall primer isn't a big deal. The main thing you are doing when sanding the primer is to remove or highlight any defects in the finish or buggers in the drywall.


+1 Knock down the top 1% that's it.

I'll add that although minimal in quantity this dust is not nearly as forgiving to the final product as drywall dust. Towel, broom, blow, whatever, but remove it before you open a paint can.

And once you've got primer on all the walls the surface becomes more durable so it's safe enough for quick vacuuming with extensions and foot wide attachments. I'd still prefer a soft broom. Seems quicker, even though you still have vacuum up afterwards.

Having said that you should know we're sort of treating you from our perspective as pro painters and because of that we're making some assumptions about basic work procedures... such as covering furniture, floors and closets. We're not suggesting to use a leaf blower or leave a bunch of dust on the ground if you have one tarp in the house that you're dragging around underneath you. Right?

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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

Thanks for treating this amateur like a pro!
Fortunately I am working in an empty room. 
Using a leaf blower to get rid of dust sounds like a great idea, but I live in a condo and need to limit how many tools I acquire for this project - although I hope to do the other bedroom and living/dining area after I complete this room. I did just purchase a cheap brush to give the skim coat walls one more dusting, and it's good to know I don't have to be as gentle with the primed walls.
I greatly appreciate everyone's help.


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

*Re: Gardz for dust*

siffleur I found Gardz in a store relatively close to me and ended up buying it. What's the best roller/brush to use to get it on the wall? I know it's runny, and I would like as flat a finish as possible. Also, is it okay to patch over Gardz and then coat the patch with more Gardz before applying topcoat?


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

> I did just purchase a cheap brush to give the skim coat walls one more dusting



I normally just use an old brush that is no longer great for applying paint.




> I found Gardz ..... and ended up buying it. What's the best roller/brush to use to get it on the wall? I know it's runny, and I would like as flat a finish as possible.



I normally use a 1/2" nap, roll it on and then reroll it to insure there are no runs. Gardz sucks into bare drywall/mud fairly well so it won't leave a texture.




> is it okay to patch over Gardz and then coat the patch with more Gardz before applying topcoat?



yes


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## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

*Re: Gardz for dust*



evs said:


> siffleur I found Gardz in a store relatively close to me and ended up buying it. What's the best roller/brush to use to get it on the wall? I know it's runny, and I would like as flat a finish as possible. Also, is it okay to patch over Gardz and then coat the patch with more Gardz before applying topcoat?


Gardz basically has NO build, you can put it on super heavy, and it all sucks into the mud. use a 1/2" roller, and make sure the floor and base are masked good, cuz it WILL drip. when you load up the roller, dont press hard when it gets to the wall. Its kind of an art....

I like to roll one coat , heavy enough that when wet, it looks like it has a lot of stipple. That will ALL go away on fresh mud. If you do a second coat (which I think is unnecessary, but some people do) you need to be a little more careful, cuz its laying on the top of the surface. I would either go straight to paint here, or 2nd coat with a higher build primer like 123, which needs to be layed off really nice for a smooth wall.


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

Great advice. Thank you mark sr and woodco.

Another question - my patched and primed ceiling has flashing. Will a coat of gardz over the ceiling get rid of the flashing?


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

It might but you'd probably need to seal the entire ceiling. Usually another coat of paint will take care of flashing.


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

Yesterday I put a coat of Gardz on one of the skim coated walls (I wanted to test it on one wall first before I do all of the walls). Today I see a lot of flashing. I guess I didn't put it on evenly? I don't know what to do next. Will a layer of topcoat paint hide the flashing? Or should I put a layer of primer over the Gardz? Or another layer of Gardz?
If primer is the next step, can I use the Kilz 2 all purpose, or should I buy a higher quality one? In the future, I won't purchase more Kilz, but now I have over a gallon of it.
Thanks.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Is it the Gardz that is flashing? if so, it's no big deal. It may come thru your first coat of primer [or paint if you don't use additional primer] but once you have 2 coats on the wall I doubt it will show. I don't think much of Kilz2 as a primer. Zinnser 123 would be a better choice.


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## z_rider (Aug 14, 2020)

In regards to the flashing and priming your goal should be to create an evenly porous and textured surface that you can apply your topcoat on. In your case you have no texture so porosity is the determinant. 

So it sounds like you just haven't reached the stage where you have a consistant base coat yet and Kilz isn't really getting you there as hoped. Kilz has an oddly inconsistent porosity that becomes evident on large surfaces. 

It won't make much difference if you're going for a flat sheen topcoat but will be more important with the lower glosses. I.e. Eggshell, satin etc. 

What sheen are you shooting for on the final coat? 

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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

Thanks! I am going to go for a flat finish in this bedroom. There wasn't any flashing in the skim coat.


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

So it sounds like I should follow up the Gardz with a higher quality primer, such as Zinsser 123 - which, at Home Depot, doesn't cost much more than Kilz. Home Depot was out of the Bin primer - I didn't know if I should hold out for that one.


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## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

evs said:


> So it sounds like I should follow up the Gardz with a higher quality primer, such as Zinsser 123 - which, at Home Depot, doesn't cost much more than Kilz. Home Depot was out of the Bin primer - I didn't know if I should hold out for that one.


BIN isnt right for this situation. Its also VERY thin. 

Im saying 123 is good after the gardz because its got a lot of build. It has nothing to do with quality, even though it is pretty decent primer. Waterborne Kilz is similar in that nature. You just wouldnt want to use a thin drywall primer over the gardz. It would be pointless. Honestly, you could prime the wall once with either or, then go to your topcoat if you wanted to. The Rolls Royce way would be to gardz, sand, 123, sand, topcoat, sand, then topcoat again. I generally dont go that far, but its up to you.


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

woodco said:


> BIN isnt right for this situation. Its also VERY thin.
> 
> Im saying 123 is good after the gardz because its got a lot of build. It has nothing to do with quality, even though it is pretty decent primer. Waterborne Kilz is similar in that nature. You just wouldnt want to use a thin drywall primer over the gardz. It would be pointless. Honestly, you could prime the wall once with either or, then go to your topcoat if you wanted to. The Rolls Royce way would be to gardz, sand, 123, sand, topcoat, sand, then topcoat again. I generally dont go that far, but its up to you.


Thanks, woodco, for clearly spelling out the Rolls Royce version! I am going to give this version a shot. In future projects, I can decide if it's worth it for me to go through all of these steps. But my goal with this painting project is to create the best result I possibly can, and, in doing so, I have learned so much - mostly through trial and error. I am now doing more research before I act in an effort to avoid the dreadful sanding. What grit sandpaper would you use between gardz and 123, between 123 and topcoat, and between the two topcoats? Also, is there a paint you recommend. I am getting the impression Home Depot is NOT the place to go for paint.


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

Here is what one of my skim coated walls looks like after one coat of gardz. I rolled in many directions - probably another mistake.


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## z_rider (Aug 14, 2020)

For what you're doing Home Depot will work fine. When you sand just knock down the high spots with 220 on a sanding pad and extension pole. 

Flat paint doesn't really have a tendency to flash much but you'll still want to use a coat of 123 to even out that wall's surface before applying a topcoat.

But then if you apply the 123 and topcoat properly you won't have to go nuts sanding between coats. 

Just make sure you can't see any sand marks or texture after priming and you'll be good.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I don't think I've ever used 220 grit on drywall. Normally 120 grit works fine, any sanding scratches should get filled with paint and be unseen. IMO anything finer than 150 grit would polish more than sand and be more work than is needed.


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## siffleur (Aug 19, 2013)

*Follow the directions!*



evs said:


> Yesterday I put a coat of Gardz on one of the skim coated walls (I wanted to test it on one wall first before I do all of the walls). Today I see a lot of flashing. I guess I didn't put it on evenly? I don't know what to do next. Will a layer of topcoat paint hide the flashing? Or should I put a layer of primer over the Gardz? Or another layer of Gardz?
> If primer is the next step, can I use the Kilz 2 all purpose, or should I buy a higher quality one? In the future, I won't purchase more Kilz, but now I have over a gallon of it.
> Thanks.


evs, you area a DIYer, not a professional. You can afford to take the time to do things properly. One of those things is following directions for the products you are using.

Here is a link to the TDS for Gardz:

https://www.rustoleum.com/~/media/D...GDZ-01_GARDZ_High_Performance_Sealer_TDS.ashx

Here is an exerpt from that doc that tells you what you should have done:

"Properly sealed surfaces should have a uniform sheen.
Reapply to areas that have been missed or lack sufficient
coating."

Over the years I have found it easier and faster to just apply a full 2nd coat. The first coat of Gardz takes more time to apply because the material is soaking into the surface you are rolling and you can actually feel how much you need to apply on one section before it is saturated, but not dripping off the ceiling or down the wall. When this coat dries, you will see dull areas that are "flashing." That is why the instructions say to "Reapply to areas that ..... lack sufficient coating." Those are the dull and flashing areas.

When you apply the 2nd coat of Gardz it will take about half the time and you will use about half the amount of Gardz or less than you used on the first coat. While the finished product after 2 coats of Gardz might net allow you to "point up" the nicks and dings as well as a coat of white primer/sealer, you will get probably the very best surface to apply paint onto than you ever have before!!! Remember, Gardz is a sealer. You only get one chance to use a sealer effectively over a skim coat - before you apply anything else, primer and paint included.

When in doubt, read the directions and then follow them if you can. You are a DIYer, so you can afford to follow the instructions. Keep in mind that many here are professional painters and like to do things as easily as possible and skip steps they think are unnecessary

siffleur


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

*Re: Follow the directions!*



siffleur said:


> evs, you area a DIYer, not a professional. You can afford to take the time to do things properly. One of those things is following directions for the products you are using.
> 
> Here is a link to the TDS for Gardz:
> 
> ...



Wait, I should follow the instructions on the label??? 
You're right, I didn't read them all. Can I blame that on the small font?
Thank you siffleur. Fortunately it's not too late for me to apply a second coat of Gardz. I will give that a shot and then proceed with the Rolls Royce recommendations. Since it doesn't seem like I have done anything wrong, I will go ahead and do all of the walls. I was going to try to finish just one wall to test my technique, but I am feeling more confident now. Thank you.


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## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

mark sr said:


> I don't think I've ever used 220 grit on drywall. Normally 120 grit works fine, any sanding scratches should get filled with paint and be unseen. IMO anything finer than 150 grit would polish more than sand and be more work than is needed.


I use 220 screens on my skimcoated walls. I've seen sanding scratches show through wallpaper on coarser grit than that. I use lightweight mud though, so it sands easily, and sanding marks show.


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## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

*Re: Follow the directions!*



evs said:


> Wait, I should follow the instructions on the label???
> You're right, I didn't read them all. Can I blame that on the small font?
> Thank you siffleur. Fortunately it's not too late for me to apply a second coat of Gardz. I will give that a shot and then proceed with the Rolls Royce recommendations. Since it doesn't seem like I have done anything wrong, I will go ahead and do all of the walls. I was going to try to finish just one wall to test my technique, but I am feeling more confident now. Thank you.


If you put three coats of primer on your walls, you are throwing your time and money away. If you do two, you should really either do two coats of Gardz, or one coat of Gardz, and another coat of 123 or whatever. There is absolutely no reason to do two coats of gardz then one coat of 123, before topcoating. You're getting two coats of primer either way, which is MORE than enough. Personally, I never do more than one coat of gardz. What I will sometimes do, is roll the wall out, then roll another wet coat on right top of what I just did. You can get away with that with Gardz, cuz it all just soaks in. I usually find that to be overkill though. But, do what you want. It wont hurt, but I promise you wont see a benefit to it. You're better off doing a third topcoat, than a third primer coat.

I dont single coat gardz cuz its easier, I do it because its not needed.


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

woodco said:


> I use 220 screens on my skimcoated walls. I've seen sanding scratches show through wallpaper on coarser grit than that. I use lightweight mud though, so it sands easily, and sanding marks show.


To sand my skimcoat, I bought those sanding blocks and mostly used fine. I found them comfortable to hold and work with. 
I just put two coats of Gardz on my walls and will sand (and hopefully clean and prime) tomorrow. Do you think those sanding blocks will work okay?


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

*Re: Follow the directions!*



woodco said:


> If you put three coats of primer on your walls, you are throwing your time and money away. If you do two, you should really either do two coats of Gardz, or one coat of Gardz, and another coat of 123 or whatever. There is absolutely no reason to do two coats of gardz then one coat of 123, before topcoating. You're getting two coats of primer either way, which is MORE than enough. Personally, I never do more than one coat of gardz. What I will sometimes do, is roll the wall out, then roll another wet coat on right top of what I just did. You can get away with that with Gardz, cuz it all just soaks in. I usually find that to be overkill though. But, do what you want. It wont hurt, but I promise you wont see a benefit to it. You're better off doing a third topcoat, than a third primer coat.
> 
> I dont single coat gardz cuz its easier, I do it because its not needed.


Thanks. I can't tell if the second coat helped or not. It did go on quick. 

Since I am new to this and I do have the time, and it is my wall, I am going all out. Maybe on the next bedroom I won't take as many steps. But I am hoping, with all of these steps, to not have any flashing. I also don't want any texture, so I hope all of these layers of coatings don't end up creating more stippling. 

I didn't Gardz the ceiling. It had been skim coated by someone else, then primed. I had to patch the ceiling in a few areas and recently primed again with Kilz and now there's flashing. I bought the 123 and will put a coat of it on the ceiling. Hopefully that will get rid of the flashing.


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## z_rider (Aug 14, 2020)

evs said:


> To sand my skimcoat, I bought those sanding blocks and mostly used fine. I found them comfortable to hold and work with.
> 
> I just put two coats of Gardz on my walls and will sand (and hopefully clean and prime) tomorrow. Do you think those sanding blocks will work okay?


Technically they will BUT they're too small which equates to being slow AND at $3 each usually end up being too expensive to do a whole room. 

A sanding pad(1/3 sheet or round) on a 6' extension pole will make quick work of the sanding and being able to cover more surface area you'll end up with higher quality and more consistent results.


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

z_rider said:


> Hmm. Technically they will but they're too small(=slow) AND too expensive to do a whole room.
> 
> A pad and a 6' extension pole will make quick work of the sanding and being able to cover more surface area you'll end up with a more consistent results(=higher quality).
> 
> ...


Thanks. Hmm...I bought one of those $20 sanding poles from Home Depot, and found it awkward and hard to use. It didn't slide easily across the surface, at all. It isn't the circular pole sander - they didn't carry that. I will give it another shot tomorrow though.


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## z_rider (Aug 14, 2020)

evs said:


> Thanks. Hmm...I bought one of those $20 sanding poles from Home Depot, and found it awkward and hard to use. It didn't slide easily across the surface, at all. It isn't the circular pole sander - they didn't carry that. I will give it another shot tomorrow though.


It takes some practice but it's the only way to go when discussing a wall or larger. Once you get the technique down you won't dread the sanding as much and it'll make the whole process easier. 

And keep in mind that now you have primed the surfaces tipping it over won't matter as much and it may glide across the hardend surface easier.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

z_rider said:


> It takes some practice but it's the only way to go when discussing a wall or larger. Once you get the technique down you won't dread the sanding as much and it'll make the whole process easier.
> 
> And keep in mind that now you have primed the surfaces tipping it over won't matter as much and it may glide across the hardend surface easier.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


It would be great if sanding were easier. Thanks for the advice.


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

z_rider said:


> It takes some practice but it's the only way to go when discussing a wall or larger. Once you get the technique down you won't dread the sanding as much and it'll make the whole process easier.
> 
> And keep in mind that now you have primed the surfaces tipping it over won't matter as much and it may glide across the hardend surface easier.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


I did get the hang of the pole sander and I think sanding did go faster because I used it. I managed to sand, clean and put a coat of 123 on the ceiling and walls today. 123 does seem to be much higher quality than Kilz. Thanks for everyone's help.


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

Tomorrow I will sand again. If the walls and ceiling look uniform, I will be ready to paint. If not, I guess I will put another coat of primer on.
I would like to end up with a smooth, flat finish. Does anyone have ceiling and wall paint recommendations? Also, I am just going to paint the room a shade of white, in case I decide to sell my place (and get out of CA!). Let me know if you know of good neutral shades of white that will make potential condo buyers fall in love with my place. Or that are just nice. I may end up staying.


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## LadeeDIY (Feb 20, 2018)

Have never skim coated walls but have sanded. I use a broom, vacuum, & then wash the walls (sponge mop - lightly, not sopping wet) with a gallon of water & a few drops of Dawn dishwashing detergent. I let it dry 24 hours. I paint, have it dry, sand, broom clean, vacuum & wash it again if I plan to paint another coat. This works best for me.

I have apartments & always use BM Simply White. It’s a soft white & appeals to tenants. It’s really good if you have some areas where you don’t get much natural light.


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)




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## Nx2synnD (Jul 13, 2021)

evs said:


> I am a beginner DIYer and just spent weeks skim coating and sanding my bedroom walls to get rid of their orange peel texture and create a smooth, flat, uniform finish. I went over the walls with microfiber cloths to remove some of the sanding dust and was hoping that would suffice, but now I am wondering if I have removed enough of the dust for primer to properly adhere. If I run my finger over the wall, it does still pick up some skim coat dust.
> How dust-free do the walls need to be for priming, and what is the best way to remove the dust from the walls? It is my understanding that I shouldn't wet the skim coat, and I don't want to potentially scratch it with a broom...it was quite a bit of effort to get them flat and as flawless as possible. But I also fear priming and painting and then having the paint peel off because I may not have removed enough of the dust. The questions never end! And here I was thinking that once I had a smooth skim coat finish I was home free....
> Thank you!


*Hi! *I too started out just like you, a beginner. Got a bit of experience now and I wanted to reach out and help. Best thing to do is to leave the dust alone. That sanding dust helps the priming adhere. I've been watching the Pro's and all of them say to leave the dust because it helps and works with any primer. 😃 Aloha


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## evs (Aug 9, 2020)

Nx2synnD said:


> *Hi! *I too started out just like you, a beginner. Got a bit of experience now and I wanted to reach out and help. Best thing to do is to leave the dust alone. That sanding dust helps the priming adhere. I've been watching the Pro's and all of them say to leave the dust because it helps and works with any primer. 😃 Aloha


Aloha! Thank you for taking the time to respond. I appreciate your advice. The next time I do this, I will just leave the dust. Thanks again.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Nx2synnD said:


> Best thing to do is to leave the dust alone. That sanding dust helps the priming adhere. I've been watching the Pro's and all of them say to leave the dust because it helps and works with any primer


That is not true!!
If the dust gets worked into the primer it might be ok but can leave the drywall rough necessitating extra sanding before painting. If the primer is sprayed over dust it will not adhere long term!


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

Not a big fan of leaving the dust on the walls. Now, maybe a little dust is no big deal, but if there’s enough dust left on the walls, you CAN have adhesion issues with the primer.


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

Gymschu said:


> Not a big fan of leaving the dust on the walls. Now, maybe a little dust is no big deal, but if there’s enough dust left on the walls, you CAN have adhesion issues with the primer.


I always at the very least dust them off. Usually use a shop vac.


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Tack cloth.


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## woodco (Jun 11, 2017)

Nx2synnD said:


> *Hi! *I too started out just like you, a beginner. Got a bit of experience now and I wanted to reach out and help. Best thing to do is to leave the dust alone. That sanding dust helps the priming adhere. I've been watching the Pro's and all of them say to leave the dust because it helps and works with any primer. 😃 Aloha


Dont be telling people that [email protected] No pro would EVER say such a thing! (actually, we WOULD say such a thing if a client was pestering us about dust, but it would be B.S. just to get them off our back)

Like I said, back when this thread was in its prime... sand the wall with a good shopvac and a dustbag, with this cheap little tool https://www.lowes.com/pd/HYDE-Hand-...CmPN3mRF3jw9MFRs9BBoCxgMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds, and you you can sand a wall with ZERO dust, including on the surface. Then prime away. You wont need a mask, and you wont need to cover any furniture or anything.


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