# Painting over the skim coat



## moondancer (Oct 22, 2009)

Our painter has just finished (3 days ago) skim coating the walls in parts of 
our downstairs. He is almost finished with the sanding and will be painting soon. 

I asked if he will need primer or, as i read in one of these posts, flat white latex paint for over the sanded skim coat. He said nothing is necessary. He will be applying two coats of our latex satin paint and that's all that's necessary since our walls were not stained or have any dark marks needing to be covered. 

Is this true? No need for primer after skim coating?


Moondancer


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## NAV (Jun 2, 2009)

you can get away without priming but it is recommended by the manufacturer to prime.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

You should use a real bonding primer for sure over the mud. Don't let him skimp on you!


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## moondancer (Oct 22, 2009)

Maybe i should mention that these are 30+ yr old walls that have been patched and painted before. Painter #1 (two weeks ago) patched but didn't sand and feather the patch marks. Just primed and painted right over them. The wall looked like hell....and i wasn't happy. I caught this painter taking many more short cuts like not removing switch plates and furnace/air registers. I sent this guy packing.

Now i'm on painter #2. He skim coated, sanded very well...and now he has painted right over it without putting a prime coat over the skim coat. He seemed to know what he was doing...

He was very insistent that it wasn't necessary to prime. He has painted one coat over the skim without priming. He'll be doing a second coat Saturday. What's the worst that can happen now?


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## Chazbe (Jul 19, 2007)

Whats the worst that could happen now??? Well, for one the paint could peel off!!
The proper way to finish walls you described is by using a drywall primer and then 2 finish coats. The primer is designed to stick to the drywall ant then the paint sticks to the primer. You could get away with one finish coat if the primer is tinted to your finish color but for optimum results 2 finish coats is the best.
The primer will also help eliminate the flashing that could occur.
If the walls were not spotless, all dust removed, I would hold my breath.

Chuck


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

You will probably be fine, but in the future have them use a primer. It will be more durable.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Matthewt1970 said:


> You will probably be fine, but in the future have them use a primer. It will be more durable.


 
I agree. Myself,I would probably have primed it but it would depend on what shape the walls were in ,how much patching was done,what kind of paint was used, etc. I think you are going to have to trust the new painter. If he is a professional, tell him(her), your concerns and I am sure you will be fine.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

What is done is done. The most noticeable thing you will likely experience is that the sheen will be different where the mud is because the paint will have soaked in somewhat and it will appear more dull than the rest of the wall. Fortunately you are using a relatively low sheen paint so an touch-up coat for those areas will probably do the trick.


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## moondancer (Oct 22, 2009)

Ok...thank you all for your replies. I guess i'll will just hold my breath and hope for the best...and be sure he primes the other areas.

I just get very frustrated with painters and others who try to cut corners when they think i'm not looking . 

This place is a great source of info...:thumbup:


md/


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

Any patch will typicly need 3 coats to match the sheen. On a job we will typicly hit all the patches with paint before we start cutting in the first wall. Then by the time you are rolling the walls, the paint has soaked in good and dried. Your 2 coats on the wall take care of the second and third coats on the patched spots.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Matthewt1970 said:


> Any patch will typicly need 3 coats to match the sheen. On a job we will typicly hit all the patches with paint before we start cutting in the first wall. Then by the time you are rolling the walls, the paint has soaked in good and dried. Your 2 coats on the wall take care of the second and third coats on the patched spots.


 
That is what I do all the time:thumbsup:


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## nerd_flanders (Aug 5, 2009)

*skim coating*

You really should prime it with an oil based primer. 
What can happen is the paint might not stick because the skim coat needs a good time to cure properly. 
what country are you living in? it sounds like there are a lot of rip off cowboys there.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

[quote=nerd_flanders;345116]You really should prime it with an oil based primer. 
What can happen is the paint might not stick because the skim coat needs a good time to cure properly. 
what country are you living in? it sounds like there are a lot of rip off cowboys there.[/quote]


Why oil?


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

I am probably the biggest oil based primer fan on this forum, and even I wouldn't primer drywall with oil.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Yeah, why oil unless the part of the walls not skim coated have oil-based paint on them (and it sounds like they do not or that skim coat could be in trouble too)? It certainly will not hurt to prime drywall with alkyd but why go to the extra expense and fuss with the clean-up and fumes unless the mentioned situation exists or you are going to do some sort of oil finish on top (in which case you would not use latex primers)? A quality latex bonding primer is a much better choice for drywall and drywall compound.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Matthewt1970 said:


> I am probably the biggest oil based primer fan on this forum, and even I wouldn't primer drywall with oil.


 :laughing::thumbsup:


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