Water-based products work well without the strong odor produced by traditional primers. Some professionals prefer traditional solvent-based primers such as BIN and KILZ. Paint or roll on a stain-blocking sealer/ primer. Your aim is to smooth the surface and even out minor irregularities in the levelness as well as to rough up the surface to promote adhesion. Don't sand through the paper facing the drywall. Sand the wall, lightly on low areas and a little more vigorously on high spots. Make “X” marks to note wherever the wall is too high, and circles to show wherever the wall is too low. Run a carpenter's level – one at least 4 foot long – across the wall to determine where the high and low spots occur.
Additional floor covering wherever you will walk is also a good idea if you step into the joint compound, it prevents you from spreading it. Spread plastic sheeting or other drop cloths along the base of the wall to protect the floors. Although it takes longer, more and thinner layers is generally preferable to fewer layers that are too thick. For small areas and deep depressions, use a drywall knife to scoop up and spread across the area instead. Using a paint roller and a 14-inch-wide squeegee knife makes the task much easier, particularly for larger areas. But if you're not as proficient with these tools, there's an alternative.
#ALTERNATIVES TO SKIM COATING WALLS FREE#
If you use a hawk and trowel like they are extensions of your hands, feel free to use them to apply the joint compound. When twisted or bowed studs or studs that aren't flush with the plates causes the drywall to bulge and dip drastically, sistering studs or shaving off a portion will allow you to even it out. Other methods to fix severely uneven walls include removing the drywall or a section of drywall and either re-hang it properly, if a poor installation or extreme damage caused the unevenness, or attacking the wall framing. Hot mud hardens within an hour or two, depending on the formula, so you can skim coat over it to smooth the wall fairly quickly. It's much simpler, however, to apply a layer of setting-type joint compound – called hot mud – as you would the skim coat, only thicker, and sand it smooth while it's wet. Technically, you can apply as many layers of joint compound as you wish. Don't rely on a skim coat to level out walls where the low area is greater than about a quarter inch in depth. Each layer results in a smoother finish, hides damage better, and helps fill in uneven areas.Įven magic has limits, unless you're Harry Potter. Cover stains, dents, visible taped seams, fill in low areas, and hide nail holes with coats of joint compound. But as a painter, it might be a good idea to add some basic drywall skills to your bag of tricks as a way to earn more money from each job.Ī skim coat – or more accurately, several thin layers of joint compound that together are called a skim coat – works magic on most any drywall.
#ALTERNATIVES TO SKIM COATING WALLS PROFESSIONAL#
A level, flush wall surface allows you to refinish the walls and restore the look to new.ĭepending on the severity of the drywall imperfections, you may want to consider having a drywall professional tackle the repair. Whether seams show, the wall appears to bow and dip, or the drywall has suffered a ding or two over the years, you can smooth it out with a skim coat. The result: walls that aren't flat and even. The builders may not have taken care while framing the wall. Maybe the drywall installers did a poor job hanging the drywall or finishing it. Good luck.Perhaps the house settled over the years. What you are doing is sealing the mud so the water in your latex paint won't be absorbed into the mud, lifting it and ruining all your hard work. Once you are happy with the final finish, be sure to prime using a PVA primer or other primer specificaly described to be used on new drywall. This will remove all the dust that will cause the skim mud to curl off the wall during application. clean the entire surface with a damn sponge, rinsing the sponge often. If you do need to put on a second coat, which is almost always the case, be sure to knock down any trails or ridges with a drywall knife and lightly sand the surface to remove boogers and loose dried mud. I prefer a good 12 inch knife to a trowel, and dipping it in water before final pass helps make a smoother surface. It will really make the mud glide on smoothly with fewer tiny pock holes. You can also add a few ounces of Ivory dish soap to the mix.
Be sure to read the label as some manufacturers specificaly state "Not for Skim Applications".Īs said by the others, thin with water and mix well with a large drill and paddle to remove as many air bubbles as possible before attempting to apply.
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