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I had a painter come over to paint the garage drywall (it was reversed for some reason).

enter image description here

https://i.stack.imgur.com/HxMUs.jpg https://i.stack.imgur.com/VXOYg.jpg

He used Sheetrock Dust Control to cover the nails and seal the drywall gaps. Later used 3 coats of Glidden Premium Exterior Paint for the walls and ceiling.

enter image description here

https://i.stack.imgur.com/XMUIo.jpg https://i.stack.imgur.com/U8WpY.jpg

The result looks pretty uneven, annoyed that I spent the money on a professional and still didn't get an even looking wall paint

How can I get an even paint if I have to paint over this myself

isherwood
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Grame Smith
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  • Brown drywall?...... What did he use for primer? – Harper - Reinstate Monica Apr 09 '18 at 16:04
  • the drywall was reversed, as per the painter, so it looks like that as you can see in the pictures. He did not use a primer, said that 3 layers of the exterior grade paint should cover it up – Grame Smith Apr 09 '18 at 16:09
  • Going from black to white or vice versa you need strong pigments. Black uses the potent mineral pigment "carbon black" which by luck is nontoxic, unlike White lead. Safe white pigments are weak tea. Given the dark and stained surface I woulda used primer until nothing prints through, then topcoat til the primer doesn't print through (1-2 coats). 3 coats of white is a fair default assumption for a clean surface that is already near white, as most old work is. Had he seen the wall before bidding it? – Harper - Reinstate Monica Apr 09 '18 at 16:35
  • I showed the garage to him before he started working, not sure why he would suggest just 3 layers of paint without using the primer (for someone who claims to be a professional). – Grame Smith Apr 09 '18 at 16:50
  • Given the current condition of the walls, would you recommend priming and then pain. Or am I expected to use paint removal and then prime and paint? – Grame Smith Apr 09 '18 at 16:55

5 Answers5

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The drywall probably isn't reversed. Old drywall paper darkens with UV exposure, and many from the 80s and earlier look just like that. It's not intended to be a finished surface.

You can be sure by looking at the tapered edge joints--if there's a paper edge showing you're seeing the back side. If it's smooth paper wrapped all the way around it's the front.

The right approach was to seal the surface first with PVA primer/sealer or equivalent. It would've then probably taken one coat of quality paint, or two at most, to arrive at a satisfactory finish for a garage.

At this point I'd prime with a good blocking sealer and repaint with just one coat, applied carefully and properly. Rather, I'd expect the "professional" to do that.

isherwood
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Three coats of paint here is insufficient, or rather inappropriate. This surface needed a good sanding, and probably some ready-made drywall joint compound, to make it even and clean.

Then one coat of primer and two coats of paint (until nice). In the current condition, I'd be afraid whatever you put over will flake sooner than later due to the bad base.

Personnaly, I'd have gone

  • drywall compound till nice all around
  • sand evenly
  • primer
  • 2 coats.

I assume all those racks and shelves were removed prior to painting, right ?

From the current condition, I'm not sure how much sanding would give enough for the new paint to hold.

Jeffrey
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This looks like less of a coverage problem and more of a texture/surface problem.

Taking a surface which is irregular in color, surface texture, absorption rate, etc. -- and turning it into a surface which is uniform in all those respects -- is primer's job.

Since the surface is still not uniform in at least one of those things, I'd hit it with primer until it is. Primer is also pigmented and it's $18/gal instead of $30+/gal.

Once the surface is uniform, the usual 1-2 coats of topcoat should do.

Harper - Reinstate Monica
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Currently on same situation. 1970's garage, never finished drywall. Paper turned brown. Sanded joints lightly 8" each side, tape and mud. Sand entire wall/ceiling surface to clear oxidation. Drywall sealer one coat, stain block tinted to paint color one coat and high quality paint one coat. It is a garage after all.

Martin Hansen
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  • Is this intended as an answer? It would read more easily if you'd include subjects in your sentences instead of being fashionably abrupt. Please see [answer] and take the [tour]. – isherwood Jun 13 '23 at 13:01
  • Are you saying that you sanded the raw paper? Didn't that fuzz it out? – isherwood Jun 13 '23 at 13:08
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A coat of gypsum over it, then you can primer and paint

Rachel Drinnon
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