Features:

--- About drywall primer

--- Texture time?

--- a light moment

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l. About drywall/plaster primers.

In my work with clients, the question often arises about primers. And if they don't raise the subject, I do.

Here's why.

Years ago, when I was very new to drywall and plaster work, we ran into an unfortunate situation with someone who was building a big new house.

My boss got the contract for installing and finishing the drywall. We hung the drywall together. If I remember correctly, there was about 10,000 square feet of rock to hang and it took us several days.

We looked forward to the taping and finishing as a break from the task of hanging. My boss was a very good drywall finisher. I couldn't have asked for a better guy to learn the trade from. So the finish work went well and as we drew near to completing that process, the lady of the house asked us to leave one particular bathroom smooth -- that is, no texture.

To finish perfectly smooth, without any imperfections, is a challenge. My boss wasn't delighted to do it, but since she only asked for one room to be left smooth, he rose to the occasion and did a nice job for her.

We returned the next day to continue work in the house. The lady met us immediately, upset with the way the bathroom had turned out. She led us into the room, and right away it was pretty clear that there was a major problem.

And it wasn't a problem we had created. The villain was ... her!

She had gotten carried away. She had jumped in overnight and painted the bathroom walls and ceiling - with oil paint, and NO primer beforehand.

She thought the problem was that the room had not been finished properly and wanted us to make things right.

Number one, we had not yet had time to do the final sanding, and number two, no amount of wishful thinking was going to erase the problems caused by no initial primer AND an amateur painter who also didn't understand the proper way to paint a smooth surface.

Yes, my boss was able to correct things. He told her the room now needed texture. We textured it and when primed and painted, it turned out okay. And she learned the value of checking with the drywall finishers before painting and the need for primer for raw drywall.

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Which brings us to the point ... Why primer for raw drywall (or plaster)?

Raw drywall and drywall finishing materials, as well as new plaster, are quite porous. And that porosity is not perfectly uniform throughout, either. With the right primer, done correctly, that porosity is filled in and makes for a fairly consistent surface over all.

Now, when paint is applied, the surface will take the paint in a uniform way throughout. The "shine", if there is to be any, is more likely to be consistent.

All this, of course, depends on a painter who has a good grasp of how to roll paint on correctly.

SOME BASIC TIPS REGARDING PRIMER

Use standard PVA type drywall primer. This is water clean up stuff. Use a paint roller with at least three-eighths thick nap.

Don't be dismayed if the primer does not look all that great as you apply it. Depending on what brand you use, it may look splotchy. You may be able to see the drywall finished joints even after you roll primer over them. Provided the joints were done correctly in the first place, this is because the primer may contain just enough white pigment so you can see where you are going as you put it on.

It will NOT ordinarily look like a finished paint coat. It's not supposed to.

When you are applying primer over patched plaster, don't go much beyond the edge of the patches into the painted areas. You usually don't need to put primer on the painted areas anyway, and some PVA primers do not bond well to old paint. You can find water-based primers that do bond well to previously painted areas, so if you are concerned about this, ask your paint store for that special primer.

NO skips allowed! If you do have some skipped areas, they will show up when your first paint coat dries. They may even show up after the second paint coat dries. So my suggestion is, go around with a light in hand after you finish your primer coat. Brush primer in any skips.

Sometimes it is a good idea to tint your primer the same color as your selected paint color. It may make your brighter colors even richer. Usually the paint store will tint your primer for you without charge (if you are getting your paint at the same store, of course).

On extra porous surfaces - like raw plaster, or heavily textured drywall - it would be a good idea to do two coats of primer, so you can get that uniformity of color you want to end up with.

HAPPY PAINTING!!

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2. Ready for texture yet?

Most people discover that the texture time is the fun time for them. They have worked hard, grown hot and sweaty maybe, getting that old plaster fixed up and ready for the beauty treatment.

So whip out that special tool(s) and let 'er fly. Show your stuff. Do it up fine!

What's that, you say? You're not sure you know quite how you want to do this?

No problem, amigo! Let the old plasterguy show you. He's done plenty of playing in the mud and made his share of mistakes, so let him give you some pointers.

Better yet, how about some live demonstrations, via DVD? See how some truly simple and easy textures are done (the same ones he charges boocoo bucks to do for clients).

Believe me, this is not rocket science. I believe if plasterguy can do these, SO CAN YOU! He has seen people with NO texture experience do some remarkable things. All they needed was to see texturing done and they were off and running.

Would you like to see how the old fellow learned to do textures? Ceiling and wall texturing techniques made to order. Go to

texturing techniques.

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3. A JOKE

When a speaker receives lots of applause after his introduction, thats called FAITH.

When he gets applause off and on during his speech, that's called HOPE.

When he gets applause at the conclusion of his address, that's called CHARITY.

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Well, that's all for now. I hope you are enjoying SPRING in your part of the country. May you have a Happy and Blessed Easter.