Painting Drywall Guide

Before you consider painting drywall, you need to know the fact that this is a pretty specialized task. However, if you get the proper equipments or tools and do the necessary preparations, you will see that it can be achieved by nearly everyone.

When painting drywall, you have to know about the step-by-step process in doing it properly. Should you fail to do no less than one of the processes, you’ll end up having a painting job that appears quite amateurish.

The initial step in painting drywall is as simple as making sure that the weather is not too humid and it ought to be fairly warm. You will have to make sure that the surface of the drywall you’re planning to paint is dry, free of oil and grease, and that it’s completely clean. You also have to apply 3 coats of joint compound on the drywall and also the joints between the panels should be taped with fiberglass or paper mesh tape or drywall tape. By doing this, you’ll make sure that the joint gets surfaced over. You also have to make sure that you fill in any cracks or marks using the same method

You also need to clean the walls and ceilings that you intend on painting by wiping off the dust. Accomplish this before priming. After the prime coat has dried, the next step is to sand the surface lightly with a fine grit sandpaper. This will allow you to smooth any imperfections, and raised fibers along with rough chips. Always keep in mind that you must wear goggles and mask because the gypsum dust produced when sanding drywall can be quite irritating to the eyes and is known to cause difficulty in breathing. It’s also wise to be careful in removing dust from the top of your doorway plus in the window trims. You also need to make use of drop cloths so that you can protect finished flooring along with doors, windows, and other fixtures. It is strongly advised that you use a painter’s plastic to do this.

You need to keep in mind that after you taped the drywall and sand it, you shouldn’t allow the drywall sit very long. The sunlight can cause the drywall to yellow and fade. In fact, it can look uneven even after painting it. Use a good quality latex stain-killing paint before you prime it in order to fight the yellowing process. Two coats of paint ought to be enough. On the first coat, use a low sheen, latex flat wall paint. This should actually be tinted to match the color of the top coat. For the top coat, use two coatings of gloss paint, which includes eggshell and satin paint. This will leave you with a finish that is easy to wash and one that is not prone to smudges and marks. For the ceiling, flat paint is a great option.

Always remember that with the right equipment and preparation, you will be able to have a professional looking finish when painting drywall.