Drywall

Ceiling/Unpainted/To Be Painted

1. Surface Preparation:
• treat any mildew with a 3:1 water:household bleach mixture, leaving it on for 20 minutes and adding more as it dries; wear eye and skin protection; rinse thoroughly
• repair gouges, etc. with drywall compound or spackle, and sand flush once dry; for maximum durability, use plaster of Paris or patching plaster, and sand flush
• fill gaps with quality acrylic or siliconized acrylic caulk, and immediately smooth it flush; allow to dry over night and make a second application if needed; do not sand a caulk
• remove all dust using rags or vacuum cleaner; clean off any dirt, etc. with a detergent and water mixture, rinse thoroughly

2. Priming:
• priming is required in order to achieve adequate uniformity of sheen and hiding
• for most work, a PVA latex wall primer works well
• or, for maximum adhesion and stain blocking, use a quality latex stain-blocking primer that is recommended for interior use
• do not leave a primer unpainted

3. Painting:
   • a quality latex ceiling paint will be spatter resistant and will provide a flat finish with uniform sheen and optimum light diffusion
   • a flat wall paint can be used in order to match wall color
   • a latex satin or semigloss paint is suitable for kitchen and bath areas

Back to Interior Prep, Prime and Paint