When painting drywall, imperfections are unavoidable. There will always be ridges, pits, or tiny dents on drywall, regardless of how skilled you are. Regretfully, they typically show up after primer is applied.
Ignoring these flaws can make them appear unattractive. And before applying the top coats, these flaws need to be fixed if you care about appearance.
The best way to repair drywall flaws after priming will be discussed in today’s post.
How Can Imperfections in Drywall After Priming Be Fixed?
Step 1: Collect Necessary Equipment
You will need sandpaper to do this craft. The ideal grit range for drywall sandpaper is between 150 and 220. Instead of correcting flaws, coarse sandpaper could harm your drywall, so please stay away from it.
Additionally, you’ll need a dust mask, rags, a putty knife, and some spackle.
Step 2: Use fine sandpaper to scrub the imperfections.
Sanding drywall defects into a smoother surface is the best way to address them. Sandpaper is an easy way to level out pits and ridges while working with them.
Put on your dust mask and gently sand the flaws. Sanding can cause a lot of dust to be released from a drywall. Therefore, you must defend yourself.
Sand the surface till it’s smooth. To make sure the flaws have been eliminated, you can use a rag to wipe the surface.
Step 3: Use a Putty Knife to Remove Loose Primer
You might see loose primer fragments on the areas you were working on after sanding the drywall. Since they will be visible after painted on, these shouldn’t be left that way.
Using a putty knife, try to scrape off as much loose primer as you can. Avoid going too far into the flaws as this could harm the drywall. Use the dry rag to clean it one more time.
Step 4: Use Spackle to Fill in the Flaws
Although a variety of fillers can be used, spackle is the most effective way to seal drywall flaws.
Consequently, use a putty knife to apply a little amount of your preferred spackling paste to the defect. Using the putty knife’s edge, level the defect after applying enough spackle.
For every flaw in your drywall, repeat the previous step. Within an hour or two, spackle dries. That will rely on the circumstances at hand. To allow it to cure completely, it is better to leave it for a day.
Step 5: Use a moist cloth to clean the drywall.
Spackle paste may run onto adjacent drywall surfaces during application. As a result, you should use a moist towel to remove any extra spackle.
Step 6: Verify Whether the Flaws Have Vanished
You may be able to remove drywall flaws in the first round, depending on how carefully you applied the spackle. You can, however, repeat steps 4 and 5 if they are still accessible.
The spackles and the drywall should ideally be level. It shouldn’t protrude or be deeper. More spackle is not necessary if it is protruding. The excess can be sanded.
Once you are certain that the flaws have been eliminated, you can move on to the next phase.
Step 7: Paint and Primer Application
Applying paint directly might be alluring. After all, primer was already on the drywall.
However, keep in mind that you sanded and scraped off some of the primer in order to correct the flaws. As a result, certain areas might not have primer on the surface, which could cause issues with paint adhesion.
Thus, spray or brush two extra coats of paint after applying a new coat of priming. That’s it. There will be no flaws in your drywall.
Is it acceptable to fix drywall flaws after priming?
It is quite common to fix drywall flaws after priming its surface. Everyone experiences it, even the most seasoned contractors. The problem with drywall faults is that they can easily go undetected until you apply primer.
As a result, you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself for not noticing these flaws before applying the primer. In the event that you are in such a circumstance, adhere to the previously discussed guidance.
Additionally, if these flaws were only noticeable during your initial application of paint. After spot priming the patches and sanding the impacted areas, you can apply the additional top coats.
How Can Drywall Flaws Be Identified After Priming?
One of the more intriguing materials is drywall. Until you finish painting it, it can easily hide imperfections. Therefore, after priming, it’s a good idea to look for any problems. You can accomplish this in a number of ways.
First, you can search for ridges or pits by moving a meter away from the drywall. An alternative method is to run your hand over the drywall and feel for any flaws.
Shining a strong light from a specific angle is a pro tip that I have found to be quite helpful over the years. This typically highlights regions that are a little off.
Can Drywall Imperfections Be Hidden by Primer?
Primer has two main purposes. In the first place, it gets the drywall ready for painting, which comes next. Secondly, it encourages paint to stick to drywall. On drywall, primer is not utilized to cover up flaws.
Therefore, before painting the surface, you must correct any defects you have found. Despite applying the primer in heavier layers, surface flaws will still be visible.
Why is drywall sanded after primer is applied?
Many contractors do this for two reasons. As we have just covered, the first step is to eliminate flaws. Do you still need to sand the drywall, though, if it is flawless?
That depends on how the drywall is painted. Some individuals think that priming and sanding drywall produces a surface on which the paint will adhere.
However, as primers are made to encourage paint adherence to drywall, that is typically not required. After primer is applied, drywall must only be sanded if there are imperfections.
Sanding drywall after primer application is also appropriate if dust or debris may have gotten into the finish.
You might see debris on the primer if you haven’t cleaned the drywall. In order to produce a clean finish, sanding can assist in removing this debris.
Can You Use Mud to Cover Up Drywall Flaws?
After priming, drywall flaws can also be concealed with mud, sometimes referred to as joint compound. Nonetheless, a lot of expert contractors favor spackle over mud because to its superior consistency and thickness.
You can also utilize mud that you have in your store. However, I would strongly suggest spackle if you don’t have any.
You can follow the aforementioned steps if you choose to utilize mud. However, be sure to buy mud that is simple to sand. If not, a lot of elbow grease will be required.
Is There a Primer That Can Cover Up Drywall Flaws?
Some producers of primer assert that their goods may hide drywall flaws. This is typically a marketing ploy, though. Imperfections cannot be covered up by primers unless they are very small.
Do not anticipate that significant gaps in your drywall will go away once it is applied. Apply the technique we previously discussed with you.
