Oil Based Primer...

The house I'm in was built in Jan/Feb of '91 and has been painted (interior) only once since then... I'm in the process of doing so now.

During the prep, I've found I'm able to scrape off existing paint (as well as the popcorn ceiling texture) right down to the drywall in one pass with a scraper!

Now, I realize that it's common for builders to blow ceiling texture on without priming first . And so that discovery's not all that surprising. But the walls too? Is this happening because the walls weren't primed? Or could it be that conditions weren't right (too cold) for the paint to stick?

I really have no desire to scrape any more of it off - not if I don't have to. And so I'm looking for an out! I've heard that one way to deal with popcorn is to apply a coat of oil-based primer, and then top coat it with latex (or whatever). The reasoning being (I assume) is that the oil-based penetrates the popcorn and *glues* the whole stinkin' mess to the ceiling. The question is, Will the same trick work on my walls? And is doing so advisable? Or am I just being *anal*?

Had I not discovered this *problem* I'd have been content to just paint over everything and be done w/ it. But now that I know....... I'd prefer do it right. Or as right as possible.

Any suggestions?

Reply to
C-Dub
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And so you're saying that I shouldn't have bothered at all with the prep? And painted right over the chunks of falling debris instead? : )

[FYI - I was fixing a couple problem spots (it couldn't be avoided) when I scraped off a bigger chunk than I intended. And this one chunk led to another. And then another...]

Yeah, I sorta expected the ceiling to behave this way. But I was totally surprised at the walls. And it's not like I've never prepped or painted before either. I guess the stuff I've encountered in the past has been pretty good by comparison. Apparently I've been pretty lucky....

Reply to
C-Dub

Your original post made no mention of falling debris. You might have a moisture problem.

Reply to
Charles Schuler

I checked the attic when I first noticed the problem and didn't see any evidence of a leak: no stains on the sheetrock or anything like that. And since humidity is not really an issue here, I'm going to say, no, I don't thing it's a moisture problem...

Reply to
C-Dub

Well then, (if the ceiling is falling in patches) you are dealing with an improper installation and subsequent failure of the texture material which will have to be removed. I fail to see how an oil-based primer will penetrate through the latex paint and then through the texture material and then bond to the paper coating on the dry wall. Good luck!

Reply to
Charles Schuler

I'm with you on that, Charles. But Zinsser makes this claim nonetheless: "GARDZ easily penetrates popcorn finishes and binds them to the drywall underneath..."

And the best part of all is this stuff's not oil-based! Hell, I'm willing to believe their claim if there's even a chance it'll get me out of any unnecessary scraping.

In case you're curious:

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Reply to
C-Dub

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