Ceiling priming - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Alkyd · 10-02-2006, 04:16 PM

Should I prime a textured ceiling before painting? It going an off white

painterofeveryt · 10-02-2006, 05:43 PM

I always prime...so my vote is a YES !

**ProWallGuy** · 10-02-2006, 06:00 PM

I second the motion to prime.

Especially if its just raw texture.

**slickshift** · 10-02-2006, 07:39 PM

Raw; yes
Repaint; I mostly don't, but I can work with popcorn repaints pretty good
Any sign of instability and it gets primer

Richard · 10-03-2006, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alkyd

Should I prime a textured ceiling before painting? It going an off white

Here's the deal~ get on your ladder, swipe your finger across the texture-if anything comes off, this means the texture has never been painted. If this is the case...YES...prime.....but ONLY ONLY ONLY with oil based primer. Using water based will re-active the texture and cause it to roll off the ceiling onto your roller!

I speak from experience with this...I've done it, it is not good. If you run your finger across and nothing comes off, then it was coated before and it is your discretion to prime or not.

MattCoops · 10-03-2006, 06:13 PM

dont go the lazy way and get oil primer in spray can
it sucks and it wont cover the area you want

get a gallon and roll it on

and yes, use oil base

MAC2PAINTING · 10-04-2006, 02:06 PM

I have dealt with popcorn ceilings for a long time and am not understanding why they should be primed with an oil based product?
I have used spray primers to spot prime, latex primers when covering candle residue, had to scrape areas and re shoot them with texture and primed them again with regular latex primer... the only thing I have ever had to be extra careful about is not to over soak the darned stuff... or it will roll right on to the sleeve like a jelly roll.... so why the oil based advise? something I should find out?

AAPaint · 10-04-2006, 02:38 PM

Popcorn texture is one thing. All others are a different story. You can still get away with latex on popcorn if you know what you're doing and test the ceiling with a wet sponge. Giving a few pokes here and there with a 5 and 1 helps too so you can be sure you're not painting a sheet of texture that isn't attached to the ceiling under it. I agree if it's adhesion is in question an oil/alkyd primer should be used, but you should have a disclaimer for popcorn ceilings anyway. I've painted some that went perfect and fell a day or two later because of the extra weight of the paint.

That's only popcorn though. I've never had a problem with other textured surfaces.

The right way to deal with textures is this. Prime substrate FIRST. Then texture. Then prime again for even porosity, and finally apply topcoats. That's the rules of the road if you want to do it right.

Joewho · 10-04-2006, 05:07 PM

Popcorn? Let someone else deal with it!

If you use a roller on popcorn, a certain amount is going to come off onto the roller, painted, primed or not.

I've been in Vegas for 6 months, EVERYTHING is textured out here. I already had to completelty remove texture from a ceiling and start over. This was because of some remodelling.
How? Water. It was already painted, but I just sprayed some water on it and it scraped off like butter. Have also found that spraying paint is the way to go with popcorn.

Richard · 10-04-2006, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joewho

Popcorn? Let someone else deal with it!

If you use a roller on popcorn, a certain amount is going to come off onto the roller, painted, primed or not.

I've been in Vegas for 6 months, EVERYTHING is textured out here. I already had to completelty remove texture from a ceiling and start over. This was because of some remodelling.
How? Water. It was already painted, but I just sprayed some water on it and it scraped off like butter. Have also found that spraying paint is the way to go with popcorn.

.....majority says to prime~removing the ceiling wasnt the question

Joewho · 10-04-2006, 10:34 PM

Sorry about that. I get carried away. And thanks for pointing it out.
I'll try not to do it again, and I'll try not to run through here like a train.

Moot to say that I would not prime if it's already painted, but I would spray it.

Thanks
"joewho"

Terrence · 10-09-2006, 01:21 PM

I'll have to agree with spraying popcorn.
Wet popcorn all over your face sux.

Brushslingers · 10-09-2006, 04:19 PM

I'll have to disagree to a point here... i've found that running a roller ONE WAY only on a popcorn ceiling will 99% of the time, leave the popcorn intact and ready for another coat. Most of the time it comes off because you try to roll it like a wall, back and forth, witch pulls the popcorn off due to the liquid your putting on. Try it next time... it works well.

Terrence · 10-09-2006, 10:31 PM

Slinger,

Interesting! I would have never thought of that. I'll try that on the next one. I'm guessing you would go for a really FAT nap for your roller?

metomeya · 10-10-2006, 12:12 AM

I know this is off-topic, but i say all popcorn ceilings must DIE!

Serious I would suggest just scraping that stuff off, cause it looks terrible and so you won't have to mess with an oil based product.

They sell scrappers that let you attach plastic bags to them so you won't make too big of a mess. And spray it with some water before you scrap.

If its not popcorn just use a water-based primer.

Joewho · 10-10-2006, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metomeya

I know this is off-topic, but i say all popcorn ceilings must DIE!

Serious I would suggest just scraping that stuff off, cause it looks terrible and so you won't have to mess with an oil based product.

They sell scrappers that let you attach plastic bags to them so you won't make too big of a mess. And spray it with some water before you scrap.

If its not popcorn just use a water-based primer.

lol, hooah.

It is just a judgment call on spraying or rolling. rolling in one direction is definately a good tip. Along with that, I would use a "thin" paint. Not a fat, sticky latex. On the other side of the coin, there are a lot of nooks and cranny's to get paint into. Even though rolling will work, I just can't stand ANY foriegn material in my roller

AAPaint · 10-10-2006, 08:23 AM

....and you'll end up with a bucket full of popcorn when you're done. Any leftover paint won't be good for anything else if you roll.

If you are going to scrape it, skip the bags and go straight to the shop vac.

Brushslingers · 10-10-2006, 05:50 PM

True, the paint won't be worth anything once you are done with it, but... I use LATEX cheapo ceiling white, and a 3/4 whizzfab roller, which is unlike most other roller covers... roll it one way only and cut it to the wall. I have a 98% success rate down here in humid-every-day-Florida. The whizzfab's clean up really well, and fast... and the paint? Well, I only buy what I need for each job, and leave whatever is left.

Just remember the FIRST rule of rolling, hold the pole like it's your johnson, you wouldn't give yourself a hard rub wouldya?

Richard · 10-10-2006, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brushslingers

Just remember the FIRST rule of rolling, hold the pole like it's your johnson, you wouldn't give yourself a hard rub wouldya?

....he went there

AAPaint · 10-10-2006, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paintguy26

....he went there

Yup......he did.

At least he's right, though!