I need to paint walls in my manufactured home. Thay are vinyl covered drywall. Do I need to prime them before I paint?

 

Absolutely! The techniques listed below are my recommedations for painting over wallpaper. The same technique should be used in your situation as vinyl coated wallpaper and your particular wall substrate are very similar.

Preparation is the key to painting over wallpaper. Remove any loose paper areas first. Then apply joint compound to any nail holes, seam areas, or other damaged spots. Sand these areas smooth after proper curing time. The more time you spend filling holes, patching, smoothing, and sanding, the better your end result will be. Once you are finished your prep, close your eyes and rub your hand over the entire wall surface. Your hand will tell you where the errors are better than your eye. Without valiant efforts at preparation, it will look just like you painted over wallpaper. Then apply a good quality primer/sealer such as Scotch Paint's Draw-Tite, Zinsser's Gardz, Roman's Liquid Drywall, Seal-Krete's waterproofing sealer, or Sherwin Williams' PrepRite Drywall Conditioner over the entire surface. Now your wall is 100% ready for paint or additional wallpaper.