Hello everyone. I recently hired a handyman to paint my bathroom and based on what I've read and others I've talked to, he may not have done it correctly. Here's the background:

A 1972 bathroom with original paint peeling and small cracks on every inch of the walls, very ugly by sight and touch. Some chips off easily, majority is stuck on. The walls were covered with dust, some parts were dirtier than others and probably hasn't been properly cleaned or wiped in a long time. I had attempted to scrape the paint off myself and did a poor job, removing some paper off the drywall and tearing off the drywall tape that connected the corners. Knowing I was in over my head, I immediately sprayed Zinnser Stain/Sealant primer onto the areas I scraped and the rusted nail holes, then spackled using putty. Two days later I hired a professional.

Here is what the painter did, in order:
-Day 1: scraped the walls using a sanding pole
-applied 1 coat of "topping mud" over entire walls
-applied drywall tape over the joint/corners, then went home for the day
-Day 2: lightly sanded the walls, using sanding pole
-applied 1 coat of Zinnser Peel Stop Triple Thick primer

We agreed I would finish the job painting it myself. So here is where I feel more needs to be done before I paint. Notice he didn't clean the walls first, didn't prime before topping mud, didn't remud the drywall tape before priming. The walls obviously look better than before (the cracks are less visible), but I'm afraid it will bleed through in a couple of years and we'll have to start over.

Should I add another coat of primer? Would it help to spackle over the tape, or remud? How many coats of paint? Any advice is helpful. Thanks!!!

Btw, I'm using Dunn Edwards Semi gloss paint.

 

Welcome to the forums.

First thing to keep in mind is paint generally makes imperfections in the walls more noticeable, not less so. Additionally, more primer isn't going to accomplish anything.

If the walls are not good yet, I would float the joints with more joint compound to get them smooth and prime and paint only after they look good.

 

Hi Mitch, and thanks.

To my eye, it looks good, b/c it was ugly before. So I'm not sure if the walls are considered good or not. It's just I'm getting different advice from everyone so I'm thoroughly confused. Someone said because he didn't clean and prime first, the mud isn't going to properly stick, and adding more coats will make it heavier. And supposedly he should've used all purpose mud instead of topping mud. I was supposed to finish today.

Do you still recommend I remud and prime again?

 

At this point it's hard to say whether or not the j/c has a great bond to the underlying surface. Unless the j/c is loose or hollow sounding there isn't much you can do other than touch up the j/c where/if needed and reprime those areas before applying the finish paint.

The age of your house makes it highly likely that the original bath rm paint was an oil base enamel. Latex paint doesn't adhere well to oil enamel but a solvent based primer will [and latex will adhere to the primer] A thin layer of j/c generally adheres ok to oil enamel that has been roughed up with coarse sandpaper. Everything depends on the condition of the oil enamel! As long as the primer/paint and/or j/c is bonded to the original paint - there shouldn't be any problems. The areas that were scraped down to bare drywall won't have any issues.

General purpose joint compound has more adhesive properties than topping mud although I've never had any issues using a topping mud on minor repairs.

 

Thanks marksr. I'm taking a second look at the walls. They seem overall good, acceptable. Some areas are flat and smooth, some I can "feel" the cracks and grooves - but it does look sealed, not peeling thru.

He didn't put a coat of mud on the drywall taped corners, just primer on day 2. I feel I want to remud ( or at least spackle?) over the tape. Although its sealed and not loose, I don't want to take chances of it peeling down the road. Good idea? Or should I skip it and just reprime and paint?

 

For the most part, the bed coat attaches the tape securely by itself but you usually need 1-2 coats of mud over it in order to make the tape disappear. I suspect it will need more j/c to make it look nicer.
Is it something that would show up in a pic? http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html

 

I don't mind so much that the seams show through the paint; I'm just worried about it peeling off over time.

Here are a couple of pics. Sorry for the lighting! The first is the right corner. The tape actually blends well into the mud, and the primer covered most of it. By touch, you can't tell there's tape until the bottom last inch.

The other is the left corner that I just applied a new coat of mud to. It is prettier now, will sand tomorrow. What do you think?

I would just love to add another coat of primer now. Maybe I can prime the walls now and the newly mudded corners tomorrow??

 

There isn't any reason to prime again now and then add mud to those areas! The excess tape in the 1st pic needs to cut off. All the areas where you can either see where it was tape or otherwise not smooth need to have more j/c applied, then sanded and primed. You really need to get the drywall finish as nice as you can because the semi-gloss paint will highlight any areas that aren't right.

 

No ones good enough to get a taped seam right with one coat.
It takes about 3 coats, starting with a 6 or 8" wide knife and finish with a 12" with slightly thinned drywall compound (not spackle)
Thin mutable coats is the key.
Not suppose to sand between coats if it's done right. Just knockoff the high spots with a drywall knife. Sanding is to finish the last coat.
Looks like the tape has a wrinkle in it up in the corner. If so it needs to be cut out.

 

Thanks for the tips. While I recounted the seams, I decided to put a second coat of primer to the rest of the walls. I noticed afterwards a little buildup on the corners where I brushed. So there is a gap between the corner and about 3-4 millimeters away from it. Should I sand it down or just fill the gap with paint? Also noticed the walls are more "shinier" now. I'm afraid I put too much pressure on the rollers. Starting to think I should've left everything alone 😞

 

Thanks for the tips. While I recounted the seams, I decided to put a second coat of primer to the rest of the walls. I noticed afterwards a little buildup on the corners where I brushed. So there is a gap between the corner and about 3-4 millimeters away from it. Should I sand it down or just fill the gap with paint? Also noticed the walls are more "shinier" now. I'm afraid I put too much pressure on the rollers. Starting to think I should've left everything alone

 

Don't (attempt) to use paint or primer to fill gaps, that's what joint compound is for.

I don't mean to be critical but you just wasted time and money by re-priming.

 

What kind of gap? If the gap is in the drywall, use j/c to fill it. If the gap is next to the tub/tile or any thing other than drywall, caulk it.

I don't know how applying too much pressure on the roller would make the walls shinier but you never need to put much pressure on the roller. A well loaded roller is easier to use and does a better job. Let the paint be a lubricant for the roller. When the roller is no longer applying paint [or enough paint] stick it back in the bucket/tray and go again.

 

Mitch you are right. But what's done is done.

Marksr: here's a pic

 

The groove to the right of the corner needs to be filled with j/c. The void in the corner is normally filled with j/c [a little on your finger, pressed into the crack is an easy fix] or you could use caulking.

Can you feel the ridges from the brush marks? If yes, skim it with j/c and sand when dry. If no, then a decent coat of paint should hide it.

 

No I can't feel the brush marks, but I can feel some parts thicker than others.

I will fill the gaps now. Thanks Marksr!!

 

Any discrepancies you can feel have the potential for showing up in the finished paint. It's up to you to determine if it will be acceptable. Often it's easier to add a thin layer of j/c and sand it instead of trying to sand the latex paint/primer.
FWIW - there is no such thing as a perfect job but we do strive for the illusion of perfection

 

You are right. Originally I wanted the perfect job but was in a time constraint to get it done. So I guess he cut a few corners. Now I don't mind the imperfections at all, because anything is better than my peeling walls.

I just used some vinyl spackle and fingered the entire corner for an even look. So far so good. Now tackling the caulking between the cultured marble shower stall and the walls. Yikes, still haven't even painted!