Painting - when can i stop spackling and sanding?

So, we scraped off the wallpaper, and the drywall needed a lot of love after that.... so we sealed it with Gardz and then we spackled and sanded. Still not perfect. So we spackled and sanded again. Still not perfect. So we spackled and sanded AGAIN. And I feel like there will always be imperfections, and the corners and into the moldings are such hard areas to make perfect....

So my question is, when is it okay to just move on? Our next step is another seal of Gardz, and then primer (dutch boy alkyd enamel--- hopefully this is heavy-bodied and slow-drying, right?) before the paint.

Will the primer "fill in" some of the tiny imperfections left over? Can we stop spackling and sanding and move on?

- deborah

The primer will make every scratch, gouge, and bump even more visible. You can stop when you are satisfied. The first priming probably did little good, and made it harder to feather out the repairs. What and how are you spackling?

The first primer (Gardz) was necessary for the patching to be done without bubbling/lifting the torn drywall.

I don't know what product you are using to spackle, I prefer joint compound over a light-weight spackle. It is easier to smooth out and feather.

I would float out til you think it looks good enough for your taste. Close your eyes and run your hand across the wall. You will be able to feel the imperfections better than seeing them.

Primer and paint cover, they don't fill. Get it as close as possible, then prime with the alkyd primer. Then look around and touch up small uneven areas using the spackle this time. And yes its very hard to get corners and nooks and crannys perfect, that is why we charge alot for prep work:D

I do not think the first primer is required. All it does is interfere with the bond off the mud you will use to patch. Been there, done that. If the torn cardboard bubbles not enough was cut back. My normal patch method for damaged cardboard is to remove any damaged cardboard, remove any fuzz, lightly mist exposed gyspum with water, then apply mud. For small reapirs I use Easysand20, for larger areas I use pre-mix if only a thin skim is needed.

Gardz and DrawTite are specially formulated DRC's.
Drywall Repair Clears.
These are made specifically for the application of joint compound, hot mud, plaster, to bare and/or torn drywall. They give excellent 'tooth' for the patch to grip on to, and don't allow rewetting when priming, painting, or hanging over.

SW also sells one called Drywall Conditioner, but I didn't think it performed as well as the two I mentioned above.

DrawTite No-Run is head and shoulders above all the DRC's.

Been there, done that, you should try some, you will like it.

prowallguy, you said "Then look around and touch up small uneven areas using the spackle this time." following the primer coat..... are you saying that i can paint the topcoat right over that spackle afterwards?

also, it is correct that we should do a coat of gardz before the primer, right? (we already did one before the spackling)

When you go back and touch up with spackle, you will still benefit from applying primer to the newly spackled places. The primer helps provide uniformity to the finish paint. Painting over the raw spackle will create a spot with an appearance that it inconsistent with the rest of the primed wall.

Hope this helps.

Yep, what he ^^^ said.

2 finish coats couldn't hurt also.

actually, the other thing i wanted to ask you guys was, the primer says it "sands to a smooth finish"---- can we sand after the primer is dry? is that advisable and a usual step? i mean, just spot sanding, not the whole thing... and what grit paper?

wow, sanding primer better not be as dusty as sanding spackle....

Use fine grit paper, 120 is my prefered type. Somtimes when all patching and priming are done, I use a sanding pole with fine grit sanding screen and do a quick pass over all the walls.

Try primming your area with a 3/4 inch nap roller. When dry you will see exactly what will cover and what won't. Then you can touch up the ugly stuff.

What size blade are you using and is it a drywall knife? Using a drywall knife is better than using a putty knife.

What imperfections do you keep working on? Ridges, bubbles, ?

What are you using to sand? Best is a drywall sanding screen.

How large of an area are you reworking?

As for stopping and moving on: Depends on you and how satisfied you are. It can take 3-4 cycles of mudding/sanding to get perfection. Also depends on the sheen of the paint. Flat hides minor imperfections pretty well. Semi-gloss and gloss make even tiny imperfections stand out.

It also depends on lighting. A bright light at a sharp angle to the wall will cause the imperfections to pop right out.