Painting - Some painting questions from a newbie :)

I am preparing to paint the whole interior of my new house and have some questions. First off the previous owners were heavy smokers. I am going to wash the walls with Dirtex.

Question 1: Do I need to prime them or will washing them be enough?

The ceilings are textured. It is this weird pattern of fanned out half circles...I don't know how else to describe them. Has anyone seen anything like this? I wanted to clean them but think this will be a pain because they are textured so...

Question 2: Can I just prime them instead of washing them?

Question 3: What kind of primer should I use for both cases?

Thank you very much in advance!!

Annie

Nicotine stains. You can wash it but primer is the best way to cover them. These stains will bleed through most all latex primers. I would use Kilz (original oil type) to seal the stains in.

If you are trying to cover the smell, a primer - sealer is the very thing to use. Textured ceilings are difficult to wash. It is better to paint them.

If you use a latex primer, the instructions will tell you to check for coverage and sealing after a certain period of time to be sure that any stains haven't bled through.

The smoke smell tends to settle into the carpets and other fabrics as well.

Hope this helps.

First off, thank you both for your help. So it seems as if you both agree I should prime first then paint. So if I choose to go that way, can I skip the washing step and just prime then paint. I am trying to cut down on time and cost. But I also don't want a paint job that looks terrible.

Thanks again!
Annie

If the walls are terribly grimy or dusty, then washing is recommended.

If its just average wear and tear, skip cleaning and go straight to priming.