Putty and priming of drywall sheets

Plasterboard sheets have partly earned their huge popularity with ease of installation. But after installing the sheets, the master faces a more important question: "how and how to prime drywall?".

First, the priming stage should be preceded by the surface putty stage. To do this, we use a starting mixture and a finishing mixture, spatulas (usually two — large and small), sandpaper and reinforcing mesh, as well as the containers necessary for solutions.

It is necessary to start priming the surface from the joints between the drywall sheets. It is quite possible for this process to require a fine-mesh reinforcement mesh, which masks too wide gaps between the sheets. After the putty dries between the seams, you can start processing the entire surface of the material. In this case, it is necessary to use a starting putty mixture. The solution should be prepared in a small amount, exactly as much as you can use during operation. Putty is applied to the spatula and evenly distributed over the surface in the direction from bottom to top. For filling corners and hard-to-reach areas, it is rational to use a smaller spatula.

After the first layer is completely dry, it is necessary to inspect the surface for any defects. If any, you can apply a second coat of starter mix. After this layer has dried, the surface should be thoroughly cleaned with fine-grained sandpaper and the last layer of finishing putty should be applied, which will completely eliminate the remaining defects. The final putty must be applied in a thin layer.

The question of whether the surface should be primed after putting putty divided all builders into two warring camps. At the same time, some of them claim that a primer is absolutely necessary, while others claim that it is quite possible to pass this stage, especially if we are talking about such a material as drywall sheet. Before priming the drywall, you need to wait until the layers of putty on the surface are completely dry. The exact time required for the putty to dry is indicated on the package of the mixture. As a rule, this period is about 24 hours, after which you can start the surface priming stage. The type of primer should be selected in accordance with the type of finishing material that you plan to use for decorative surface finishing.