I've been working on my textured walls and have sanded them down to improve adhesion for a skim coat. I've smoothed out the high points and now I'm wondering if I need to do a second skim coat after sanding to eliminate any visible lines. I really like how it looks at the moment and I'm all set to apply primer and paint, but I don't want to skip the second coat if it's important. Also, I've come across discussions about top coats—are they the same as primer or is there something else I need to know?
3 Answers
The top coat you're hearing about is actually a smoother, creamer mixture of drywall compound used as a final layer to make everything nice and smooth before the primer and paint. If your wall looks and feels good now, you can probably go ahead with the primer and paint without a second coat. Just know that typically you’d do multiple mud coats followed by a top coat, then primer, and finally paint.
As long as the surface is smooth, you should be fine! Shine a light at different angles after sanding to check for flatness. Mixing some colored chalk into your mud can help visualize any highs and lows too—it's much easier to see than using white. Just remember, any tiny imperfections will really stand out once you finish painting!
Ultimately, it comes down to how flat and uniform your surface looks. For beginners, getting it right in one coat is tough, and you might need a couple more depending on how it turns out. Just remember, the top coat is the very last mud layer, while primer is different and won't cover up imperfections. Good luck with the project!