5 reasons your walls need a skim coat

A smooth finish for the walls is what all of us dream of when hiring a painter in Caledon. However, it is only possible when you include all the necessary coats in the process. One such important coat to be done before you paint is the skim coating. Let’s quickly look at why this coat is unavoidable. 

What is a skim coating?

Skim coating is the process of applying a thin coat of diluted joint compound. The coat can be applied by hand, a spray rig, or a paint roller and is then smoothed out with a drywall knife or trowel. Skim coating is a great way to create even and smooth surfaces before the painting work starts. 

5 Reasons to get a skim coating

Let’s now look at 5 top reasons to get a skim coat: 

• Turning unappealing into appealing

If your existing walls have an unappealing surface texture, your first thought may have been to tear it down. However, you can avoid the hassle by skim coating the wall. This extra coat will give you a clean, fresh, and blank canvas to work on and create the wall you want.

• Repairing drywall

Drywall and ceiling repairs can often leave a blotch on the wall. The result is an uneven texture and surface. Save yourself the trouble when painting by skim coating the wall. It can give you the even surface you need to get a smoothly finished paint job. 

• New installations

Most home renovations call for new drywall installations. The problem with them is that they absorb the paint differently than the existing ones, and no amount of priming can help you mask the difference after the painting work is done. You can prevent this by skim coating the new fixture before you paint the wall. 

• Wallpaper damage

If you just removed a wallpaper during the renovation, you may need a skim coat. Removing the wallpaper can often result in gouges in the drywall or worse, in the exposure of the brown paper underneath the outer paper of the drywall. Skim coating in such cases can help you salvage your wall.

• Old surfaces

Over the years, your walls become weary, with all the abuse from pets and residents. You can bring back the luster with a properly done skim coating. The new coat can liven up the walls so that the paint job makes your walls look as good as new. 

Conclusion

A skim coat gives you a smooth finish to the walls and ceilings to ensure you have an even surface to paint on. Doing so will give you the paintwork you paid for and dreamt of. Therefore, when repairing the drywall or dealing with an old surface, it is best to get a skim coat before painting.