# Commerical Vinyl Wallpaper Priming



## Joepro0000 (Jul 27, 2009)

I'm doing a job where the wallpaper is a seperate contractor. We did the drywall finishing, and the plans stated to tint primer to color or wallpaper. The wallpaper installer said he primed the walls with a clear coat of primer, which I never heard of. The walls still looked the same as if they were finished normally. He stated it was a clear transparent primer. Then he installed the paper with the Roman Paste, and when the lights came on, all the joints/screws flashed through the paper. Who's fault is it?:no:


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## onarollpaint (Aug 8, 2011)

Depending on how many thick the wallcovering is in oz's. A thin oz wallcovering will show threw. We allways use a primer sealer (white) just to be sure. It also does not peel off when the glue touches it like normal paint will. Green board is real bad for showing threw. Any good wallpaper hanger should know this.:yes:


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## Different Strokes (Dec 8, 2010)

Who was hired to do the prime coat?


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## Paradigmzz (May 5, 2010)

Pva primer is pretty much clear.


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## OraarO (Oct 19, 2007)

Joepro0000 said:


> I'm doing a job where the wallpaper is a seperate contractor. We did the drywall finishing, and the plans stated to tint primer to color or wallpaper. The wallpaper installer said he primed the walls with a clear coat of primer, which I never heard of. The walls still looked the same as if they were finished normally. He stated it was a clear transparent primer. Then he installed the paper with the Roman Paste, and when the lights came on, all the joints/screws flashed through the paper. Who's fault is it?:no:


Sounds like the wallpaper installer primed the walls himself? If it was a clear, transparent primer and the plans stated to tint the primer to the color of the wallpaper, as you said, he blew it.

I've primed red behind wallcovering, but the WC installed thought that was so any cuts that didn't meet completely wouldn't be noticeable (the vinyl was the same shade of red).

If the seams all flash through the WC, it sounds like that was the reason the plans said, "TINT PRIMER THE COLOR OF WALLPAPER".


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

OraarO said:


> Sounds like the wallpaper installer primed the walls himself? If it was a clear, transparent primer and the plans stated to tint the primer to the color of the wallpaper, as you said, he blew it.
> 
> I've primed red behind wallcovering, but the WC installed thought that was so any cuts that didn't meet completely wouldn't be noticeable (the vinyl was the same shade of red).
> 
> If the seams all flash through the WC, it sounds like that was the reason the plans said, "TINT PRIMER THE COLOR OF WALLPAPER".


 
If that is the case then the hanger needs to get a different job, like painting:yes::jester:.


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## Joepro0000 (Jul 27, 2009)

yes, the wallpaper hanger said he primed it, but the walls where not white. Is there a clear primer for wallpaper? Never heard of it.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Joepro0000 said:


> yes, the wallpaper hanger said he primed it, but the walls where not white. Is there a clear primer for wallpaper? Never heard of it.


Shieldz Universal is clear isn't it ? Swing Wallpaper Prep Coat is clear. California makes (made) a clear prep coat. Gardz and Draw Tite are used by many and are clear. And I am sure there are many more.


Now what I do not quite understand, you said "all the joints/screws flashed through the paper". In my vocabulary "flash" means a difference in sheen. 

Was this a residential paper? 

Was it a difference if SHEEN (flashing) or actually the difference in TEXTURE between the raw rock and the sanded mud that showed through?

If that was the case, then yes, a full bodied PRIMER/SEALER should have been use to give an even surface, OR a liner should have been used.

BTW, why tint the primer? If the seam gaps are so bad that the wall is showing between the seams, then as chrisn said "hanger needs to get a different job"

True, some paper seams do show a hairline white, but that SHOULDN'T be the wall. Most usually it is the white substrate of the paper, and that can be cured by applying the correct color of gouache on the bolt ends.


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## Paradigmzz (May 5, 2010)

Joepro0000 said:


> yes, the wallpaper hanger said he primed it, but the walls where not white. Is there a clear primer for wallpaper? Never heard of it.


See post #4. Poly vinyl acetate primer.


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## jackrabbit5 (Oct 1, 2007)

Joepro0000 said:


> I'm doing a job where the wallpaper is a seperate contractor. We did the drywall finishing, and the plans stated to tint primer to color or wallpaper. The wallpaper installer said he primed the walls with a clear coat of primer, which I never heard of. The walls still looked the same as if they were finished normally. He stated it was a clear transparent primer. Then he installed the paper with the Roman Paste, and when the lights came on, all the joints/screws flashed through the paper. Who's fault is it?:no:


It depends on what you mean by "flashing". If you mean that the joints and nail spots are telegraphing through (showing irregularities in the substrate) then it is my opinion that the only thing that a pigmented primer would do is make those areas slightly more noticeable (because the wall is now a uniform color) and you would have the opportunity to go back and fix those areas before the paper was installed.

If, on the other hand, the paper is not completely opaque then you may be seeing the differences in wall color through the finish paper and that would be cured by having the walls a uniform color underneath.

In either case, if the plans call for pigmented primer, he should have used that if for no other reason than to cover his a**.

The only clear primer I would consider using over new drywall would be Drawtite or possibly one of the lesser quality knockoffs. MOST clear primers are not suitable for use over new drywall because they offer no wall protection when it comes time to remove the paper.

Oh, BTW Bill, Shieldz Universal is the white pigmented primer as opposed to Shieldz Clear.


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

Joepro0000 said:


> when the lights came on, all the joints/screws flashed through the paper.


I don't care if you tint your primer green, red, blue, or titty pink, it ain't gonna hide joints/screws. Sounds to me like a bad drywall finishing job.


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## Joepro0000 (Jul 27, 2009)

I'm not sure what happened, they already ripped out the wallpaper before they gave me a chance to look at it. All I know is what the plans said - 

"Painting contractor shall notify the gc of any unsuitable substrate or assume
the responsibility for correcting any unsatisfactory finishing."


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

Joepro0000 said:


> I'm not sure what happened, they already ripped out the wallpaper before they gave me a chance to look at it. All I know is what the plans said -
> 
> "Painting contractor shall notify the gc of any unsuitable substrate or assume
> the responsibility for correcting any unsatisfactory finishing."


Now it sounds like a "he said, she said" situation. If they didn't even give you the opportunity to LOOK at the problem, I don't know what to say. 

I guess it all depends on what the problem actually is/was. If it is the finishing of the drywall showing through, that sounds like it is on you. If it's a thin paper and the colors of the drywall finish showing through because of a clear wallpaper prep coat, it's on the paper hanger.

Keep us posted either way.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

jackrabbit5 said:


> Oh, BTW Bill, Shieldz Universal is the white pigmented primer as opposed to Shieldz Clear.


Shows you how much I know about Shieldz. :whistling2:


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

daArch said:


> Shows you how much I know about Shieldz. :whistling2:


 
You know as much as me,I have NEVER used it.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

chrisn said:


> You know as much as me,I have NEVER used it.


Used the oil version 20+ years ago, it was great.

Used the water version about 10 years ago, it failed. 

Haven't touched it since.


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## jackrabbit5 (Oct 1, 2007)

daArch said:


> Used the oil version 20+ years ago, it was great.
> 
> Used the water version about 10 years ago, it failed.
> 
> Haven't touched it since.


I hadn't used the white for many years until I tried it on a job a couple of years ago and haven't used it since. When I was using it, it was fine for hanging residential type goods, but worthless for commercial when it came to double cutting, but the last incarnation seemed to do better than previous ones. I've recently started using the clear in some circumstances, only because my local SW stopped carrying the Romans 909 clear. Otherwise I usually use Drawtite.


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## Joepro0000 (Jul 27, 2009)

The topic is still in review.

Another issue we have with him, our cornerbead sits a 3/16" lower than the drywall ceiling in a soffit. So he pre-cut his wallpaper and installed it level. This right side of the wallpaper's top edge sits flush with the inside corner where the wall meets the ceiling soffit. His left side of the wallpaper's top edge is about 1/2" short from meeting the ceiling. I put a level on the ceiling, and we are not off that much. He should of let his wallpaper hang 2 or 3 inches past the wall's inside corner, and back cut it. 

correct?


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

Joepro0000 said:


> The topic is still in review.
> 
> Another issue we have with him, our cornerbead sits a 3/16" lower than the drywall ceiling in a soffit. So he pre-cut his wallpaper and installed it level. This right side of the wallpaper's top edge sits flush with the inside corner where the wall meets the ceiling soffit. His left side of the wallpaper's top edge is about 1/2" short from meeting the ceiling. I put a level on the ceiling, and we are not off that much. He should of let his wallpaper hang 2 or 3 inches past the wall's inside corner, and back cut it.
> 
> correct?


I am lost:blink:


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## dennis d (Aug 17, 2011)

New guys .02.... Title says commercial vinyl. No type.(weight I-II or III). 

Not to blame one of my own. but the hanger should have used a tinted primer. Now depending on which clear he used, and his seaming method, might be an interesting removal. That'll be some kind of blame game


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