A while ago my mom stripped the mirrored tiles off her hallway wall - really dirty yellow oil-based(?) gloss paint from the 70's. I primed the ripped paper with Kilz and then skimmed with pre-mixed joint compound. I really didn't want to sand (lead?) so planned on skimming the entire hall (it's only 10ft long or so by 7'6" or 7'9" high, the other walls have lots of doors). Now I'm thinking I really don't want to skim around doors, though I think I'll have to skim the blank wall just to feather out all the patches. So, what should I do and in what order? Skim over the old dirty wall on Sat, let her handyman paint the ceiling Monday (she doesn't want him painting the walls "since he's not a painter", though why she's hiring him to paint kitchen/FR/hallway ceilings I don't know)? Wash the other walls with TSP substitute or DW detergent powder to degloss, then prime and paitn all the walls after the ceilings are done? Or should I try to clean the bare wall before skimming (afraid of getting patches wet)? Or do I spot-prime the patches, then clean the wall - by then, will it be deglossed so I can prime over it? BTW, we still have some adhesive from some kind of tape stuck to the wall, so I was thinking skimming was the way to go - I tried scraping and this stuff is not coming off. I used Kilz to prime the bare paper from the ripped drywall before I patched. She only has a quart, I don't think it'll do the whole hallway, so what should we buy a gallon of? I was telling her about Aura but 1) I don't know if it'll stick to the gloss paint even if I try to degloss it by washing with DW powder 2) would it be less $$ to buy a separate primer to go over with Regal (hopefully I can talk her into Matte or Eggshell not semigloss or gloss) if I end up skimcoating? How many coats of primer over joint compound if I skim? I'm hoping for 1 coat of light green paint over white or green-tinted primer. I'm not looking forward to doing this, wish she'd had one of my brothers do it when they were visiting last year, or hire someone (she's hiring a painter to do trim and interior doors later this year, don't know why she's have "nonpainter" do ceilings now). But I didn't think it was a good idea to have skimmed wall when grandkids came to visit next month - I think we should at least get primer on before then (but after ceilings are painted). Would it be best to paint (only have a couple of weeks to let it cure b4 visit) or just prime (and then touchup and spot prime again b4 painting if needed) before the visit? Any/all help greatly appreciated!

For my two story entry, I ended up using an extension roller and a cut in tool that could be attached to the extension pole. It was hard upper body work...I think my arms hurt for a week :-) I wouldn't say its perfect...if someone climbed up close to the ceiling to inspect I am sure they would see inperfections, but from the ground it looks fine.

Faron  Are you Scroogey?! I think I take after my Grandma, she goes all out and gets really excited for holidays. My Mom used to when we were younger but sheÂs "cleaning out" and hardly puts anything up anymore. I tell her sheÂs scroogey. Ha she doesnÂt like it much! This is my first Thanksgiving, Christmas..all the holidays in my own house and I donÂt really have anything so it appears that IÂm going overboard. Ahh man! The high hiding white is grayish/brownish!?? Then I want nothing to do with that paint. Ultra white sounded so BRIGHT. Serves me right for asking the nice guy who didnÂt appear to know too much. Can I exchange that? IÂd imagine it would be fine. That really bites that IÂm going to have to drive back over there. ItÂs almost an hour drive from my house. I could go after work I suppose, but I need to prep Monday. Grr. Thank you for the heads up though because I wouldnÂt have looked and I would have been repainting. When you say for ceilings the "wall white" is fine are you talking about the base (remember I know nothing about paint) because I had them mix the Light Navajo for the ceiling. I will post before and afters. IÂm sure IÂll be in paint shock when I get home Tuesday. Hopefully not too bad.

Thanks, everyone! I'm off to buy a 1/2" nap roller, and I found a local ICI paint store, so I'm going to give the ultra-hide a try. Thanks, Paintguy, for that tip. I'm hoping the reason you like it best is that it is forgiving in terms of the flash marks! (After feeling all confident after my walls turned-out so great, I now feel like I need some sort of "ceiling paint for dummies" to get the ceiling to be even passable!) Faron, I used the non-reflective flat on the ceiling. When I asked at the paint store this is what they recommended. They did not mention the C4150 ceiling paint. I'd be curious to know your opinion on the difference between the two. My paint store told me that the non-reflective flat was only good for ceilings, as it would not stand up to wall use. What is C2 thinking here? If, as Paintguy reports, even the pros don't like the non-reflective to use on the ceiling, (and I can attest, it's certainly hard for the amateur to use), what is it's intended use--particularly if C2 has a less costly reformulated (better?) "ceiling" paint? If you have used both, or have enough comments from your customers to form an opinion, I'd be interested. Is the reformulated ceiling paint intended to replace the non-reflective? Do you think my local store is just unloading the old stuff? Just curious. Thanks Mindstorm for clearing-up the full spectrum issue. I think the full spectrum paints sound wonderful, but am wondering if there are any that are available through local stores, as opposed to mail order? Also, if I'm using basic off-whites and neutral beige, is it worth the extra cost and hassle? I've always liked plain white walls because you can change the color in a room with accessories. I'm thinking of making (for me) a "bold" move, and going with beige in my entry hall. Would I really notice that much difference between regular paint and full spectrum, considering it is, after all...beige? Thanks also Michael and Christopher for chiming in. Michael, any tips on rolling technique to maintain the wet edge? I think the longer nap roller will help, but I found, with the room size, if I start in a corner, and roll the length of my reach working across the room, by the time I get back to the side where I started, it's kinda dry? Ceiling is 9' and I'm using a pole. Surprised no one picked up on the floetrol? would this stuff help keep things wet? Is there a downside to using it?