Spraying should be optional. It doesn't help the quality of the job if the paint is sprayed. If spraying though, the primer/paint needs to be backrolled. PVC primer should be avoided. It's low quality. If anything I would spec that it not be used. 24 hours might not be required for recoating. Manufacturers recommendations should always be followed. Sanding between coats of flat is not necessary. You just want to make sure that the final result is a smooth, evenly applied paint. Usually we sand after primer and the wall is smooth forever after that.

The best paint specifications in the world aren't worth the paper they're printed on if the painter you hire isn't a high-quality professional. If you hire a real pro and tell them the quality level you're looking to achieve you won't need specs.

And the painter and paint is worthless if you didn’t get the best framer for the straightest uncrowned walls, and then have the best drywall crew in the area do the skim coating. Paint isn’t a fix for marginal work underneath.

You don't need to tell a Pro painter anything . A great one will tell YOU

Actually a great framing job isn't worth anything if the architecture is all wrong. And the architecture isn't worth anything if you have the wrong lot... Well past the point of any of that advice being remotely useful but hopefully future readers with the same painting questions will read this before their houses are framed...

I've been through 4 remodels in my life, now deep into number 5, and each time I learn more, and I have better conversations with pros, clearer descriptions of work, better fit of expectations, and typically, more money for the pro since I have a better understanding of what I'm getting.

Many times on this forum we homeowners get a "tsk tsk" for our part in not being crystal clear up front with the pros we hire. Yet many pros (all trades, not just painters) give little specification at all or, when they do, are all very different. Maybe not where you live, but in the booming Seattle economy, finding a pro with availability is a huge battle in itself.

Houzz can be a great resource for helping those of us who keep pros in business by helping us be smarter consumers and helping clarify expectations up front with those we hire. If all homeowners sat back and trusted everyone calling them pros with a few good references -- and we all had the means of hiring the top pros in each trade for each project -- would there even be a Houzz?

Paintguy, thanks for answering my question and helping me be a smarter consumer of services from all the pros out there. I trust future readers who are asking about paint, and want answers about paint, will find it helpful as well.

Dave W.-

Yes, forget about the PVA/PVC primers. They're one step above worthless.....

* If my project, I would use C2's SAP (Sandable Acrylic Primer), Zinsser 123, or any good "Enamel Undercoater" primer. Consider 2 coats of primer....it'll give you a teeny bit more "sanding thickness".

* You'll have a good/firm/smooth base when these types of primers are sanded.

* Backrolling with 3/4" rollers may introduce a tiny amount of roller-stipple. I would use high-quality 1/2" or 3/8" for the backroll.

* Floetrol can obviously help, but don't get carried away. XIM has a good "Latex-Xtender" additive.

Faron

And then don't stand over them. Please : )

Let us know if you get anyone to do this job after you tell them how to do their job.

As mentioned above a quality painter will let you know what he is going to do and

you can determine if you want to use him/her.

Get references.

Yes, Angel, I found someone. And I was never interested in "telling them how to do their job." If you bothered reading and considering the intent of my question instead of immediately assuming some threat to the sanctity of your Pro-hood you'll see I was not dictating but simply wanted to know what to ASK OR LOOK for.

Two pros told me they'd use PVA which, thanks to those who actually answered my question, I now know to avoid. One was recommended by my local Sherwin Williams, another by a neighbor and a couple other references. They all knew what end result I was looking for which, if you had your way, would have remained as vague as "I want smooth paint, please" and just trust the pro to know what we mean.

The pro I ultimately hired provided specs that I now understand better, thanks to those who answered my question. They were pretty close to what I was suggesting tho without PVA. Without Propainter I might have taken those lower bids. All the bids came with good references. They all promised smooth paint on Level 5. How else could I know which to pick?

I'm glad doctors don't kick us out of their offices for coming in with ideas and questions. But now that I see home design and construction are more complicated. I suspect if you had your way Houzz would just be a glorified Pinterest - a collection of pretty pictures that homeowners can share with the Pros, then shut up, sign the quote, and pay the bill.

if you are choosing a flat finish why spend the money to do a level 5 finish just do a level 4.save your money it's a jump from 4 to 5.

We a tremendous amount of glacé finishes and a to obtain a smooth wall is very expensive and time consuming.

Glace Finish · More Info

This is example of a smooth surface. No rollers or spray equipment used.

If you're writing specs and feel the need to check with a Houzz forum to see if they are right, you shouldn't be writing the specs. And you shouldn't be reinventing the wheel. All of this kind of information has been written many times in the past and available online. Just google for it.

There is nothing worse that a customer micromanaging your work. I'm not a painter, but I've been around enough to know that the customer is not always right--especially doctors and college professors.

Where I live in Canad we almost always get a what you call level 5 finish on our drywall I paint my own homes and have found F&B paint or C2 to be my 2 favotire paints for a beautiful finish. I do use a pro for clients and he understands the need for as close to perfect as possible and now I just let him do his thing.

@patricia you are so lucky to have such skilled wall finishers. Where we work I have never seen a true level 5 finish.

Another Canadian here to say I didn't even know there were levels, we always get level 5 in my area (in my garage also - which was painted also). My brother does drywalling as a DYIer but I have to laugh as he's a level 6 or 7 ! He closes his eyes and runs his hand over the seam (with eyes closed) If he can feel a bump, on goes another layer.

I've had my hands in C2 paints for 13 years now!!