Topcoat or just leave primer?

[JackOfDiamonds]

I just primed the bare drywall in my garage with PVA primer. Looks WAY nicer now.

I was just going to leave it this way, because "it's a garage". But, should I put a top-coat on it, if only to make it more durable or cleanable? I'm a cheapskate, so I don't have a problem just slapping another coat of PVA primer on it in the future if it gets smudgy or something. The top-coat I use will be white anyway.

If I did top coat it, should I use any good interior latex paint, or is there something special that would be better in a garage?

 

[fourbyford]

On a couple of my projects, I've used exterior semi-gloss... repels water and is easy to clean.

...D

 

[nadogail]

IMHO, Cheap Skates eventually wind up either paying for what they get or wishing they had.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

...Cheap Skates eventually wind up either paying for what they get or wishing they had.

I’ve seen and fixed plenty of that over the decades!

I’d do the exterior paint...

 

[NUTTSGT]

Top coat it. I originally prime my garage with oil based Kilz. It slowly yellowed over the years. I never noticed till I moved something and saw how yellow it was. Then it was time to paint it, which included moving stuff and painting around stuff.

 

[ncfireman1918]

Here's a pic from when I was painting mine earlier this year. The off white part is Kilz oil based that I had primed the week before. It looked white to me until I started putting actual white paint on it. As I understand it, the primers will only discolor more over time without a top coat.

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[JackOfDiamonds]

Why exterior paint?

The primer I used was PVA primer from Lowes; it's water-based. I used it because I read on here that you should use PVA primer. I didn't know Kilz was oil-based. Am I using the wrong primer?

 

[Stuart in MN]

I'd just go ahead with interior paint, whatever Lowes sells that goes along with the primer you used.

 

[ncfireman1918]

Why exterior paint?

The primer I used was PVA primer from Lowes; it's water-based. I used it because I read on here that you should use PVA primer. I didn't know Kilz was oil-based. Am I using the wrong primer?

**EDIT** I just noticed that you are priming drywall, vs. OSB or some other wood based material. The PVA primer you used should be perfectly fine over the drywall.


I wouldn't (personally) get too caught up in PVA vs. Alkylid (oil based) vs. shellac. The important thing is that you use a primer that is compatible with your base material. I knew that I was staying away from water based primer because I did OSB on my interior walls, and water based can cause issues with the glue in the OSB (some have used it and it was fine, others not so much). Once you have the primer down, and your material sealed you can typically go with either oil or latex paint with no issues. I just posted the pic to show white paint over what I thought was white primer. You don't notice the difference until they are right next to each other.

As far as the exterior paint goes, I've seen plenty who used it and had good results. I chose to use latex interior paint because I've read in multiple places that exterior paint can have some chemicals to inhibit mold, mildew and algae, and those chemicals may not be the best to breathe. I don't know the accuracy of that information, but I chose to use a paint that is designed to be indoors. I spend a lot of time in my shop, and don't want to have regrets in 25 years because of something that I shouldn't have been breathing.

Just one opinion, take it for what it's worth. Good luck and post pics!

Chris