Debate: sanding between primer coats or just rolling on two thick layers?

I painted my living room last week in Austin and spent 4 hours sanding between primer coats for that smooth finish. But my neighbor swears he just rolls on two thick layers of Behr Premium Plus and it looks fine for years. Which side are you on? Has anyone actually compared the final look side by side?

2 comments

2 Comments

reese864h ago

Three years ago I painted my kitchen cabinets in San Antonio and I did the sanding between primer coats thing because my dad drilled that into me as a kid. But I see this same argument everywhere now, not just with paint but with a lot of stuff people rush through. It reminds me of how some people race through washing their car with one bucket and dirty water and then wonder why it has swirl marks, you know? The thick coat method works for a while but it never looks as good up close when the sun hits it from the side. I think it's just a bigger trend of people cutting corners to save an hour now and regretting it later when they have to repaint or redo things sooner. Not saying everyone needs to spend four hours sanding like I did, but there's a middle ground where you at least knock down the roller stipple between coats.

the_wesley6h ago

Oh man, I am totally with you on this one. I did the same thing on my bedroom walls two summers ago, spent a whole Saturday just sanding between primer coats with a pole sander and a fine grit. It was a lot of work but the paint went on like butter and I can still run my hand across it and feel how smooth it is. My brother in law does the thick coat method and I swear his walls look like an orange peel up close, especially if the light hits them just right. That extra hour or two of sanding makes a huge difference if you care about the finish, at least in my experience.