Used to spend hours skim coating every tiny crack before painting

I spent 4 hours on my living room walls last year trying to get them glass smooth before I painted. Then I realized for a basement rec room nobody even notices those hairline cracks once the paint is up. Why do we bother with all that prep when the next owner is just going to cover it with paneling anyway?

3 comments

3 Comments

drewsullivan2mo ago

Glass smooth is for Instagram, not basements. Just clean it, patch the bad spots, paint.

black.pat2mo ago

A flat finish hides a LOT of sins in a basement and doesn't show every little dust speck. That Instagram look takes way more prep and money than it's worth for a room that gets tool drops and water splashes. Just get a decent satin or eggshell paint and call it good.

lisak261mo ago

Oh man, @black.pat is spot on! I did my basement in flat paint last year and it's a game changer. That high-gloss dream finish would drive me crazy with my shop stuff and the inevitable kid fingerprints everywhere. I've already dropped a wrench and scuffed a corner - barely noticeable. Going for that perfect Instagram look down here would be like putting a white carpet in a garage, you know? Flat paint is totally the way to go for a functional space that doesn't drive you nuts every time you look at it.