[Pear]

Gentlemen, we just finished a 100k sq ft wall project. Good walls, great seams and standard progress until an EPIC Problem arose.
We Sprayed USG texture from the same spray rig we have used on 80-90 jobs, and sprayed on a medium-heavy orange peel.
The texture appeared to be near perfect upon initial inspection. No dripping sagging etc. Gun worked well, Texture was pretty. We were proud, customer was ecstatic.
Then, as soon as the painter shot the primer, BAM "pinholes" everywhere. He followed with Kwal CoMex shortly thereafter.
On the non primed/painted areas there are NO holes. Even on zoom on the camera it is hole free until we get to the primer-ed section.
He claims texture was dry to touch before shooting but the median time was less than 30 hours. USG won't give a written answer but verbally says it was either 1)primed too quickly, 2)not in an air conditioned space and was affected by humidity/primer reaction etc. (it was blazing hot but very high humidity that week) 3) possible reaction from primer/paint.

ANY thoughts, ingenious insight or comments will be greatly appreciated. We have never had this issue before EVER. What gives fellow texture pros? Could it be a bad batch of texture (I doubt it but who knows), too little time, or what? I'm confused and want to do right by my customer.
Help me PLEASE ????

 

[M T Buckets Painting]

I have seen texture leave pinholes when the material is way too thin and excessive amounts applied. Kinda looks like craters on the surface of the moon...
Was the sheetrock primed before texture?

Did it seem like the problem was only prominent on exterior walls and ceilings where a vapor barrier may have been present?

There are alot of factors that could have been the culprit of this problem. Heat and humidity are sometimes out friends but, many times they can be our worst enemies.

 

[Pear]

Not too thin

No sir, we ran the same dilution as usual. The same amount of mud that we always use etc. That is what is puzzling. I have seen the "too Wet" holes in past jobs and these are way smaller (almost look like a black powder).

Yep, I usually am a fan of humidity and heat, and so I can't figure out why that is getting blamed by the rep, but I want to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Strange part is, NO HOLEs on the stuff that isn't primed.

Do you think the primer, the short dry time etc could have an effect?
I appreciate your taking the time to answer. This one kept me up all night with concern.
Thanks
Steve

 

[M T Buckets Painting]

A fix for the problem may be applying a high build surface primer. It will fill alot of the surface imperfections. I would use a thick nap roller cover and roll the heck out of it. The only problem is that it will soften the look of the texture.

Possibly try it in one of the closets and see what the result is.

I know I sidetracked from your original question but, this may be an answer of how to fix the original problem.

Sherwin Williams makes a good high build primer:thumbup:

 

[cdwoodcox]

Can you post a pic of texture. I sprayed a spanish lace ceiling once looked great painter primed half the ceiling pinholes everywhere. The home owner told him to stop and called me I went there the next morning and couldn't figure it out I asked the painter to prime a room so I could see what was happening turns out he was putting so much primer on texture prime was pinholeing and check cracking. I told him to spray the next room with half that much primer no problems.

 

[Pear]

You must have been on the jobsite!

That was my idea too. I did two passes of High Build Sherwin W. in one room and it looks like it can be a fix.
Now, if I can just figure out the "why" for the problem, I can know where to send the bill for rolling 100k sq ft of wall :thumbup:

 

[Pear]

CD- I think you found it!

Sir, you just confirmed what I thought. This painted was using a gas powered Graco, with HEAVY primer, and was "blowing & going" at close range (Less than a foot) from surface.
Primer in large amounts or under high pressure does some weird things. I hadn't worked with this painter before and in trying to come up with a solution, he just wanted to pass the buck to us.
We stepped up, but when we saw non-primed spots, that remained perfect,
we started to get suspicious.
Thank you for that!

 

[M T Buckets Painting]

If in fact, the problem is a result of the painter putting too much material on the surface, I would tend to think that it is his problem now. It seems that your painter has lifted his leg and pissed on the job. Now, your painter owns the job. In my neck of the woods, that is the way that it works.