ᐅ Skim coat the entire surface? Any recommendations?

Good morning everyone,

Construction is progressing on our project. Our walls (timber frame construction) are already covered with gypsum fiberboards.

Now we are at the point of "joint filling." We want to paint all the walls later, starting with white.

The first opinion I received was:

"The entire walls and ceilings must be fully skim-coated."
-> That would be a huge effort and quite expensive. A price of about 7,000–8,000 euros plus materials was estimated.

The second, more common opinion was:

"The staples and seams between the boards are filled, then primed, and after that the walls can be painted."
-> That sounds reasonable to me and would be a much more affordable option.

Can you share your recommendations? How did you handle this?

Attached are two pictures (yes, I know – they’re not very good 😀)

Thank you in advance!

So, my layman’s opinion is that you can’t just fill the joints and staple holes and then paint over them. It requires very precise filling and sanding. There are quality levels (Q-ratings) for this. Most likely, you should first apply painting fleece, then paint. Alternatively, you could apply a fine plaster or textured paint. But maybe an expert can provide more input on this.

Are there no other opinions? I need to make a decision soon :-)

I would definitely apply joint compound first and then cover it with drywall tape. That way, it will look neat and professional.

Give it a try: Apply filler in an area near a large window (so that grazing light falls on the test surface), only on the joints, then prime and paint. This way, you can see if it is sufficient. Ultimately, the quality of the installed panels as well as your skills in filling and sanding will determine the result.

Do you want to do the plastering yourselves or have it done by a professional? Otherwise, even if you plaster everything yourselves, there is a risk that you might create waves on the wall again if you are not really skilled at it.