Don Y formulated the question :
On 12/29/2015 3:59 PM, Eagle wrote:
Oren was thinking very hard :
On Tue, 29 Dec 2015 14:40:30 -0800, "Eagle"
wrote:

Question: is there a preferrable primer to use? Or ones to avoid?
Thanks

Try scraping off the paint and use a stone or metal wall scraper to get
the
old paint off, then use driwall topping compound and a trowel to smooth
the
wall.

The question is about paint primers. Don't let facts interfere.

I don't believe in painting over primed plaster. After 30+ years as a
plasterer,

Frenchman?

Lakota.

I avoid priming plaster walls, both interior and exterior. A bit of
work and you avoid old paint lifting after priming.

I'd like to learn how to do "smooth" -- folks here won't touch it;
always opting for aggressive textures (to hide their sins!). Any
pointers besides "practice, practice, practice" (joint taping)?

I like smoooth as well!
Start with a fairly smooth wall and use a hawk and Trowel to spread the
driwall topping compound on the work area. Smooth the area with the
trowel, and if needed, wet the trowel face and keep smoothing the work
area till you are a happy camper.

We're also debating ceiling treatment. Popcorn had to go -- nasty
and dirt magnet. Not particularly fond of the various "knockdown"
textures as they are common on most walls, here. Grew up with
brush swirl but I'm not sure even that would fare well, here.

Might opt for something like a slapbrush as it would be a bit more
forgiving without being as "noisey" as the knockdowns.

Scrape off the popcorn, it will be messy so cover everything with thin
sheet plastic first so you can fold the mess into the sheet plastic and
dump it. Use driwall topping to 'fix' any divits and holes. Use Kilz to
seal the lid and spread topping smooth, or do a 'skip trowel' method of
texuring. There are several types of texturing walls and lids, so
consult a driwall pro, or better yet, a journeyman plasterer in your
area. [What state are you in?]