If you don’t know about priming, where can you find out, with all of the choices available for paint products these days? Just imagine being someone with minimal to no painting experience walking into their local paint store and seeing all of the options there are to choose from. It can seem very confusing when it really isn’t.
So, is it necessary to prime before you paint? The answer is yes, it is necessary, if the finishing coat you are using has no primer or if you are painting a lighter color than is already on the walls. You might want to prime even if your paint has primer and you want your finish color to be as true as possible when dry.
That being said, there are times when using a primer is just not necessary. One example is if you are painting basically the same color that is already on the walls. Another example is when you have new walls that have been painted with a new drywall primer. The drywall primer is excellent for sealing drywall and getting the walls and ceilings ready for new paint.
I still use paint with primer in it, even when painting on new walls. However it is not always required. To dig into this a bit further and hopefully answer any other questions you might have, please keep reading.
What is the Purpose of Primer Paint?
The most logical thing to talk about first is, what is primer and why we use it?
The main purpose of primer is to provide an adhesive base for the finish coats of paint. That’s right, primer and your finish color are manufactured with different purposes in mind.
Primer also improves the durability of finish coats as well is a great way to transition from one color to another. For years, primers were always white. Then over the years primers started to appear in different colors. Now, most primers you buy by themselves will be a white but you can have them tinted. The purpose of this was to make the transition from one color to another much easier.
For example, if you have a bright green wall and want it espresso, then you might want to use a dark primer as a base to try and cover the green. Therefore, when you paint your finish coat, it won’t take more than one or two to cover and the end result will be just like the desired result you want.
So, now you know that primer has two main purposes. One, is to provide a proper base and adhesion for the finish coats and two, is to act as a color base.
Are There Different Types of Paint Primers?
Yes there are a few different types of primers available, they are as follows.
- Oil based primers which are used primarily for unfinished woods to seal the wood which allows the finish coats of paint to cover much nicer. Oil based primers can be used with interior and exterior applications. Common applications for oil based primers are doors, windows and unfinished wood.
- Shellac based primers are excellent for blocking stains and even smells. Yes, it smells. When shellac based primers are used, they will seal up wood and drywall from any smells those materials might have had from fire or water damage. Shellac based primers are used in interior applications.
- The most commonly used of all primers now are water based primers. Water based primers are used on new walls and ceilings. Water base primer is an interior paint product.
There you have it, the three primary primers described at a high level that should make your decision on what to use much easier now. I know there are more questions you probably have so I have tried to come up with questions someone might have regarding this topic and then answered them below.
What Happens if You Don’t Use Primer before Painting.
- If you don’t prime new drywall, your paint job is going to look terrible. All of the seams will show through the paint most likely adding to how terrible it looks. As well, the paint will feel rough to the touch and it won’t have the bonding power it should. This means peeling paint is a possibility.
- One of the jobs of primer is to help the finished color show in the way it was meant to. Without priming, your color might be dull, too light, too dark, etc.
- You will have to paint multiple coats of your colored paint without priming first. This is an extra cost for you plus the extra time it will take to paint that extra coat or two.
Do I Need Two Coats of Paint if I Use Primer?
I would say yes. Some paint manufacturers would say no. Let me explain.
Let’s say you prime your walls and you have a paint that doesn’t have primer in it. I have been in this scenario hundreds of times. Even with primer, after your first coat of paint, there will be some spots that just don’t have enough paint and it will show. The walls might even have rough spots. Unfortunately, it will look like you need another coat of paint to finish the job.
Let’s look at another scenario. Again, your walls are primed and now you have paint with primer in it. I have been in this scenario numerous times as well. With new walls that are primed, your first coat of paint, even if it has primer in it, will still be soaked up a bit in the wall. This means a second coat will be required. I have found it very rare when two coats of paint were not required.
Paint manufacturers can say what they want when they are trying to sell products. One coat paints are definitely good products. Unless you are using it over the same color, then you will probably want to apply two coats.
What Color is Primer Paint?
Primer is white. When you buy a can of straight primer, you always get white paint.
You can, however, have the paint tinted. This helps you get to your desired color easier with the tinted coloring as a base.
How Long Should You Wait to Paint Over Primer?
When the primer is dry. All cans of primer will have the desired time frame for drying time clearly displayed. You might have to adjust the time based on humidity levels etc. I usually wait approximately four hours for primer to dry.
Can Paint Primer be Used Alone?
Paint primer is not meant to be used alone. As previously explained, primer and top coat paint (the color you picked) have two different jobs. Primer is for sealing the surface and adhesive properties so finish coats of paint stick properly to the surface finish coats of paint seal further than the primer providing durability and protection for the walls.
I would not recommend using primer alone unless it is a room such as a mechanical/furnace room or maybe a garage where you don’t care as much about the finished product.
Do I Need to Prime if My Paint has Primer in It?
It depends on the surface you are painting on.
- If it is new drywall, I would still prime.
- If the existing color is darker, then yes.
- If the surface is porous like stucco, then yes.
The only time I wouldn’t worry about priming when your finish color has primer is when the color you are covering is almost identical to the new paint.
Conclusion
There isn’t much to conclude here other than it is important to know your surfaces and how the paint you are using will bond with them. That usually makes the job much easier and the outcome will be end up being what you were trying to achieve all along. Good luck DIY’ers!
