What Is Paint Primer and What Does It Do?
Primer is essential for almost every paint project. Whether interior or exterior, careful prep and primer are the keys to a quality paint job. Primer is formulated to be a binding layer between the work surface and the paint, not only yielding a truly professional-looking paint job but also providing durability and longevity.
If you live in Denver and the Front Range, you can trust Singletrack Painting to provide top-quality painting services. With years of experience, Singletrack knows the importance of careful prep and priming. Singletrack's fine workmanship and expertise will transform your home. When you're ready to hire a painter, Singletrack Painting has the knowledge and skill to complete a top-notch job.
Understanding the role of primer for both interior and exterior painting will give you the confidence to complete a top-notch paint job. It always pays to apply primer before you paint!
What Is Paint Primer?
What is paint primer and why does it matter? Primer provides a preparatory coating for surfaces before painting. Most primers contain solvents, synthetic resins, additive agents, and in some cases, polyethylene. Various solvents are used, depending on what the primer will be applied to. The resins bind the primer and the added agents aid in flow and coverage properties. In other words, the engineered ingredients in primer allow the paint to adhere better and provide a smooth foundation for the paint. Priming before painting results in a more beautiful, durable, and longer-lasting paint job.
Primer is the last important step in the prep process. Once walls are repaired, sanded, smooth, and clean, primer is applied. The primer provides 2 benefits for a good paint job:
It seals the surface, making the paint look smooth and even. Sealing with primer is particularly important when painting new drywall, unpainted brick, and unpainted wood. The sealing properties of primer can also cover stains and odors.
It acts as an adhesive, giving the paint an ideal surface to stick to.
Whether on exterior or interior painting projects, it's important to match the type of primer to the type of paint that will cover it. A primer used under enamel oil-based paints will be a different product than a primer designed to go under acrylic-latex paints.
The Essential Role of Paint Primer
For a long-lasting, durable paint job, the paint has to adhere properly. This is why primer is so important. It seals the surface and provides a layer that the paint will stick to. It may seem like extra work to apply primer but remember that painting is 90% prep and 10% paint!
The primer must be applied when painting:
Drywall – Primer must be applied to seal new drywall. This applies to freshly hung new drywall and patches.
Exposed Exterior Surfaces – Raw concrete, brick, and wood must be sealed with primer for the paint to adhere properly to these porous surfaces. If they are already painted and the paint is adhered correctly then no primer is needed.
Stained Surfaces – When painting over stained wood, the primer must be applied first.
To Cover Mold and Stains – Special primers like Kilz, are formulated to cover stains, smoke, mold, and mildew. Oil or shellac work best in these scenarios.
To Cover Wear and Tear – Surfaces with significant wear and tear should be primed in order to smooth and even out the worn surface.
Priming definitely pays off but you may ask, do you have to prime before painting? Is it always necessary to prime? If painters clean walls isn't that enough prep to then go ahead and start painting? Sometimes! With clean walls, a similar color can be painted right over or if changing from a lighter color to a darker color. However, if changing from a darker color to a lighter color a primer would be recommended. Read on to learn more!
When and Why to Use Primer in Your Painting Project
As mentioned above, if you're going to paint raw drywall, wood, cement, or brick don’t skip priming. Primer is also a must for painting over stain, or mold. But maybe you're planning to paint a light neutral over a saturated dark hue. Can you skip the primer step? No, because without primer, you'll need many many coats of paint (think time and money!) to cover a dark color. Always prime over a dark color before changing to a lighter color.
Another scenario when primer is an absolute must is when you're painting over a glossy surface. Glossy paint is inherently slick and doesn't provide any kind of “peak or valley” for the new paint to stick to. A primer will make painting over a glossy surface successful and durable.
Whether you're painting light over dark, painting over a glossy surface, over stains, or mildew, primer will seal the surface and provide a uniform base for the coat of paint. All in all, primer is the underlying reason why your walls or cabinets will look professionally painted, be durable, smooth, and long-lasting
Common Misconceptions About Paint Primer
If primer is so important to a quality paint job, why can't you just leave it at that – apply primer and be done? Primer doesn't provide the various levels of sheen and color that you may want. Primer also isn’t designed to hold color depth, hue, and sheen like paint. Rich finishes with subtle undertones are only achieved with the pigments found in paints.
You can forget the primer if you're repainting a well-maintained surface with a similar color paint. Otherwise, do not skip the all-important primer! When the paint job is complete, you'll be happy that you took the time for that critical step.
Start Your Painting Project with Singletrack Painting
It can't be stated strongly enough how important prep and primer are for a successful, professional paint job. Singletrack Painting doesn't skip steps. As painting pros, we know that proper prepping and primer yield superior results.
Consult with Singletrack if you have primer or painting questions. And if you're planning to paint, be assured you'll receive the finest workmanship and terrific customer service. Ready to get started? Get in touch with Singletrack Painting today!
