Have you ever wondered if you could skip the tedious priming step before painting over old paint? Taking shortcuts when it comes to home improvement projects is tempting, but painting is not one of them.
Applying new paint directly over old paint may seem like a time-saver, but it can lead to a variety of issues, such as uneven color, peeling, and cracking.
Primer aims to create a smooth and consistent base for the paint to adhere to, ensuring a flawless finish that will last for years.
It is not necessary to use a primer on surfaces that have already been painted if you are going over them. In many cases, you will often only need to spot-prime any bare areas before applying your finish.
If you’re coating over a first-painted surface, you can’t go wrong with any primer. Follow the guide below to find the suitable primer for your project.
Primer Before Paint: When Is It Necessary & When Is It A Waste?
It is not necessary to use primers with every painting project. Before deciding when to apply one, you must understand what types of primers are available and how they are intended to be used.
Examining them based on their primer category is the best way to understand their intended uses.
Masonry Primer
Painting unpainted masonry is a bad idea for several reasons. The surface of some masonry surfaces can have a high pH level, causing problems with adhesion.
You can paint over a broader range of pH levels using a quality primer without losing adhesion. There is also efflorescence, which is unsightly white, crystalline deposits that can form on masonry.
Several primers for masonry are efflorescent-resistant and stop efflorescence from becoming a problem.
Wood Primer
Paint topcoats have a harder time adhering to bare wood. It was traditional to use an oil-based primer on bare wood since it dried slowly. Because it takes a long time to dry, it has more time to soak into the wood and sticks better than any other primer.
It may be best to use suitable old-fashioned oil primers for this use. However, no one likes to wait 24 hours before top coating.
Therefore, paint manufacturers have developed faster evaporating technologies in both oil-based and latex-based products that dry quickly without compromising the topcoat’s adhesion.
It is always recommended to use an oil-based wood primer if you are not concerned with taking the time to let the paint dry and you are not concerned with using solvent clean-up products to remove the paint.
Even if you are painting bare wood without those hassles, a latex wood primer is definitely worth the effort before applying your final paint coat.
Drywall Primer
It’s important to remember that new/bare drywall is porous and soaks up paint like a sponge, so it tends to cover better in some areas than others, especially when you compare drywall mud joints.
When painting over porous surfaces like drywall mud, you may notice flashing in the final sheen of the paint. A primer should precede painting new drywall or patching drywall over to achieve a consistent appearance.
Furthermore, drywall primer is usually less expensive per gallon than multiple coats of latex paint for interiors.
Bonding Primer
Even the best primers are challenged by some surfaces, which are mainly “slick,” making coatings stick to them difficult. Many examples include factory-coated metal sidings, ceramic tile, glazed blocks, plastic and vinyl shutters, and glossy surfaces.
By using the right bonding primer, you will be more likely to achieve good adhesion between your finish coat and the surrounding surface.
Stain-Blocking Primer
Different types of stain-blocking primers are formulated for various purposes.
Still, some of the most common uses are preventing water and smoke from bleeding through the finish coat, painting over crayons, markers, or grease, or making dramatic color changes – particularly when painting a lighter color over a darker color.
There Are Times When You Should Never Skip Primer When Painting
Should you prime before painting, or is it not worth the effort and expense? Yes, of course. Primers prepare surfaces for painting by sealing stains and preparing them for paint adhesion so that the paint adheres well, and the finish is smooth and clean.
You’re Painting a Surface That’s Stained
Priming the wall before painting is important if the wall has water damage or is stained in any way. Stain killer primer may even be required if unsightly spots will bleed through your painting.
You’re Painting Masonry
Surfaces like masonry and brick are very porous and absorb lots of paint. Furthermore, masonry surfaces have a high pH, making painting challenging. It’s, therefore, best to prime masonry and brick before painting them.
You’re Painting Brand New Drywall
It is harder to paint mudded joints than bare drywall between joints because fresh drywall soaks up paint like a sponge.
If you don’t use primer, your paint job will be splotchy. Applying primer to drywall before painting it will make your finished wall look even, clean, and professional.
You’re Painting Over Wallpaper
Painting over wallpaper is indeed possible. The only thing you should do before you attempt this is to prime the surface.
In contrast, if you’ve already removed the wallpaper, you’ll need to prime the wall to eliminate nicks and/or flaws that may have resulted from the wallpaper removal process.
You’re Painting Over a Darker Color
Recent years have seen a lot of interest in dark interior paint colors, but a primer will be needed when trends change.
Light colors can be painted over dark colors with additional coats to prevent the old shade from showing through. You can save time and money by priming your wall before painting.
You’re Painting Over Unfinished Wood
Paint is one of the most challenging things to do on bare wood. Variations in wood grain can create an uneven finish due to the natural fibers in the wood absorbing a lot of paint. Always prime unfinished wood before painting it to achieve the best results.
You’re Painting Over a Skim Coat
The surfaces of walls can be smoothed by applying a thin layer of plaster or drywall compound.
The paint soaks up much of this material due to its porous nature. It is recommended that you prime a skim-coated surface first before painting it to reduce the amount of paint needed.
You’re Painting Latex-Based Paint Over Oil-Based
Have you heard the old saying that oil and water don’t mix? In the case of paint, the adage holds true. In most cases, water-based latex paint won’t adhere to an oil-based paint-covered wall unless you prime it first.
Final Words
Most likely, you won’t need a primer. You can proceed directly to paint if the existing wall is smooth, clean, and painted with the same paint type (both oil-based, for example).
It is also necessary to fill holes in the wall, apply spackle and sand, and perhaps even add a piece of new drywall.
Primer ensures a smooth, consistent base layer for the colored paint, ensuring a smooth finish. Primers will provide a masking effect for many imperfections when used in this manner.
