Take The Headache Out of Finding Paint Coatings for Each and Every Job
The right kind of coating is crucial. If you pick the incorrect paint, it will not matter how much effort and money you spend on your project. Too many perfectly great paint projects deteriorate too early because the wrong primer and paint were used.
A dependable rule of thumb is to match the existing covering. If you're painting or staining on top of latex paint, recoat with latex. You may have a variety of choices if the surface is uncoated, nevertheless, you still need to consider weather, maintenance, and strength to determine the best finish for for the project.
How We Improved Our Painting With Primers
Primer is the unsung hero of any quality paint job. It establishes how well the surface is protected and how long the paint will last. Knowing when to use primers screws up painters almost as much as which primers to make use of. Basically, you need to use a primer if you are coating a fresh or bare surface; changing colors, textures, or finishes; or making a surface more uniform. About the only time you don't have to prime is when you're recoating with the same paint and finish over a sound paint, for example, a flat latex paint over another flat latex paint.
To make sure of compatibility, choose something that's part of a paint system. By paint system I am saying a primer and top layer distributed by the same company. Labels of better paints always recommend specific primers and top coatings for various materials and conditions. If you don't want to deal with reading the small print, ask to read the spec, or data sheet, on a particular primer. In case a spec sheet isn't available, ask to see what's known as a “specifier’s guide,” although these guides probably have more information than you may ever need and you may want help translating a few of the terms and specifications.
Primers form a solid base for the top coatings by penetrating, sealing, and bonding to all or any types of bare surfaces. Without first priming a fresh or reconditioned surface, you'll find that the top coatings ends up flaking off much earlier than you'll expect. Even though you may use additives such as Emulsabond, don't make the mistake of convinced that primers are optional, or can be produced out of diluted paint.
Usually in one coat most primers even out surfaces and places which have been scraped and sanded. Sometimes a surface will require a second layer of primer to ensure a smooth undercoat, but often one will do. The house pictured below is an exemplory case of a job where two applications of primer were used. The bare wood siding was primed with an oil-based primer for extra adhesion. Then, a latex primer was applied over all the siding to provide it a level base for the top layers. Some climates almost demand a second coating of primer. I've heard of one contractor in Florida who always double primes to guarantee that his jobs last. If you live near salt water, I would recommend that you consider doing the same.
Primers highlight surface conditions by pointing out imperfections such as loose fibers in drywall and raised wood grain in trim. You might think that a primer would smooth a surface, but if you run your hand over a primed portion of trim it always feels harsh. That's because primer forces out loose grain as it penetrates. After a dried primer has been lightly sanded, the smoothed surface is ready for layer. (Here's a tip: In the event that you tint your primer the color of the top coat, you can actually speed up the painting process by minimizing the number of top layers needed. Tinting is mainly used for color changes, although it's also handy for areas like bare drywall.)
Here’s What You Should Do When Priming Interior Wall Surfaces and Ceilings
I recommend using latex primers whenever we can. Ask your paint dealer for advice on the best primer for interior trouble spots, like the laundry room and bath, that require a good sealant and a water resistant primer. I've always used alkyd primers in wetter areas of the home, although there are excellent latex primers that seal about as well. I prime most drywall interiors with latex, especially the bedrooms, living room, and closets. I spray a latex primer on new construction because new structures have enough vapor barriers. Also, I could paint an oil-based top coat over latex primer.
Older houses require room-by-room decisions on what primer to make use of. If the home doesn't have a vapor barrier or good ventilation, you will require a primer that seals the wall space and keeps dampness from getting between the surface and the paint.
Latex stain blockers and sealers may be the response to priming wet rooms in the house. These quick drying primers help condition surfaces with water, cigarette smoke, and tannin staining, plus they can be recoated very quickly, sometimes within the hour. Pittsburgh's Seal Grip is a superb latex stain blocker with few VOCs and all the advantages of an oil-based stain blocker. Quick drying alkyd primers such as Kilz have pigmented shellac (with high VOCs) that also works as a stain killer and sealer, but I don't recommend these for latex top coats, the shellac might show through the latex. In case your latex has what's known as “good hold" or hiding properties, it will maintain an even sheen over primer. You may guarantee compatibility by utilizing a high quality latex stain blocker such as Seal Grip.
With regards to walls, remember that plaster and drywall will vary. Plaster is highly alkaline, especially when it's new, and it can leach alkaline salts if it isn't properly sealed. There are numerous primers you may use on plaster, depending on its condition and on the top layer and finish you've planned.
Drywall is much less alkaline than plaster. I usually prime drywall with a latex primer, unless the top coatings will be an oil-based paint, in which particular case I'll use an alkyd primer. (I know that there are perfectly good latex primers for any type of top coating, but old patterns are hard to break.) When painting new drywall, I'll sometimes add joint compound to the primer for a little texture. Mixed with primer, joint compound also helps level over any sanding marks or roughness.
Method For Priming Interior Wood
When choosing primer, you should consider the nature and condition of the surface, the sort of paint (alkyd, latex, or epoxy) that is planned for the finish coats, and the type of finish (flat, semi-gloss, or glossy).
Most often I prime interior wood trim with an exterior alkyd primer, which seals new wood and replaces lost water in older wood. There's also good water-based enamel primers for interior wood. Special conditions, like the high moisture common in bath rooms and kitchens, may call for a breathable latex primer if you cannot prime all around the wood. When you can completely prime the wood before it is attached in place, an alkyd primer will protect almost all of the trim from moisture. Assess conditions like these carefully and seek the advice of a specialist if your job has many different variables
Amazing Primers For Exteriors
Even though I favor latex paint for the exterior, I still choose to use alkyd primers on exterior wood. They simply do an improved job of priming bare wood. I'll use an alkyd primer if I know that the residence has no major internal vapor problems and that the wood is in good shape (which often means that it is new), especially if I had access to the siding and wood trim before it goes on. It's always best to seal all over the wood (but not the ends) to provide each piece its vapor barrier.
New redwood and cedar siding, as well as hardboard siding, needs special attention. Redwood and cedar will bleed tannins for a long period, even if the lumber has air-dried for a few months. Before priming, you should wash out the tannin with a mild detergent, and follow this with a good rinsing. Redwood and cedar are rather porous, so you might need to wait a day or two to let them dry out. There are a good chance that more tannin resin will seep to the outside, so avoid priming with latex because the resin will bleed through. Instead, use two coats of an alkyd primer/sealer, and use high quality latex for the final coatings. Any staining that happens after that can usually be washed off with special wood cleaners.
Hardboard siding, new or already coated, presents a special challenge. Having less grain or anything resembling a porous surface makes hardboards such as Masonite difficult to adhere to. If the wood is new then pressure wash and rinse it. If water still beads up, wash it again to eliminate all the wax. Seal new hardboard with a specially designed hardboard primer/sealer, such as Pittsburgh Paints Permanizer Plus Wood Stabilizer. When blended with a top coating, Emulsabond makes a great hardboard primer. These and other high quality sealers also work well on metal or vinyl siding, plywood veneers, textured wood, and other composite sidings.
Improved Metal Primers
Every metallic should be cleaned of oil, grease, rust, or any other residue before you prime it, so the primer gets thorough attachment with the surface. Most metal areas can be cleaned with a good thinner. Galvanized metals sometimes come from the factory with a stabilizer that can be tough to eliminate, and may need more than simply thinner. Consult with your paint store if you would like to be certain a primer will work on new galvanized metallic surfaces.
There are primers for each kind of metal. Ferrous metals, manufactured from iron and steel, should be primed with a rust inhibitor. Rust is almost impossible to completely remove if you don't sandblast it, and even then small pockets of rust can remain that will grow again under an unsealed surface or the incorrect primer. Rust inhibitors totally seal the outer layer from contact with air. Some companies make reference to these primers as direct-to-rust or direct-to-metal (DTM) primers. Smaller projects like handrails can be primed with aerosol rust inhibitors such as Pratt & Lambert's Effecto Spray Enamel, which I've had success using.
Other metals, including copper, aluminum, bronze, and brass, should be layered with zinc-chromate primer. Some paint companies have a particular primer for new galvanized steel. Older galvanized material can be primed with a rust inhibitor like those mentioned above.
As with any layer, the more time the primer is able to flow and contact the surface, the better the adhesion. Quick setting primers don't flow much by any means and stay right where they're applied, for good or for bad. A clean surface is especially important when you use a quick drying primer. Remember that some paint manufacturers recommend cleaning metals (and most other surfaces) with a thinner, while other companies recommend against using almost any solvent cleaner. Read the directions carefully.
An old technique that still works well for cleaning new or old metals is washing the surface with a one-to-one mix of vinegar and water. Vinegar can be an all-purpose, inexpensive cleaner that will also etch a metal material if blended at that ratio. Etching metal works like sanding wood. It provides surface "teeth" for better adhesion. That same ratio is convenient for new rain gutters or uncoated aluminum siding. However, it should not be used to completely clean galvanized metals, because the vinegar will harm the galvanizing.
Amazing Primers For Masonry
Whether it's inside or out, masonry usually needs a primer or sealer that will resist moisture and alkalis. Alkalis are salts that leach out as time passes, leaving a chalky stain called efflorescence. The source of the efflorescence, usually water, must be cured for alkali-resistant primers and sealers to help. New masonry has to cure for 3 months before you can prime and paint it, especially if it is highly alkaline, like stucco.
Sherwin Williams has a masonry primer called Loxon that withstands alkalinity up to pH 13; it could be coated on masonry that is a week old. Stucco, which is basically colored mortar and filled with lime, is an ideal surface for Loxon, as is new plaster or poured concrete. Pittsburgh Paints can provide a primer for new, high-alkaline masonry, called Speedhide Alkali Resistant Primer; it's provided for oil-based paint. You also can add this primer to cured masonry with a latex top layer, but it's important that you utilize latex only on low alkaline masonry. In these situations I've had success adding Emulsabond to the latex for extra adhesion. I would recommend it for most masonry applications.
Etching with muriatic acid used to be the only procedure to speed up the drying time of concrete. You are able to still etch if you are so willing, although if I never see another box of muriatic acid, that could be just fine. (If it etches concrete, imagine how well it etches pores and skin!) Etching takes a bucket, hose, brush, gloves, and complete eye and skin protection, remember a respirator, specially when you combine the acid with the water. Important: Add the acid to the water, not the other way around. If you add normal water to acid it'll splash and burn up anything it contacts. And combine it in the proper ratio, usually 1:3. Make sure you have brushes, sponges, towels, and least one 5 gallon bucket of clean water for emergencies, and another 5 gallon bucket for rinsing.
Reconditioning older, peeling concrete floors can be considered a chore. It's best to keep them well managed and recoat them regularly, before they need to be completely redone. Cement floors in really sad shape should be sandblasted, or you may use a new system called Peel-Away which makes prepping masonry a little easier (it's still no picnic). If the floor is in good shape, prep the surface and remove any trace of grease or wax with a good thinner.
For new cement floors, I would recommend a cement stain created by H&C or Okon; they come in water based and silicone acrylic. My inclination is water based stain, since silicon is a wax that eventually will wash off. Cement stain penetrates and seals without requiring scraping or sandblasting, and resists fading much better than a top coating like latex.
Older, pre-painted cement floors need to be repainted with a similar top layer, whether latex or alkyd. A latex top overcoat is best applied over a standard concrete sealer, but Emulsabond also works well. An oil-based top coat requires an oil-based enamel or epoxy concrete conditioner. I'd add Penetrol to the primer for a longer lasting bond.
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