When Do You Need To Use A Paint Primer?

It seems like all we hear of is “how great paint and primers in one are?”  And in fact, they are.  But using a primer first is not just for those “old school” painters.  Here are some tips on when you should use a primer.

  • Bare wood needs a priming coat. If it’s new wood, old wood you have scraped and sanded then using a good quality primer is a must.  This will penetrate the fibers and allow better adhesion from the topcoat.  Just make sure you use an indoor or outdoor primer depending on the location of the project.
  • New drywall painting should be primed. Yes, some paint and primers claim to be designed for this, but drywall should have a PVA primer applied first.  This is less expensive than paint and primer in one and will help seal the paper and the drywall compound before the topcoat.
  • Smoke damage can be sealed up using the right primer. Anyone who has experience with a fire knows that the odor is very hard to eliminate.  Primers designed to seal this outdo a pretty good job and when used in combination with a good finish paint the smell can be eliminated.
  • Water stains can be sealed using the right primer. A leak from your roof, excessive moisture in the bathroom that has caused a stain should be sealed with the proper primer before it gets painted.  The chance of it bleeding through without it is highly likely.

Source: tips.hardware.com