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