Take The Headache Out of Finding Paint Coatings for Each Job
The right type of coating is essential. If you pick the incorrect paint, it won't matter how much effort and money you may spend on your project. Too many perfectly great paint projects deteriorate too early because poor quality primer and paint were used.
A dependable rule of thumb is to complement the existing covering. If you're painting or staining on top of latex paint, recoat with latex. You may have all kinds of choices if the surface is uncoated, but you still need to consider weather, maintenance, and toughness to find the best paint 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 top surface is protected and how long the paint can last. Knowing when to use primers trips up painters almost nearly as much as which primers to make use of. Basically, you need to use a primer when you are coating a fresh or bare surface; changing colors, textures, or finishes; or making a surface more uniform. About the sole time you don't have to prime is when you're recoating with the same paint and finish over a solid paint, for example, a flat latex paint over another flat latex paint.
To ensure compatibility, choose a product that's part of your paint system. By paint system I mean a primer and top coat produced by the same company. Labels of better paints always recommend specific primers and top coats for various materials and conditions. Unless you want to cope 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 might need help translating some of the terms and specifications.
Primers form a solid foundation 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 will discover that the top finish end up flaking off much sooner than you'll expect. While you can use additives such as Emulsabond, don't make the error of convinced that primers are optional, or can be made out of diluted paint.
Usually in one coat most primers smooth out surfaces and places that have been scraped and sanded. Sometimes a surface will require a second coat of primer to ensure a smooth undercoat, but often one will do. The house pictured below serves as an example of a job where two layers 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 smooth base for the finish coats. Some climates almost demand another coat of primer. I've heard of one contractor in Florida who always double primes to ensure that his jobs last. If you live close to salt water, I recommend that you take into account doing the same.
Primers highlight surface conditions by pointing out imperfections such as loose fibers in drywall and raised wood grain in trimming. You might think that a primer would even out a surface, but if you run your hand over a primed portion of wood trim it always feels rough. That's because primer causes 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 finish coat, you can actually speed up the painting process by minimizing the amount of top layers needed. Tinting is mainly used for color changes, although it's also handy for areas like bare drywall.)
How to Prime Interior Wall Space and Ceilings
I would recommend using latex primers wherever possible. Ask your paint dealer for advice on the best primer for interior trouble spots, like the laundry room and shower, that require a good sealant and a water-resistant primer. I've always used alkyd primers in wetter parts of the home, although there are excellent latex primers that seal similarly as well. I prime most drywall interiors with latex, especially the bed rooms, living room, and closets. I spray a latex primer on new construction because new structures have satisfactory vapor barriers. Also, I can paint an oil-based top coat over latex primer.
Older houses call for room-by-room decisions on what primer to use. If the home doesn't have a vapor barrier or good ventilation, you will require a primer that seals the walls and keeps water from getting between your surface and the paint.
Latex stain blockers and sealers may be the response to priming damp rooms inside your home. These quick drying primers help condition areas with water, smoke, and tannin staining, plus they can be recoated very quickly, sometimes within the hour. Pittsburgh's Seal Grip is a great latex stain blocker with few VOCs and all of the features 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. If your latex has what's known as “good hold" or hiding properties, it will maintain a consistant sheen over primer. You could make sure compatibility by utilizing a high quality latex stain blocker such as Seal Grip.
With regards to walls, remember that plaster and drywall are different. 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 coat and finish you've planned.
Drywall is a lot less alkaline than plaster. I 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 layer, but old patterns are hard to break.) When painting new drywall, I will sometimes add joint compound to the primer for just a little texture. Mixed with primer, joint compound also helps level over any sanding markings or roughness.
Priming Solution For Interior Wood
When selecting 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 kind of finish (flat, semi-gloss, or glossy).
Frequently I prime interior wood trim with an exterior alkyd primer, which seals new wood and replaces lost water in older wood. There are also good water-based enamel primers for interior wood. Special conditions, such as the high moisture common in bath rooms and kitchens, may require a breathable latex primer if you cannot prime all over the wood. When you can completely prime the wood before it goes up, an alkyd primer will protect the majority of the wood trim from wetness. Assess conditions like these carefully and seek the advice of a specialist if your project has many different variables
No-Fuss Priming For Exteriors
Even though I favor latex paint for the outside, I still would prefer to use alkyd primers on exterior wood. They simply do a better job of priming bare wood. I'll use an alkyd primer if I know that the home 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 trim before it is attached to the building. It's always best to seal all around the wood (however, not the ends) to provide each piece its own 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 wood has air-dried for months. Before priming, you should wash out the tannin with a moderate detergent, and follow this with a good rinsing. Redwood and cedar are pretty porous, so you may need to hold back a day or two to let them dry. There's 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 coatings of an alkyd primer/sealer, and use high quality latex for the final layers. Any staining that occurs after that can usually be washed off with special hardwood cleaners.
Hardboard siding, new or already coated, presents a particular challenge. Having less grain or anything resembling a porous surface makes hardboards such as Masonite difficult to adhere to. In the event the wood is new then pressure wash and rinse it. If water still beads up, wash it again to remove all the wax. Seal new hardboard with a specially created hardboard primer/sealer, such as Pittsburgh Paints Permanizer Plus Wood Stabilizer. When mixed 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.
Primers For Metals Applications
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 surfaces can be cleaned with a good thinner. Galvanized metals sometimes arrive 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 want to be certain a primer will work on new galvanized metallic surfaces.
You will discover primers for each kind of metal. Ferrous metals, made of iron and steel, should be primed with a rust inhibitor. Rust is nearly 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 surface from contact with air. Some companies refer 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 got 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 metal. Older galvanized material can be primed with a rust inhibitor like those mentioned above.
Much like any finish, the additional time the primer is able to flow and contact the surface, the better the adhesion. Quick setting primers don't flow much at all and stay right where they're applied, for good or for bad. A clean surface is particularly important when using an instant drying primer. Note that some paint manufacturers recommend cleaning metals (and most other surfaces) with a thinner, while other companies advise against using any sort of solvent cleaner. Scan the directions carefully.
An old technique that still works well for cleaning new or old metals is washing the outer layer with a one-to-one mix of vinegar and water. Vinegar is an all-purpose, inexpensive cleaner that will also etch a metal material if mixed at that ratio. Etching metal works like sanding wood. It provides surface "teeth" for better adhesion. That same ratio is helpful for new rain gutters or uncoated aluminum siding. However, it should not be utilized to clean galvanized metals, because the vinegar will harm the galvanizing.
Primers For Masonry
Be it inside or out, masonry usually needs a primer or sealer that will resist moisture and alkalis. Alkalis are salts that leach out over time, leaving a chalky stain called efflorescence. The cause of the efflorescence, usually water, must be resolved for alkali-resistant primers and sealers to help. New masonry must cure for 3 months before you prime and paint it, especially if it's highly alkaline, like stucco.
Sherwin Williams has a masonry primer called Loxon that withstands alkalinity up to pH 13; it can be applied on masonry that is seven days old. Stucco, which is actually tinted mortar and filled with lime, is a great 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. Additionally you can add this primer to cured masonry with a latex top overcoat, but it's important that you use latex only on low alkaline masonry. In these circumstances I've had success adding Emulsabond to the latex for extra adhesion. I recommend it for most masonry applications.
Etching with muriatic acid used to be the only way to speed up the drying time of concrete. You may still etch if you are so inclined, although if I never see another box of muriatic acid, that could be just fine. (If it etches cement, imagine how well it etches pores and skin!) Etching requires a bucket, hose, brush, gloves, and complete eye and skin protection, remember a respirator, in particular when you blend the acid with water. Important: Add the acid to the water, not the other way around. If you add water to acid it will splash and burn off anything it contacts. And combine it in the proper ratio, usually 1 to 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 taken care of and recoat them regularly, before they have to be completely redone. Concrete floor surfaces in really bad condition should be sandblasted, or you can use a fresh system called Peel-Away which makes prepping masonry a little easier (it's still no picnic). If the floor is in good condition, prep the area and remove any trace of grease or wax with a good thinner.
For new concrete floors, I recommend a concrete stain provided by H&C or Okon; they come in water based and silicone acrylic. My inclination is the water based stain, since silicone 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 finish like latex.
Older, pre-painted concrete floors need to be repainted with a similar top coat, whether latex or alkyd. A latex top layer 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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