Take The Headache Out of Finding Paint Coatings for Each Job
The right kind of coating is essential. If you pick the incorrect paint, it won't matter how much time and money you spend on your job. Too many flawlessly great paint projects deteriorate too early because poor quality primer and paint were used.
A dependable guideline is to complement the existing finish. If you're painting or staining over a latex paint, recoat with latex. You may have all kinds of choices if the surface is uncoated, but you still need to consider environment, maintenance, and strength to determine the best finish for the job.
Primers - What If You Could Start Painting in 1 Hour?
Primer is the unsung hero of any quality paint job. It can determine how well the surface is protected and exactly how long the paint will last. Knowing when to use primers messes up painters almost as much as which primers to work with. Basically, you need to use a primer when you are coating a new or bare surface; changing colors, textures, or finishes; or making a surface more even. About the one time you don't have to prime is if you are 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 a paint system. By paint system I mean a primer and top coating distributed by the same company. Labels of better paints always recommend specific primers and top coatings for various materials and conditions. Unless you want to deal with reading the fine print, ask to see the spec, or data sheet, on a particular primer. If 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 good foundation for the top coats by penetrating, sealing, and bonding to all or any types of bare areas. Without first priming a new or reconditioned surface, you will discover that the top finish ends up flaking off much sooner than you'll expect. While you may 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 a single coat most primers even out surfaces and places which may have been scraped and sanded. Sometimes a surface will require a second coat of primer to ensure a level undercoat, but often one is enough. The home pictured below is an example 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 an uniform base for the finish layers. Some climates almost demand a second coat of primer. I've heard of one contractor in Florida who always double primes to ensure that his work last. In the event that you live near to salt water, I 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 trimming. You might feel that a primer would even out a surface, but if you run your hand over a primed portion of wood trim it always feels abrasive. 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 coats. (Here's a tip: In the event that you tint your primer the colour of the finish coat, it is possible to speed up the painting process by reducing the amount of top layers needed. Tinting is mostly used for color changes, although it's also handy for areas like bare drywall.)
Here’s What You Should Do When Priming Interior Surfaces and Ceilings
I would recommend using latex primers wherever possible. Ask your paint dealer for advice on the best primer for interior problem areas, 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 house, although there are great 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 buildings have satisfactory vapor barriers. Also, I could paint an oil-based top layer over latex primer.
Older houses call for room-by-room decisions on what primer to use. If the residence 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 can be the answer to priming wet rooms inside your home. These quick drying primers help condition areas with water, smoke, and tannin staining, and they can be recoated rapidly, sometimes within the hour. Pittsburgh's Seal Grip is a superb latex stain blocker with few VOCs and all the benefits of an oil-based stain blocker. Quick drying alkyd primers such as Kilz have pigmented shellac (with high VOCs) that also serves 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 may make sure compatibility by using a high quality latex stain blocker such as Seal Grip.
When it comes to walls, remember that plaster and drywall are different. Plaster is highly alkaline, particularly when it's new, and it can leach alkaline salts if it isn't properly sealed. There are numerous primers you can use on plaster, depending on its condition and on the top coating 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 understand that there are perfectly good latex primers for any type of top coat, but old practices are hard to break.) When painting new drywall, I will sometimes add joint compound to the primer for a little texture. Blended with primer, joint compound also helps even out over any sanding marks or roughness.
Improved Primers For Interior Wood
When choosing primer, you should think about the nature and condition of the surface, the sort of paint (alkyd, latex, or epoxy) that is planned for the top coats, and the sort of finish (flat, semi-gloss, or glossy).
Frequently I prime interior 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, including the high moisture common in bath rooms and kitchens, may call for a breathable latex primer if you can't prime all around the wood. When you can completely prime the wood before it goes up, an alkyd primer will protect the majority of the trim from moisture. Assess conditions like these carefully and seek the advice of a specialist if your project has many different variables
Amazing Primers For Exteriors
Even though I favor latex paint for the exterior, I still would rather 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 condition (which often means that it's new), particularly if I have access to the siding and trim before it is attached to the building. It's always better to seal all around the wood (but not the ends) to give 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 timber has air-dried for months. Before priming, you should wash out the tannin with a gentle detergent, and follow this with a good rinsing. Redwood and cedar are fairly 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 coats of an alkyd primer/sealer, and use high quality latex for the top 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. The lack of 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 remove all the wax. Seal new hardboard with a specially formulated hardboard primer/sealer, such as Pittsburgh Paints Permanizer Plus Wood Stabilizer. When mixed with a top layer, Emulsabond makes a great hardboard primer. These and other high quality sealers also work well on aluminum or vinyl siding, plywood veneers, textured wood, and other composite sidings.
Priming Solution For Metal Applications
Every steel should be cleaned of oil, grease, rust, or any other residue before you prime it, so the primer gets thorough attachment with the area. Most metal areas can be cleaned with a good thinner. Galvanized metals sometimes come from the factory with a stabilizer that may be tough to remove, and may need more than simply thinner. Consult with your paint store if you wish to be sure a primer will work on new galvanized metal surfaces.
There are primers for every type 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 stay that will grow again under an unsealed surface or the wrong primer. Rust inhibitors totally seal the surface from contact with air. Some companies make reference to these primers as direct-to-rust or direct-to-metal (DTM) primers. Smaller jobs 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 covered with zinc-chromate primer. Some paint companies have a specific primer for new galvanized metal. Older galvanized material can be primed with a rust inhibitor like those mentioned previously.
As with any top coat, the more time the primer is able to flow and contact the surface, the better the adhesion. Quick setting primers don't flow much whatsoever and stay right where they're painted, for better or for worse. A clean surface is especially important when using an instant drying primer. Remember that some paint manufacturers recommend cleaning metals (and most other surfaces) with a thinner, while other companies advise against using almost any solvent cleaner. Read the directions carefully.
A vintage technique that still works well for cleaning new or old metals is washing the outer layer with a one-to-one mixture of vinegar and water. Vinegar can be an all-purpose, inexpensive cleaner that will also etch a metallic material if blended at that ratio. Etching metal works like sanding wood. It provides surface "teeth" for better adhesion. That same ratio is useful 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 Applications
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 over time, leaving a chalky stain called efflorescence. The source 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 can 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 could be coated on masonry that is a week old. Stucco, which is actually colored mortar and packed with lime, is an excellent 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 designed for oil-based paint. Additionally you can add this primer to cured masonry with a latex top coat, 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 recommend it for many masonry applications.
Etching with muriatic acid used to be the only way to speed up the drying time of cement. You could still etch if you are so inclined, although if I never see another container of muriatic acid, that would be just fine. (If it etches concrete, imagine how well it etches pores and skin!) Etching requires a bucket, hose, brush, gloves, and complete eye and skin protection, don't forget a respirator, specially when you mix the acid with water. Important: Add the acid to the water, not the other way around. In the event that you add drinking water to acid it'll splash and burn up anything it contacts. And combine it in the correct ratio, usually 1 to 3. Be 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 cement 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 poor condition should be sandblasted, or you may use a fresh system called Peel-Away which makes prepping masonry a bit easier (it's still no picnic). If the surface is in good condition, prep the surface and remove any trace of grease or wax with a good thinner.
For new concrete floors, I would recommend a concrete stain made by H&C or Okon; they come in water based and silicone acrylic. My choice is water based stain, since silicone is a wax that eventually will wash off. Concrete stain penetrates and seals without needing scraping or sandblasting, and resists fading much better than a top coating like latex.
Older, pre-painted cement floors have to be repainted with a similar top coating, whether latex or alkyd. A latex top layer is best applied over a typical concrete sealer, but Emulsabond also works well. An oil-based top coating 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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