Problem Solved - Finally, Paint Coatings for Each and Every Job
The right type of coating is essential. If you pick the wrong paint, it won't matter how much effort and money you spend on your project. Too many flawlessly great paint projects deteriorate too soon because poor quality primer and paint were used.
A dependable guideline is to complement the existing layer of paint. If you're painting or staining over a latex paint, recoat with latex. You could have a variety of choices if the surface is uncoated, nevertheless, you still need to consider weather, maintenance, and strength to find the best coating for the work.
Amazing Way to Use Primers
Primer is the unsung hero of any quality paint job. It can determine how well the top surface is protected and exactly how long the paint can last. Knowing when to use primers messes up painters almost as much as which primers to utilize. 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 uniform. 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 make sure of compatibility, choose a product that's part of your paint system. By paint system I mean a primer and top layer manufactured by the same company. Labels of better paints always recommend specific primers and top coatings 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 specific 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 significantly more information than you will ever need and you may want help translating a few of the terms and specifications.
Primers form a good base for the top coats by penetrating, sealing, and bonding to all or any types of bare areas. Without first priming a fresh or reconditioned surface, you'll find that the top coatings end up flaking off much earlier than you would expect. While you may use additives such as Emulsabond, don't make the error of convinced that primers are optional, or can be produced 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 coating of primer to ensure an even undercoat, but often one is enough. 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 an even base for the top layers. Some climates almost demand a second layer of primer. I've heard of one contractor in Florida who always double primes to guarantee that his jobs last. If you live near to ocean 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 feel that a primer would smooth a surface, but if you run your hand over a primed piece of wood trim it always feels rough. 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 the top. (Here is a tip: If you tint your primer the color of the finish coat, you can actually quicken the painting process by reducing the number of top coats needed. Tinting is mainly used for color changes, although it is also handy for surfaces like bare drywall.)
Improve Your Priming For Interior Wall Surfaces and Ceilings
I would recommend using latex primers wherever possible. Ask your paint dealer for advice on the best primer for interior trouble spots, including the laundry room and shower, 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 bedrooms, living room, and closets. I spray a latex primer on new construction because new buildings have sufficient vapor barriers. Also, I could paint an oil-based top coating over latex primer.
Older houses demand room-by-room decisions on what primer to work with. If the residence doesn't have a vapor barrier or good ventilation, you will need a primer that seals the wall surfaces and keeps water from getting between the surface and the paint.
Latex stain blockers and sealers can be the response to priming damp rooms in your residence. These quick drying primers help condition areas with water, cigarette smoke, and tannin staining, plus they can be recoated rapidly, sometimes within the hour. Pittsburgh's Seal Grip is a great 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 functions 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'll maintain a consistant sheen over primer. You may guarantee compatibility by utilizing a high quality latex stain blocker such as Seal Grip.
With regards to walls, understand that plaster and drywall are different. Plaster is highly alkaline, particularly when it's new, and it can leach alkaline salts if it is not properly sealed. There are plenty of 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 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 coating, 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. Blended with primer, joint compound also helps smooth over any sanding marks or roughness.
Primers 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 type of finish (flat, semi-gloss, or glossy).
Frequently I prime interior trim with an exterior alkyd primer, which seals new wood and replaces lost wetness 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 require a breathable latex primer if you cannot 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 wood trim from dampness. Assess conditions like these carefully and seek the advice of a professional if your project has many different variables
Primers For Exterior Applications
Even though I favor latex paint for the exterior, I still want to use alkyd primers on exterior wood. They simply do a much better job of priming bare wood. I'll use an alkyd primer if I know that the home does not have any major internal vapor problems and that the wood is in good shape (which often means that it is new), especially if I have access to the siding and trim before it is attached to the building. It's always best to seal all over the wood (however, 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 wood has air-dried for months. Before priming, you should wash out the tannin with a light detergent, and follow this with a good rinsing. Redwood and cedar are quite porous, so you may need to wait 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 any 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 hardwood cleaners.
Hardboard siding, new or already coated, presents a special challenge. The lack of grain or anything resembling a porous surface makes hardboards such as Masonite difficult to adhere to. When 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 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 very well on aluminum or vinyl siding, plywood veneers, textured wood, and other composite sidings.
Primers For Metals
Every metal 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 just thinner. Check with your paint store if you would like to be sure a primer will continue to work on new galvanized metallic surfaces.
You will discover primers for each and every kind of metal. Ferrous metals, made of 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 incorrect 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 projects like handrails can be primed with aerosol rust inhibitors such as Pratt & Lambert's Effecto Spray Enamel, which I've had good luck using.
Other metals, including copper, aluminum, bronze, and brass, should be coated with zinc-chromate primer. Some paint companies have a specific primer for new galvanized steel. Older galvanized metal can be primed with a rust inhibitor like those mentioned previously.
As with any layer, the more time the primer has 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 good or for bad. A clean surface is especially important when you use an instant drying primer. Remember that some paint manufacturers recommend cleaning metals (and most other surfaces) with a thinner, while others 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 mix of vinegar and water. Vinegar can be an all-purpose, inexpensive cleaner that will also etch a metal material if combined at that ratio. Etching metal works like sanding wood. It gives the 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 clean galvanized metals, because the vinegar will damage the galvanizing.
Improved Masonry Primers
Be it inside or out, masonry usually requires 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 moisture, must be cured for alkali-resistant primers and sealers to help. New masonry has to cure for 90 days before you can apply primer 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 applied on masonry that is a week old. Stucco, which is basically colored mortar and packed with lime, is a perfect surface for Loxon, as is new plaster or poured concrete. Pittsburgh Paints also has a primer for new, high-alkaline masonry, called Speedhide Alkali Resistant Primer; it's made for oil-based paint. Additionally you can add this primer to cured masonry with a latex top overcoat, but it is important that you utilize latex only on low alkaline masonry. In these circumstances I've had success adding Emulsabond to the latex for extra adhesion. I would recommend it for nearly all masonry applications.
Etching with muriatic acid used to be the only way to speed up the drying time of concrete. You could still etch if you are so inclined, although if I never see another container 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, don't forget a respirator, in particular when you blend the acid with the water. Important: Add the acid to the water, not the other way around. If you add water to acid it'll splash and burn anything it contacts. And blend 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 cement floors can be considered a chore. You need to keep them well looked after and recoat them regularly, before they have to be completely redone. Concrete flooring in really poor condition should be sandblasted, or you may use a new system called Peel-Away that makes prepping masonry somewhat easier (it's still no picnic). If the surface is in good condition, prep the floor and remove any trace of grease or wax with a good thinner.
For new cement floors, I 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 silicon 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 concrete floors need to be repainted with an identical top coating, whether latex or alkyd. A latex top coating is best applied over a standard 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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