Problem Solved - Finally, Paint Coatings for Each Job
The right type of coating is essential. If you select the incorrect paint, it will not matter how much time and money you spend on your job. Too many flawlessly great paint jobs deteriorate quickly because the wrong primer and paint were used.
A dependable guideline is to complement the existing covering. If you're painting or staining on top of latex paint, recoat with latex. You could have all sorts of choices if the surface is uncoated, nevertheless, you still need to consider climate, maintenance, and strength to find the best covering for the work.
No-Fuss Painting Using Primers
Primer is the unsung hero of any quality paint job. It determines how well the surface is protected and how long the paint will last. Knowing when to use primers trips up painters about just as much as which primers to make use of. Basically, you need to use a primer when you are covering a new 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 a paint system. By paint system I am saying a primer and top layer manufactured by the same company. The 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 see the spec, or data sheet, on a specific 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 will ever need and you may want help translating a few of the terms and specifications.
Primers form a solid 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'll find that the top coatings end up flaking off much earlier than you'll expect. Even though 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 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 exemplory case 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 give it a smooth base for the finish layers. Some climates almost demand a second coat of primer. I've heard about one contractor in Florida who always double primes to guarantee that his work last. If you live near to salt 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 think that a primer would smooth a surface, but if you run your hand over a primed piece of wood trim it always feels harsh. 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's a tip: If you tint your primer the colour of the finish coat, it is possible to speed up the painting process by lowering the number of top coats needed. Tinting is mainly used for color changes, although it's also handy for areas like bare drywall.)
Primers For Interior Surfaces and Ceilings
I recommend using latex primers wherever possible. Ask your paint dealer for advice on the best primer for interior problem areas, such as 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 about as well. I prime most drywall interiors with latex, especially the sleeping rooms, living room, and closets. I usually spray a latex primer on new construction because new properties have sufficient vapor barriers. Also, I could paint an oil-based top coat over latex primer.
Older houses demand room-by-room decisions on what primer to use. If the home does not have a vapor barrier or good ventilation, you will require a primer that seals the walls and keeps moisture content from getting between the surface and the paint.
Latex stain blockers and sealers would be the answer to priming damp rooms in the house. These quick drying primers help condition areas with water, cigarette smoke, and tannin spots, 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 of the advantages 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. In case your latex has what's known as “good hold" or hiding properties, it will maintain a consistant sheen over primer. You can make sure compatibility by utilizing 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, especially when it's new, and it can leach alkaline salts if it isn't properly sealed. There are various primers you may use on plaster, depending on its condition and on the top coat 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 case I'll use an alkyd primer. (I understand that we now have perfectly good latex primers for just about any kind of top coat, but old patterns are hard to break.) When painting new drywall, I'll sometimes add joint compound to the primer for a little texture. Mixed with primer, joint compound also helps level over any sanding markings or roughness.
Improved Primers For Interior Wood
When selecting primer, you should consider the type and condition of the surface, the kind of paint (alkyd, latex, or epoxy) that is planned for the finish coats, and the sort of finish (flat, semi-gloss, or glossy).
Most often I prime interior trim with an exterior alkyd primer, which seals new wood and replaces lost moisture in older wood. There's also good water-based enamel primers for interior wood. Special conditions, like the high moisture common in restrooms 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 is attached in place, an alkyd primer will protect most 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
Improved Exterior Primers
Even though I favor latex paint for the exterior, I still 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 residence does not have any major internal vapor problems and that the wood is in good condition (which often means that it's new), particularly if I had access to the siding and wood trim before it goes on. It's always best to seal all around the wood (however, not the ends) to provide each piece its vapor barrier.
New redwood and cedar siding, as well as hardboard siding, needs special attention. Redwood and cedar will bleed tannins for a long time, even if the lumber 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 might 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 surface, 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 final coats. 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 bond 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 designed hardboard primer/sealer, such as Pittsburgh Paints Permanizer Plus Wood Stabilizer. When mixed with a top coat, 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.
Method For Priming Metals
Every metal should be cleaned of oil, grease, rust, or any other residue before you prime it, therefore 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. Consult with your paint store if you need to be sure a primer will work on new galvanized metal surfaces.
A couple of primers for each type of metal. Ferrous metals, manufactured from iron and steel, should be primed with a rust inhibitor. Rust is almost impossible to completely remove unless you sandblast it, and even then small pockets of rust can stay that will grow back under an unsealed surface or the wrong primer. Rust inhibitors totally seal the outer layer from exposure to 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 good luck using.
Other metals, including copper, aluminum, bronze, and brass, should be layered with zinc-chromate primer. Some paint companies have a specific primer for new galvanized material. Older galvanized material can be primed with a rust inhibitor like those mentioned above.
Much like any finish, the more time the primer is able to flow and contact the surface, the better the adhesion. Quick setting primers don't flow much by any means and stay right where they're painted, for better or for worse. A clean surface is especially important when you use an instant drying primer. Note that some paint manufacturers recommend cleaning metals (and most other surfaces) with a thinner, while other companies suggest against using any kind of solvent cleaner. Scan 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 is an all-purpose, inexpensive cleaner that will also etch a metallic material if combined 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 damage the galvanizing.
Improved Masonry Primers
Whether it's inside or out, masonry usually needs a primer or sealer that will resist water 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 has to cure for 3 months before you 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 painted on masonry that is seven days old. Stucco, which is basically coloured mortar and filled 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 designed for oil-based paint. You also 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 good luck adding Emulsabond to the latex for extra adhesion. I would recommend it for most masonry applications.
Etching with muriatic acid used to be the only way to speed up the curing time of concrete. You may still etch if you are so willing, 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 takes a bucket, hose, brush, gloves, and complete eye and skin protection, remember a respirator, specially when you mix the acid with the water. Important: Add the acid to the water, not the other way around. If you add drinking water to acid it will splash and burn anything it contacts. And combine it in the correct ratio, usually one to three. 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. You need to keep them well taken care of and recoat them regularly, before they need to be completely redone. Concrete flooring in really bad condition should be sandblasted, or you may use a new system called Peel-Away which makes prepping masonry somewhat easier (it's still no picnic). If the floor is in good condition, prep the surface and remove any trace of grease or wax with a good thinner.
For new cement floors, I would recommend a cement stain provided by H&C or Okon; they come in water based and silicone acrylic. My inclination is the water based stain, since silicon is a wax that eventually will wash off. Cement stain penetrates and seals without needing scraping or sandblasting, and resists fading better than a top covering like latex.
Older, pre-painted concrete floors need to be repainted with a similar top coat, whether latex or alkyd. A latex top overcoat is best applied over a standard concrete sealer, but Emulsabond also is effective. An oil-based top layer 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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