Exactly What You Are Looking For - Paint Coatings for Each and Every Job
The right type of coating is crucial. If you pick the wrong paint, it will not matter how much time and money you may spend on your project. Too many flawlessly great paint projects deteriorate too early because the wrong primer and paint were used.
A dependable guideline is to match the existing finish. If you are painting or staining on top of latex paint, recoat with latex. You could have a myriad of choices if the material is uncoated, but you still need to consider environment, maintenance, and toughness to find the best covering for the job.
How We Improved Our Painting With Primers
Primer is the unsung hero of any quality paint job. It determines how well the finish is protected and exactly how long the paint will last. Knowing when to use primers messes up painters almost nearly as much as which primers to employ. Basically, you will need to use a primer if you are covering a new or bare surface; changing colors, textures, or finishes; or making a surface more uniform. About the only real 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 something 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 coatings for various materials and conditions. If you don't want to cope with reading the small print, ask to read 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 significantly more information than you will ever need and you might need help translating a few of the terms and specifications.
Primers form a good foundation for the top coatings by penetrating, sealing, and bonding to all types of bare areas. Without first priming a fresh or reconditioned surface, you will discover that the top coatings ends up flaking off much earlier than you'll expect. While you can use additives such as Emulsabond, don't make the mistake of convinced that primers are optional, or can be made out of diluted paint.
Usually in a single coat most primers smooth out surfaces and places that have been scraped and sanded. Sometimes a surface will need a second coat of primer to ensure a smooth 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 give it a level 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 jobs last. If you live near 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 trim it always feels abrasive. That's because primer makes 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: If you tint your primer the colour of the top coat, you can actually quicken the painting process by minimizing the number of top coats needed. Tinting is mainly used for color changes, although it is also handy for areas like bare drywall.)
Here’s What You Should Do When Priming 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 problem areas, such as the laundry room and bath, that need a good sealant and a water-resistant primer. I've always used alkyd primers in wetter parts of the house, although there are great latex primers that seal about as well. I prime most drywall interiors with latex, especially the bed rooms, living room, and closets. I usually spray a latex primer on new construction because new properties have sufficient vapor barriers. Also, I can paint an oil-based top coating over latex primer.
Older houses demand room-by-room decisions on what primer to use. If the house doesn't have a vapor barrier or good ventilation, you will require a primer that seals the wall space and keeps water from getting between the surface and the paint.
Latex stain blockers and sealers would be the response to priming damp rooms inside your home. These quick drying primers help condition surfaces with water, smoke, and tannin staining, plus they can be recoated rapidly, sometimes within the hour. Pittsburgh's Seal Grip is a superb 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 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'll maintain a consistant sheen over primer. You may assure compatibility by using a high quality latex stain blocker such as Seal Grip.
With regards to walls, understand that plaster and drywall will vary. Plaster is highly alkaline, in particular when it's new, and it can leach alkaline salts if it isn't properly sealed. There are lots of primers you may use on plaster, depending on its condition and on the top coating and finish that 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 know that we now have perfectly good latex primers for any type of top coat, but old practices are hard to let go of.) 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 markings or roughness.
Primers For Interior Wood – Safely
When selecting primer, you should think about the type and condition of the surface, the type of paint (alkyd, latex, or epoxy) that is planned for the top coats, and the sort of finish (flat, semi-gloss, or glossy).
Most often I prime interior wood trim with an exterior alkyd primer, which seals new wood and replaces lost wetness in older wood. There are 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 apply primer 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 professional if your job has many different variables
Method For Priming Exteriors
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 house does not have any major internal vapor problems and that the wood is in good condition (which often means that it is new), especially if I have access to the siding and wood trim before it goes on. It's always best to seal all around the wood (but not the ends) to give 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 period, even if the wood has air-dried for months. Before priming, you should wash out the tannin with a mild detergent, and follow this with a good rinsing. Redwood and cedar are quite porous, so you might need to wait a day or two to let them dry out. There are 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 happens after that can usually be washed off with special timber 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 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 produced 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 top quality sealers also work very well on metal or vinyl siding, plywood veneers, textured wood, and other composite sidings.
Improved Metal Primers
Every metal should be cleaned of oil, grease, rust, or any other residue before you prime it, therefore the primer gets thorough contact with the surface. Most metal areas can be cleaned with a good thinner. Galvanized metals sometimes arrive from the factory with a stabilizer that can be tough to remove, and could need more than just thinner. Consult with your paint store if you wish to be certain a primer will work on new galvanized metallic surfaces.
You will discover primers for every type of metal. Ferrous metals, manufactured from iron and steel, should be primed with a rust inhibitor. Rust is nearly impossible to completely remove unless you sandblast it, and even then small pockets of rust can remain that will grow back under an unsealed surface or the wrong primer. Rust inhibitors totally seal the surface from exposure to air. Some companies refer 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 had success 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 metal. Older galvanized steel can be primed with a rust inhibitor like those mentioned previously.
As with any finish, the more time the primer has 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 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 other companies recommend against using any type of solvent cleaner. Scan the directions carefully.
A vintage technique that still works well for cleaning new or old metals is washing the surface 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 mixed 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 utilized to completely clean galvanized metals, because the vinegar will damage the galvanizing.
Primers For Masonry Applications
Whether it's inside or out, masonry usually requires a primer or sealer that will resist water and alkalis. Alkalis are salts that leach out as time passes, 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 has to cure for 3 months before you can apply primer 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 painted on masonry that is seven days old. Stucco, which is basically coloured mortar and full of 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 made for oil-based paint. Additionally you can add this primer to cured masonry with a latex top coat, but it is 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 many masonry applications.
Etching with muriatic acid used to be the only method to speed up the curing time of concrete. You can still etch if you are so willing, although if I never see another box of muriatic acid, that would be just fine. (If it etches concrete, imagine how well it etches epidermis!) Etching requires a bucket, hose, brush, gloves, and complete eye and skin protection, remember a respirator, particularly when you combine the acid with the water. Important: Add the acid to water, not the other way around. In the event that you add water to acid it'll splash and burn off anything it contacts. And combine it in the proper 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 a chore. It's best to keep them well looked after and recoat them regularly, before they have to be completely redone. Concrete flooring surfaces in really bad condition should be sandblasted, or you may use a fresh system called Peel-Away which makes prepping masonry a lttle bit easier (it's still no picnic). If the floor is in good shape, prep the floor and remove any trace of grease or wax with a good thinner.
For new concrete floors, I recommend a cement stain created 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. Concrete stain penetrates and seals without requiring scraping or sandblasting, and resists fading better than a top finish like latex.
Older, pre-painted cement floors have to be repainted with an identical top coating, whether latex or alkyd. A latex top coat is best applied over a typical concrete sealer, but Emulsabond also works well. An oil-based top coat requires an oil-based enamel or epoxy concrete conditioner. I would add Penetrol to the primer for a longer lasting bond.
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