There are several types of paint primers, including oil-based, water-based, and shellac-based. Each type has its unique properties and is best suited for different applications. For example, water-based primer is ideal for use on new drywall, while the oil-based primer is better for use on metal surfaces.
Primer Before Paint! When It Is Necessary And When It Is Not?
To answer this question, it is first important to explain what a primer is and what is its function. Primers are made of resin for the purpose of creating a strong bond between various building materials. It is made of the same basic substance as paint, but it has no pigment. Primer also helps in making the walls smoother so that the paint can set without any undulation. It also hides imperfections on the wall.
Many a times customers look for primers for walls without understanding if their home needs a primer or whether just paint will suffice. First, let’s understand whether it is your interior which is a concern or your exterior walls. With time, both our interior as well as exterior walls experience intense wear and tear. Bad plumbing or the rainy season also causes seepage and damp to occur. In many cases, your interior or exterior walls will become flaky and start peeling off. This is one scenario when using primer will help before using paint. Primer not only creates a strong bond between the building materials, it also binds the paint to the wall surface should you choose to paint your wall.
The other scenario is that you want to paint your wall but you find that your wall has small cracks and uneven textures. In this case, before you start with the painting, invest in a good quality primer for your walls. Now this could be for your interior as well as exterior walls. Both may develop cracks and uneven surfaces due to ageing and weather-related wear and tear. Choose a wall primer that helps smoothen out the undulations before you apply paint. Once you apply exterior or interior primer, you will see that not only will your wall look smooth, the paint quality will also look enhanced giving your walls a premium look and feel.
Now when it comes to primers, Birla White has primers for both interior and exterior. Birla White Extocare is one of the best exterior primers available in the market. It is a white cement-based polymer-modified exterior primer that gives 7 times more adhesion on your exterior walls, which is way more than ordinary acrylic primers available. Extocare primer keeps your exterior walls looking good for longer by preventing peeling of the wall surface. Not only that, Extocare is also certified by NABL accredited laboratory.
Here are some of its features:
FEATURES
● Best in-class opacity and whiteness
● Possesses anti-carbonation property
● Provides 7x* more adhesion to topcoat than other primers
● No VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds)
BENEFITS
● Protects RCC structure from corrosion
● Prevents peeling of topcoat
● Beneficial for application on high rise
● Can be applied on damp/moist surfaces
● Resists UV and weathering effect
Drying time @ 25±2 ºC
* This value is on a smooth surface; however, this may change according to surface texture.
Birla White also has interior primer. Birla White Primacoat is a white cement-based liquid primer which provides better coverage and stronger adhesion on your interior walls. When compared to ordinary acrylic primers, this is better at preventing peeling of walls. This is India’s first white cement-based liquid primer.
FEATURES
Its superior adhesion quality and offers higher coverage to subsequent topcoats.
BENEFITS
● Excellent opacity and whiteness
● Improves the appearance of the topcoat
● Does not require pre-wetting or curing with water
● Provides excellent adhesion to topcoat emulsions
● Prevents peeling off of top coat emulsions
APPLICATIONS
It can be applied on all types of surfaces like interior cement plasters, interior ceilings, and interior wall putty surfaces,s, etc. as an interior primer.
Listing down some specifications of Primacoat:
Hence it totally depends upon what your requirement is before you choose to decide whether to put primer before paint or not. In any case, Birla White has wall primers for both interior and exterior walls.
Premium Exterior Walls with Birla White Cement
Understanding the Different Types of Seep Guard Products Available
Different Surfaces That Require Primer
When painting in and around a home, different substrates require different types of primers. Here are some common substrates and the types of primers they may require:
- New drywall: New drywall should be primed with a PVA (polyvinyl acetate) primer before painting. This will seal the porous surface of the drywall and ensure the paint adheres properly.
- Bare wood: Bare wood requires a wood primer before painting. This will seal the surface of the wood and prevent the paint from soaking into the wood, which can cause uneven coloring. Always use a primer before you paint bare wood.
- New wrought iron: New wrought iron should be primed with a rust-inhibiting primer before painting. This will help prevent rust from forming on the surface of the iron and ensure the paint adheres properly.
- Rusty metal surfaces: Rusty metal surfaces require a rust-inhibiting metal primer before painting. This will neutralize the rust and prevent it from spreading, ensuring the paint adheres properly.
- New wood surfaces including redwood or cedar fences: New wood including redwood or cedar fences should be primed with a wood primer before painting. Stain-blocking primers will seal the surface of the wood and prevent the paint from soaking into the wood, which can cause uneven coloring.
- Surfaces that have been previously painted with an oil-based paint: Surfaces that have been previously painted with an oil-based paint require an oil-based primer before painting. This will ensure the paint adheres properly and prevent the old paint from bleeding through.
- Porous surfaces such as concrete block walls and brick: Porous surfaces such as concrete block walls and brick require a masonry primer before painting. This will seal the porous surface and ensure the paint adheres properly.
- Areas with smoke or water damage: Areas with smoke stains or water damage require a stain-blocking primer before painting. This will seal and hide surface stains and prevent the stain from bleeding through, ensuring the paint adheres properly.
In general, it is important to select the appropriate primer for the substrate being painted to ensure proper adhesion and a lasting finish.
Tips for applying Paint Primer correctly
Here are some important tips for applying primer paint correctly:
- Choose the correct primer for your project. There are different types of primers available, such as oil-based, water-based, self priming paint, and shellac-based. Select the one that best suits your project.
- Clean and prepare the surface properly before applying the primer. This may involve sanding, cleaning, and filling in any cracks or holes.
- Use the right tools and equipment for the job. For example, use a brush for small areas and corners, rollers for larger surfaces, and airless sprayers for even larger areas.
- Apply the primer evenly and in thin coats. Avoid over-applying the primer as it can lead to drips, uneven coverage, and longer drying times.
- Allow sufficient drying time between coats. This can vary depending on the type of primer used and the ambient temperature and humidity.
- Use appropriate safety equipment such as respirators and eye protection to avoid inhaling or getting a primer in your eyes.
- Dispose of any unused primer and cleanup materials according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
The tools and equipment typically used to apply a primer include rollers, brushes, and airless sprayers. Respirators, eye protection, and gloves are commonly used safety equipment to protect the painter from harmful fumes and prevent paint from coming into contact with the skin.
When using airless sprayers or any other paint application equipment, it is important to follow the manufacturer’s safety guidelines and use the proper protective gear. Always read the safety instructions on the label of the primer and any other painting products used.
Benefits of using Paint Primer in home improvement projects
There are several benefits to using a primer in home improvement projects, including:
- Sealing in stains: A primer is designed to create a barrier between the surface and the new paint, preventing stains from bleeding through to the finish coat. This is particularly important when dealing with surfaces that have been affected by water damage or have stubborn stains that are difficult to remove.
- Preventing tannin acid stains: Certain types of wood, such as cedar and redwood, contain tannins that can bleed through to the finish coat and cause discoloration. A primer can help to prevent this from happening by sealing in the tannins and creating a barrier between the wood and the paint.
- Providing better absorption rate: A primer can improve the absorption rate of the surface, allowing the paint to adhere more effectively. This can help to create a smoother, more even finish and reduce the amount of paint needed to achieve the desired coverage.
- Even coverage: A primer can help to create a more even coverage by filling in small cracks and imperfections in the surface. This can help to create a smoother, more professional-looking finish.
- Improved durability: By creating a strong bond between the surface and the paint, a primer can help to improve the durability of the paint job. This can help to extend the life of the paint and reduce the need for frequent touch-ups.
Overall, using a primer is an important step in many home improvement projects, helping to ensure a professional-looking finish and improving the longevity of the paint job.
When You Should Use Primer
Now that you know the benefits, you’ll better understand why you are advised to use primer in many painting situations. This includes:
Both of these surfaces are very absorbent – put a coat of paint on and it vanishes as it is absorbed into the material, so you end up having to put multiple coats on before you get a nicely covered area. Why waste your expensive paint on material absorption? Primer is a cheaper alternative that will fill in the pores and get the surface ready for painting. Once primed, the top coat of paint should cover nicely in just one or two coats.
Major Color Changes
If you’re making a major color switch, painting over the existing color will not give you the correct color of your new topcoat – the old color will bleed into the new color and you’ll get a shade that is some combination of both. Primer will help you get the correct color because it brings the surface back to white – a blank slate to start over. This is particularly important if you are going from a dark color to a light color.
The new paint will need a surface it can adhere to, and it won’t work if you are painting over an oil-based or glossy paint. Instead use a bonding primer, which will stick to the glossy surface and provide an outer layer that the top coat paint can stick to.
Patched or Repaired Drywall
If you have to repair the drywall, you will be using spackle or joint compound which creates patches along your wall. Since these patches are a different color than the current paint, they will stick out like a sore thumb when you paint over them without priming. Priming gets all surfaces back to a neutral white, so these imperfections cannot be seen.
If your walls have stains, such as greasy spots or crayon marks, they will continue to show through the new paint. Also, strong odors such as cigarette smoke can stick to the walls and without priming you can still detect them. To eliminate these problems, prime first to block them out.
In the situations above you can clearly see how the benefits of primer help solve specific problems and lead to cost and time savings. In some cases you can skip the priming step – such as repainting over previously painted, light colored surfaces that are not oil-based or glossy. However, in most circumstances priming is a beneficial step in the painting process that should not be skipped.
Want to learn more about painting from the experts at MB Jessee? check out our Painting Tips board on Pinterest and then give us a call at (510) 655-7000 to discuss you next painting project.
