When Should You Use a Primer for Painting?

Many people never use a primer when painting, however there are many painting applications where using primer is not just optional, but mandatory for creating a beautiful finished project. How do you decide whether or not to use a primer? Much will depend on the existing surface that you are painting, the color of the surface, how dark the paint is that you are applying, and whether or not the surface is porous or has any water damage or problems with mildew. Here are some tips for deciding when you should use a primer when painting.

One application where it is vital that you use a primer before painting is if you are using latex paint over existing oil based paint. If you try to paint the latex directly over the oil based paint it will not stick and will leave big, empty blotches in your finished paint job. You should look for a primer designed to be used over oil based paint but that can still be used with latex paint.

Another type of painting job that needs a primer is if you are painting over any surface that is stained, has water damage or has mildew. If you paint directly over the stain it will eventually seep through your new paint and look the same as it did before. For this type of job, choose a primer designed to be used over stains or water damage. This will create a barrier that will prevent the stain from seeping through the paint and keep your new paint job looking great.

If you are painting a surface that is porous like plaster walls or old, weathered wood you should definitely use a primer. In this case using a primer will help the paint adhere to the surface evenly and will give you a uniform color and texture to the finished paint. If you do not use a primer your painted surface can have variations in color and in the appearance of the texture of the paint.

When you are painting with a dark color over light paint or a light color over dark paint you should also use a primer. Deep based paints like red or dark colors come with special primers that are mixed with some pigment in them. This helps to reduce the number of coats of paint that you need to use to cover the underlying paint and will give you a more even appearance to your paint job.

When covering a dark surface with light paint the same principle applies. Using a white primer gives you an even colored surface to start with and will reduce the number of coats of paint that you need to use to cover the surface.

It is always a good idea to use a primer regardless of the paint job you are tackling. Primers help the paint to go on uniformly and create a beautiful finished project. In the circumstances mentioned in this article primer is a necessity and not optional. Always be sure to analyze your painting project before you begin to decide whether using a primer will be in your best interest or not.