Exactly What You Are Looking For - Paint Coatings for Every Job
The right type of coating is crucial. If you pick the incorrect paint, it won't matter how much time and money you spend on your job. Too many flawlessly great paint projects deteriorate quickly because poor quality primer and paint were used.
A dependable rule of thumb is to match the existing coating. If you're painting or staining on top of latex paint, recoat with latex. You may have all kinds of choices if the surface is uncoated, but you still need to consider weather, maintenance, and toughness to determine the best covering for the work.
Amazing Way to Use Primers
Primer is the unsung hero of any quality paint job. It establishes how well the top surface is protected and exactly how long the paint can last. Knowing when to use primers screws up painters almost as much as which primers to utilize. Basically, you need to use a primer when you are coating a fresh or bare surface; changing colors, textures, or finishes; or making a surface more uniform. About really the only time you don't need to prime is when you're recoating with the same paint and finish over a sound 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 coat produced by the same company. Labels of better paints always recommend specific primers and top coats for various materials and conditions. If you don't want to deal 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 may ever need and you may want help translating some of the terms and specifications.
Primers form a good foundation for the top coats by penetrating, sealing, and bonding to all or any types of bare surfaces. Without first priming a fresh or reconditioned surface, you'll find that the top finish end up flaking off much sooner than you would expect. While you can 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 that have been scraped and sanded. Sometimes a surface will need a second layer of primer to ensure an even undercoat, but often one will do. The house pictured below serves as an example of a job where two coatings 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 uniform base for the finish layers. Some climates almost demand a second layer of primer. I've heard about one contractor in Florida who always double primes to guarantee that his jobs last. If you live close 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 trimming. You might feel that a primer would even out a surface, but if you run your hand over a primed portion of wood trim it always feels rough. That's because primer causes 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 finish coat, it is possible to quicken the painting process by lowering the number of top layers needed. Tinting is mainly used for color changes, although it is also handy for surfaces like bare drywall.)
Take The Headache Out of Primers For Interior Walls and Ceilings
I would recommend using latex primers whenever we can. Ask your paint dealer for advice on the best primer for interior problem areas, like the laundry room and shower, that require a good sealant and a water resistant primer. I've always used alkyd primers in wetter parts of the home, although there are excellent latex primers that seal similarly as well. I prime most drywall interiors with latex, especially the bed rooms, living room, and closets. I spray a latex primer on new construction because new structures have sufficient vapor barriers. Also, I can paint an oil-based top coating over latex primer.
Older houses call for room-by-room decisions on what primer to make use of. If the house doesn't have a vapor barrier or good ventilation, you will require a primer that seals the surfaces and keeps dampness from getting between your surface and the paint.
Latex stain blockers and sealers might be the response to priming wet rooms in the house. These quick drying primers help condition surfaces with water, cigarette smoke, and tannin spots, 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 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. If your latex has what's known as “good hold" or hiding properties, it will maintain an even sheen over primer. You can make sure compatibility by using 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, particularly 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 layer and finish you've planned.
Drywall is a lot less alkaline than plaster. I prime drywall with a latex primer, unless the top coats 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 any type of top coat, but old behaviors are hard to break.) When painting new drywall, I will sometimes add joint compound to the primer for a little texture. Mixed with primer, joint compound also helps smooth over any sanding marks or roughness.
Primers For Interior Wood – Safely
When choosing primer, you should consider the type and condition of the surface, the kind of paint (alkyd, latex, or epoxy) that is planned for the top 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 water in older wood. There's also good water-based enamel primers for interior wood. Special conditions, such as the high moisture common in bathing rooms and kitchens, may require a breathable latex primer if you cannot prime all around the wood. If you can completely prime the wood before it is attached in place, 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 project has many different variables
Method For Priming Exteriors
Even though I favor latex paint for the outside, I still would rather 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 shape (which often means that it's new), particularly if I have access to the siding and wood trim before it goes on. It's always better to seal all around the wood (but not the ends) to provide 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 time, even if the wood has air-dried for a few months. Before priming, you should wash out the tannin with a moderate detergent, and follow this with a good rinsing. Redwood and cedar are pretty 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 wood 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 created 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 well on aluminum or vinyl siding, plywood veneers, textured wood, and other composite sidings.
Primers For Metals Applications
Every metallic should be cleaned of oil, grease, rust, or any other residue before you prime it, so the primer gets thorough attachment with the surface. Most metal surfaces can be cleaned with a good thinner. Galvanized metals sometimes arrive from the factory with a stabilizer that may be tough to remove, and may need more than simply thinner. Check with your paint store if you wish to be sure a primer will work on new galvanized metallic surfaces.
You can find primers for each and every type 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 back again under an unsealed surface or the incorrect primer. Rust inhibitors totally seal the outer layer 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 coated with zinc-chromate primer. Some paint companies have a specific primer for new galvanized material. Older galvanized metal can be primed with a rust inhibitor like those mentioned previously.
Much like any top coating, the additional time the primer is able to flow and contact the surface, the better the adhesion. Quick setting primers don't flow much whatsoever and stay right where they're applied, for good or for bad. A clean surface is particularly important when you use an instant drying primer. Note that some paint manufacturers recommend cleaning metals (and most other surfaces) with a thinner, while others 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 can be 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 clean galvanized metals, because the vinegar will damage the galvanizing.
Primers For Masonry
Be it 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 source of the efflorescence, usually moisture, must be fixed for alkali-resistant primers and sealers to help. New masonry must 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 can be painted on masonry that is seven days old. Stucco, which is actually 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 made for oil-based paint. You also can add this primer to cured masonry with a latex top layer, 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 most masonry applications.
Etching with muriatic acid used to be the only way to speed up the drying time of concrete. You are able to still etch if you are so inclined, although if I never see another box of muriatic acid, that could be just fine. (If it etches cement, imagine how well it etches skin!) Etching requires a bucket, hose, brush, gloves, and complete eye and skin protection, don't forget a respirator, specially when you blend the acid with water. Important: Add the acid to the water, not the other way around. In the event that you add water to acid it'll splash and burn up anything it contacts. And mix it in the correct 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 floor surfaces in really bad shape should be sandblasted, or you can use a fresh system called Peel-Away that makes prepping masonry a lttle bit 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 concrete floors, I would recommend a concrete stain made by H&C or Okon; they come in water based and silicone acrylic. My preference 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 finish like latex.
Older, pre-painted concrete floors have to be repainted with a similar top coating, whether latex or alkyd. A latex top layer is best applied over a typical concrete sealer, but Emulsabond also is effective. An oil-based top overcoat 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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