Take The Headache Out of Finding Paint Coatings for Every Job
The right kind of coating is essential. If you select the incorrect paint, it won't matter how much time and money you spend on your job. Too many flawlessly great paint projects deteriorate too early because poor quality primer and paint were used.
A dependable guideline is to match the existing covering. If you're painting or staining on top of latex paint, recoat with latex. You may have all sorts of choices if the material is uncoated, nevertheless, you still need to consider weather, maintenance, and toughness to find the best coating for the work.
Primers - What If You Could Start Painting in 1 Hour?
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 almost just as much as which primers to work with. Basically, you will need to use a primer if you are coating a fresh or bare surface; changing colors, textures, or finishes; or making a surface more uniform. About the sole time you don't need 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 a product that's part of a paint system. By paint system I am saying a primer and top coating 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 see the spec, or data sheet, on a particular 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 might need help translating a few of the terms and specifications.
Primers form a solid foundation for the top coatings by penetrating, sealing, and bonding to all or any types of bare surfaces. Without first priming a new or reconditioned surface, you'll find that the top coats ends up flaking off much earlier than you would expect. While you can use additives such as Emulsabond, don't make the mistake of convinced that primers are optional, or can be produced out of diluted paint.
Usually in one coat most primers smooth out surfaces and places which have been scraped and sanded. Sometimes a surface will need a second layer of primer to ensure a smooth undercoat, but often one is enough. The house pictured below serves as an example of a job where two coats 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 coats. Some climates almost demand a second layer of primer. I've heard about one contractor in Florida who always double primes to ensure that his jobs last. If you live near to ocean water, I 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 smooth a surface, but if you run your hand over a primed piece of wood 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 is a tip: In the event that you tint your primer the color of the finish coat, you can actually quicken the painting process by minimizing the amount of top coats needed. Tinting is mainly used for color changes, although it is also handy for surfaces like bare drywall.)
Primers For Interior Wall Space and Ceilings
I would recommend using latex primers whenever we can. Ask your paint dealer for advice on the best primer for interior trouble spots, like the laundry room and bathroom, that require a good sealant and a water-resistant primer. I've always used alkyd primers in wetter areas of the home, 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 spray a latex primer on new construction because new properties have enough vapor barriers. Also, I could paint an oil-based top layer over latex primer.
Older houses call for room-by-room decisions on what primer to utilize. If the home does not have a vapor barrier or good ventilation, you will require a primer that seals the surfaces and keeps water from getting between the surface and the paint.
Latex stain blockers and sealers can be the answer to priming damp rooms in the house. These quick drying primers help condition surfaces with water, smoke, and tannin stains, and 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 benefits 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. In case your latex has what's known as “good hold" or hiding properties, it will maintain an even sheen over primer. You are able to warrant compatibility by using a high quality latex stain blocker such as Seal Grip.
With regards to walls, remember that plaster and drywall will vary. Plaster is highly alkaline, specially when it's new, and it can leach alkaline salts if it is not properly sealed. There are lots of primers you may use on plaster, depending on its condition and on the top coating 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 particular case I'll use an alkyd primer. (I understand that we now have perfectly good latex primers for any kind of top layer, but old practices are hard to let go of.) When painting new drywall, I'll sometimes add joint compound to the primer for a little texture. Blended with primer, joint compound also helps smooth over any sanding markings or roughness.
Priming Solution For Interior Wood
When choosing primer, you should consider the type and condition of the surface, the sort of paint (alkyd, latex, or epoxy) that is planned for the top coats, and the kind 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 dampness in older wood. There's also good water-based enamel primers for interior wood. Special conditions, such as the high moisture common in restrooms and kitchens, may call for a breathable latex primer if you can't prime all over the wood. If you can completely apply primer the wood before it goes up, an alkyd primer will protect the majority of the trim from wetness. Assess conditions like these carefully and seek the advice of a specialist if your job has many different variables
Primers For Exterior Applications
Even though I prefer latex paint for the exterior, I still would prefer to use alkyd primers on exterior wood. They simply do an improved 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 usually means that it is new), particularly if I have access to the siding and trim before it goes on. It's always better to seal all over 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 wood has air-dried for a few months. Before priming, you should wash out the tannin with a mild detergent, and follow this with a good rinsing. Redwood and cedar are fairly porous, so you may 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 any alkyd primer/sealer, and use high quality latex for the top coatings. Any staining that happens after that can usually be washed off with special hardwood cleaners.
Hardboard siding, new or already coated, presents a particular challenge. Having less grain or anything resembling a porous surface makes hardboards such as Masonite difficult to bond to. If 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 blended with a top coating, 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.
Method For Priming Metals
Every steel should be cleaned of oil, grease, rust, or any other residue before you prime it, so the primer gets thorough attachment with the area. Most metal surfaces can be cleaned with a good thinner. Galvanized metals sometimes come from the factory with a stabilizer that may be tough to eliminate, and may need more than simply thinner. Check with your paint store if you need to be certain a primer will continue to work on new galvanized steel surfaces.
There are primers for each kind of metal. Ferrous metals, manufactured from 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 remain that will grow back again 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 projects like handrails can be primed with aerosol rust inhibitors such as Pratt & Lambert's Effecto Spray Enamel, which I've experienced success using.
Other metals, including copper, aluminum, bronze, and brass, should be covered with zinc-chromate primer. Some paint companies have a specific primer for new galvanized steel. Older galvanized steel can be primed with a rust inhibitor like those mentioned previously.
Much like any coating, the more 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 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 others suggest against using almost any solvent cleaner. Scan the directions carefully.
An old technique that still is effective 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 combined at that ratio. Etching metal works like sanding wood. It gives the surface "teeth" for better adhesion. That same ratio is useful for new rain gutters or uncoated aluminum siding. However, it should not be used to clean galvanized metals, because the vinegar will damage the galvanizing.
No-Fuss Priming For Masonry
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 moisture, must be fixed for alkali-resistant primers and sealers to help. New masonry must cure for 3 months before you prime 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 coated on masonry that is a week old. Stucco, which is actually tinted mortar and filled with lime, is a perfect 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 overcoat, but it's important that you utilize latex only on low alkaline masonry. In these situations 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 method to speed up the drying time of concrete. You may still etch if you are so inclined, although if I never see another container of muriatic acid, that could be just fine. (If it etches concrete, imagine how well it etches epidermis!) Etching takes a bucket, hose, brush, gloves, and complete eye and skin protection, don't forget a respirator, particularly when you mix the acid with water. Important: Add the acid to water, not the other way around. In the event that you add drinking water to acid it will splash and burn anything it contacts. And mix it in the proper ratio, usually 1:3. 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 considered a chore. It's best to keep them well managed and recoat them regularly, before they need to be completely redone. Concrete floors in really sad shape should be sandblasted, or you can use a new 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 surface 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 silicon is a wax that eventually will wash off. Concrete stain penetrates and seals without needing scraping or sandblasting, and resists fading better than a top coating like latex.
Older, pre-painted cement floors need to be repainted with a similar top coat, whether latex or alkyd. A latex top coating is best applied over a typical concrete sealer, but Emulsabond also is effective. An oil-based top coat requires an oil-based enamel or epoxy concrete conditioner. I would add Penetrol to the primer for an extended lasting bond.
Sound Quality Painting
824 90th Dr SE suite B
Lake Stevens WA 98258
(425) 512-7400
Painting Contractors Lake Stevens
Exterior Painters Lake Stevens
Interior Painters Lake Stevens
Painting Services Lake Stevens
Exterior House Painters Lake Stevens
Exterior Painting Lake Stevens
Interior Painting Lake Stevens
