Primer for Painting Walls: Is It Necessary or Not?

Priming before painting appears to be a debate as ancient as, well, painting. It appears that the answer varies depending on who you ask. Because they want their product to look its best, makers of paint say “yes” – this is a crucial step in painting walls. The method requires more time and money, which makes DIY enthusiasts less enthusiastic.

So, do you need a primer before you paint? The truth is that there is no simple solution since every painting job is different.

If you’re short on time, you may choose from several different primers. To avoid having to prime the surface beforehand, some people choose to use self-priming paint. Non-profits have conducted studies showing that self-priming paint will have some of the same advantages as a regular primer. But if you don’t have self-priming paint, what should you do?

Priming is Required for Almost all New Drywall

There are two options that are recommended for use with drywall. If you are an experienced DIYer, have contracted out the painting walls job to experts, and are dealing with an unusually smooth surface, then you can get away with using regular drywall primer. On the other hand, if your drywall has minor flaws such as pockmarks, scuffing, or tiny ridges, a high-build drywall primer-sealer is a superior choice. It is more costly, but it will level and smooth an uneven surface.

A Primer is Required for a Glossy Surface

When it comes to painting walls, glossy surfaces are not the best option since they do not successfully keep the paint. There will be a noticeable rise in the level of effort in obtaining any colour. This will make it far tougher. The surface of the primer, which is slightly uneven and porous, provides the perfect texture for the paint to adhere to since it has a rougher appearance.

When Substantially Modifying a Colour, Use Primer

Priming is not necessary when applying a colour that is just slightly different from the previous one; nonetheless, it is recommended if a significant alteration is being made. The very last thing you want is to put in all the effort required to paint, just to look back and see that the previous hue is coming through. This is especially important to keep in mind while transitioning from a dark to light or light to dark environment. Make sure you ask the paint store to colour your primer before you buy it. Because primer is often less expensive than paint, using it as a base coat before applying the new colour in painting walls not only creates a clean surface for the paint to adhere to but also makes sound financial sense.

Cover Stains With Primer

Bringing new life into a room may be accomplished by repurposing an older piece of furniture or by painting walls over the dark trim with a lighter colour. Just keep in mind that the purpose of paint is to highlight colour, not to hide what is below. It is recommended that you begin by applying a primer to the stained surface that you will be painting and then proceed to paint over it. This will prevent the stain from bleeding through the surface, and it will also provide a surface for the paint to adhere. The end effect is a modernised appearance that will continue to stay fresh for a lot longer.

Do you Need to Mask Odours? Make Use of a Primer

You will need to prime the walls before you paint them if the previous owners of the property smoked, had pets, or cooked pungent meals. This is especially important if you have recently moved into the home. Primers of high quality have the ability to lock in scents in a manner that normal paint is not meant to accomplish. This means that if you don’t prime, the odours will return as soon as you paint over them with regular paint.

Primer is Required for Exteriors

When working on an interior project, you may be able to skip the priming step, but this is not the case when working on an exterior painting project. Because it is exposed to the weather and endures a far greater amount of wear and tear, it will need a layer of exterior paint primer.

In all of these scenarios, you must ensure that the priming is painted over within the first 48 hours. The majority of primers are formulated to form a chemical and physical connection with the paint that will be placed over them. If you wait for too long, it will no longer have the same impact.

When Primer is Not a Must?

There are several circumstances in which priming is not required at all when painting walls. It is not necessary to apply a primer if the surface in question has been painted before and is in excellent condition. Be sure that there is no peeling or chipping on the surface. In most cases, interior walls that are merely in need of a touch-up or are going to be painted a comparable colour do not need priming since they will be OK without it.

If the drywall that you are working with is smooth and you want to use paint that is flat, you may use two coats of self-priming, water-based flat paint. This will allow you to use paint that is flat. In addition to reducing the visibility of any imperfections that may be present, flat paint is formulated to be lenient towards other types of defects that may be present.

Priming your walls before painting them isn’t always necessary, but it definitely helps to get a better finish. If, on the other hand, any of the aforementioned circumstances apply to you, you should steer clear of paint that doesn’t need to be primed before application. If you want the completed product to have the nicest appearance possible, it is in your best advantage to take the extra step of priming the surfaces appropriately. This will help your product seem its absolute best.

Clear Finish Painting and Decorating is a locally owned and operating business in Sydney that offers top quality paint for painting walls and can be reached by dialing 1300 289 282.